Court weighs rights of workers at religious institutions | Walmart leads superstore hiring spree | Reskilling workforce key to post-pandemic resilience
The Supreme Court is considering whether religious employers are exempt from providing job protections to their workers under "ministerial exceptions" to labor laws. At the heart of the argument is whether the workers in question performed sufficient religious duties to be considered "ministers," and where that line should be drawn.
Walmart is among superstore retailers still hiring, even as unemployment numbers in the US pass the 14% mark. In April, warehouse clubs, supercenters and superstores, led by Walmart, added more than 90,000 jobs, while delivery services such as Amazon, Instacart, UPS and FedEx also continued robust hiring.
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Employers Need a New Model for Outplacement Between layoffs and automation, America's workers face daunting challenges. Traditional outplacement providers don't know how to help. Employers are embracing a new model for outplacement to help workers gain long-term economic mobility. Learn more.
Gig work offers flexibility and independence but can include some heavy challenges, finance expert Veronika Shestakova writes. Shestakova digs into some of the hurdles of gig work, including lack of employee protections, loss of state tax revenue and an inconsistent pipeline of work.
Tech companies have been creating apps and devices for tracking employee wellness and promoting customer safety as restaurants and other businesses start to reopen, but experts caution that they could give a false sense of security and do more harm than good. "Some companies are embarking upon things that are not going to help and may actually set us back," says Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
PwC US has kept its focus on employees' well-being as businesses adjust to working from home amid coronavirus restrictions, says Mike Fenlon, chief people officer. He describes how the company has addressed anxiety, offered mental health support and recognized the challenges facing employees.