Federal workforce cuts leave a measurable mark on U.S. employment
OPM reports a 271,566 net federal workforce decline through June 2026, while GAO found departures far outpaced hiring at 22 major agencies.
labor
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Hollywood’s New SAG-AFTRA Contract Puts AI and Streaming Rules to the Test
SAG-AFTRA’s contract is now in force, raising minimums and adding AI, streaming, benefit and digital-replica rules for film and TV work.
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July Inflation and Weaker Real Pay Put Fresh Pressure on U.S. Employers
July prices rose modestly, but inflation-adjusted hourly pay fell, creating a difficult balance for U.S. employers, workers and consumer demand.
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Employer compensation rose faster than wages in latest U.S. data
Federal data show U.S. employer compensation rose 3.4% over the year, while wages grew 3.2% and benefit costs increased 3.8% through June.
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OSHA’s Safe & Sound Week puts emergency planning on managers’ agendas
OSHA’s voluntary Safe & Sound Week runs through Aug. 16, giving managers a prompt to review emergency plans, training, hazard reporting and follow-up.
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Senate Hearing Examines How AI Could Change Jobs and Workplace Rules
A July 29 Senate hearing examined how AI may alter jobs, hiring and career pathways as federal projections show growth in some fields and declines in others.
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Federal labor data shows where AI may grow — and where jobs may shrink
BLS projects 5.2 million more U.S. jobs by 2034, but AI and automation are expected to shift demand toward technical roles and away from routine office work.
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Bakersfield Memorial Hospital layoffs take effect, eliminating 57 jobs
A California WARN filing shows Dignity Health permanently eliminated 57 positions at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital effective August 3, including 33 nurses, according to local reporting.
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U.S. Median Weekly Earnings Reached $1,251 in Q2 2026
Median weekly earnings rose 4.6% for full-time U.S. wage and salary workers in the second quarter, but major pay differences remained across worker groups.
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Leisure and hospitality jobs fell in June as seasonal hiring slowed
Leisure and hospitality employment fell by 61,000 in June, but BLS said seasonal hiring was weaker than usual—not that hotel demand had collapsed.
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Meta AI-layoff lawsuit puts protected leave under scrutiny
A judge let Meta’s layoffs proceed while saying workers raised serious questions about whether AI-assisted metrics affected employees on protected leave.
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UNESCO’s Creative-Industry Framework Could Expose Labor Data Gaps
UNESCO is developing comparable indicators for film, music and other creative work, where informal jobs, short contracts and platform income can be hard to measure.
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MLB labor talks enter new phase as players seek roster, data protections
The MLBPA’s latest proposals would change rosters, player movement, draft rules and data access as MLB’s salary-cap fight raises lockout risks.
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Guyana’s oil-led expansion is creating a labor and migration dilemma
Guyana’s rapid growth is widening labor shortages, putting migration management, diaspora return, training and worker protections at the center of policy.
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Chile’s 3.5% employer pension phase starts with August pay
Chile’s pension reform enters its next payroll phase with August 2026 pay: employers will contribute 3.5%, including a protected-return component for workers.
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ArcBest cuts jobs, plans 10 freight-terminal closures
ArcBest plans to cut about 2% of its workforce, close 10 ABF Freight service centers and retire one Vaux product while consolidating brands.
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What senators heard about AI, jobs and the next policy step
A Senate hearing found no clear proof of broad AI-driven job losses, but witnesses warned about changing tasks, entry-level pathways and weak federal data.
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UPS raises 2026 outlook as delivery demand and fuel costs come into focus
UPS raised its 2026 outlook after stronger second-quarter revenue, but restructuring costs and workforce reductions remain central to the company’s plans.
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Maryland jobs grew in June, but transportation and manufacturing employment declined
Maryland added an estimated 900 jobs in June and 17,800 during the first half of 2026, but transportation, manufacturing, retail and wholesale employment fell.
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New Census estimates show America getting older as its middle-aged population shrinks
The U.S. population grew 3.1% through 2025, but the 45-to-64 population fell while the number of people 65 and older rose sharply.
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Judge blocks Lincoln minimum-wage ordinance while state lawsuit proceeds
A July 17 injunction prevents Lincoln from enforcing its new wage ordinance. Nebraska’s $15 statewide minimum wage and separate youth-wage rules remain in effect while the legal challenge continues.
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New Maine Workplace Laws Change Pay Transparency, Surveillance Notices and Health Care Noncompetes
Maine laws that took effect July 29 require many employers to disclose pay ranges, notify workers about covered surveillance and follow revised rules for health care noncompete agreements.