THE HOT STORY

Immigration crackdown fails to boost jobs, data suggests

One year into President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, evidence suggests that closed borders are not improving employment opportunities for U.S.-born workers. Researchers from the American Enterprise Institute and Brookings Institution estimate that net migration may have been negative in 2025 for the first time in at least 50 years, a situation coinciding with rising joblessness among native-born individuals. “Look at what we're seeing: The U.S.-born unemployment rate has been going up. The U.S.-born labor force participation rate has dropped,” said Mark Regets, a senior fellow at non-partisan research organization the National Foundation for American Policy. “So if we've had a big withdrawal of immigrants from the labor force, we don't see any sign of the U.S.-born workers getting more employment because of that.”

Los Angeles Times

PAY TRANSPARENCY LAWS

Pay transparency laws by state and locality

Struggling to keep up with pay transparency laws?
Aimed at reducing the information imbalances around pay that can ingrain existing pay disparities, these laws are gaining traction nationwide, varying state by state and locality by locality.
Our 50-state chart covers employer rules, posting requirements, and more state by state, so you can stay compliant everywhere you operate.

Download the complete chart now

LEGAL

Mercedes-Benz settles alleged union-busting case

Mercedes-Benz has reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board, agreeing not to make anti-union threats following the UAW's unsuccessful attempt to organize at its Vance, Alabama, plant. The settlement requires Mercedes to inform employees of their union organizing rights. A notice to be distributed states: “WE WILL NOT threaten you with the closure and/or relocation of the facility to a non-union location, like Mexico, or anywhere else, if you choose to be represented by a union.” The UAW alleged that the company violated labor law by retaliating against union supporters. Additionally, Mercedes will revoke disciplinary actions against one employee and will not threaten employees with loss of benefits for unionizing. However, the UAW criticized the terms as insufficient, suggesting that management should read the notice aloud to employees, a request the agency deemed unnecessary.

Al.com

Kari Lake broke law in overseeing Voice of America, judge says

U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth has ruled that Kari Lake acted unlawfully while overseeing the U.S. Agency for Global Media, declaring her actions over the past year, including layoffs of over 1,000 staffers, null and void. The ruling is a significant setback for the Trump administration's efforts to reshape the Voice of America and other networks. Lake plans to appeal, claiming the judge's ruling is an attempt to obstruct President Trump's mandate to reduce government bureaucracy. The decision has been hailed by plaintiffs as a "powerful step toward undoing the damage" inflicted on the agency, which has historically served as a model of U.S. journalism.

NPR / National Public Radio

TECHNOLOGY

AI chatbots approved for official use in U.S. Senate

ChatGPT and two other artificial ‌intelligence chatbots have been approved for official use in the U.S. Senate. New guidelines said Senate aides could use AI tools for official work, including research, drafting and editing documents, and preparing briefings and talking points for lawmakers. They can use Google's Gemini chat, OpenAI's ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot, all of which are ‌already ⁠integrated into Senate platforms. The New York Times says it is unclear how widespread usage of the chatbots might become in the Senate, or how widespread it already is, and "that leaves open the question of how staffers who deal with sensitive or classified information might be asked to approach use of the products."

New York Times

STRATEGY

U.S. Postal Service hires restructuring advisers

Postmaster General David Steiner has told Reuters that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is hiring restructuring advisers as it could run out of money in early 2027. Consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal was hired for a brief engagement to help with planning for all scenarios, Steiner said. "We are out of cash in 12 months if we don't do anything different," Steiner explained. "I do not want to be in a ⁠position where we're six weeks out from running out of cash, and we say, Oh heck, what are we going to do?"

Reuters

ECONOMY

Small-business optimism slips again on weaker sales expectations

U.S. small-business optimism declined for a second consecutive month in February as owners grew less confident about future sales and economic conditions. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) optimism index fell 0.5 points to 98.8, reflecting softer sentiment before the Iran war pushed energy prices higher. Expectations for inflation-adjusted sales dropped sharply, with the net share of owners anticipating improved sales falling eight percentage points to 8%, after reaching a one-year high in January. Confidence in broader business conditions also weakened, while hiring plans declined to their lowest level since May, signalling caution in the labor market. Despite weaker outlooks, profit trends improved, reaching their strongest level since December 2021. Inflation pressures also eased slightly, with fewer businesses raising prices for a third straight month.

Bloomberg

INTERNATIONAL

Wall Street banks offer UAE staff option to relocate temporarily

Wall Street banks including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup are allowing employees in the UAE to work remotely due to the ongoing conflict in the region. “This is an unsettling time for people across the Middle East, and we continue take measures to support our colleagues and our clients,” a spokesperson for Citigroup said. “We are permitting some Middle East-based colleagues to work remotely from other geographies on a temporary basis while also maintaining enough on-the-ground support to service our clients.” But while some firms have offered temporary relocations, one bank said the uptake has been very limited, and employees may not receive compensation for moving.

Business Times SG

Korean unions threaten strikes as ‘yellow envelope law' comes into force

Subcontracted workers in South Korea - such as delivery staff - are escalating demands for direct negotiations with parent companies following the implementation of the "yellow envelope law." This law expands the definition of an employer to include firms that that exercise significant control over working conditions, even without a direct employment contract with subcontracted workers. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) anticipates a surge in bargaining requests from over 140,000 subcontracted workers. KCTU officials said: "The real employer must come forward and sit down to talk with subcontracted workers." Protests are planned if companies refuse to engage in discussions.

The Korea Times

Europe braces for surge of migration from Middle East

Europe is preparing for a potential increase in immigration from the Middle East due to ongoing conflict in the region, according to Amy Pope, director-general of the International Organization for Migration. European governments are keen to adopt a proactive approach to manage the situation, especially given rising anti-immigrant sentiment. Pope said it was too soon to estimate how many people would flee from the region. “Right now people are primarily moving inside their countries - within Iran, within Lebanon, which is probably the place we're the most concerned about,” she said. Pope also drew attention to the “often forgotten” foreign workers that constitute large parts of the population in many Gulf countries and whom she said “are often not provided with the same level of support and attention and information as the nationals of a country.”

Luxembourg Times

Workers at Glencore's Australian copper refinery threaten to strike

Workers are set to strike at Glencore’s Australian copper plant after failing to reach an agreement in a pay dispute. The Australian Workers’ Union has notified Glencore that employees would walk off the job from Friday if the company did not offer higher wages for the staff at the refinery in Townsville, Queensland, which produces up to 300,000 tons of finished copper each year. Glencore pays staff almost 15% less than at nearby plants. A final meeting is to be convened between Glencore and the union on Thursday.

Bloomberg

OTHER

Study links ultra-processed foods to behavioral issues in preschoolers

A study published in JAMA Network Open suggests that preschool children who consume more ultra-processed foods may be more likely to experience emotional and behavioral problems, including anxiety, aggression, and hyperactivity. Researchers analysing data from nearly 2,100 children in Canada found that every 10% increase in calories from ultra-processed foods was associated with higher problem scores by age five. The findings indicate that replacing even small portions of ultra-processed foods with whole foods such as fruits and vegetables could support healthier emotional and behavioral development in early childhood.

US News and World Report

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