Human Times
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North American Edition
12th October 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

Lyft to pay $272m settlement to California rideshare drivers

Rideshare giant Lyft is to pay $272.5m to settle a six-year lawsuit with California that it committed wage theft against its drivers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and the city attorneys of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, sued the company six years ago after it was accused of misclassifying drivers as independent contractors, which meant the drivers were paid well below minimum wage and denied other legally mandated workplace protections. “Rideshare companies like Lyft have enjoyed massive growth and profits on the backs of drivers over the past decade, many of whom are from immigrant communities and communities of color,” Bonta said. “Lyft's success would not be possible without the drivers Lyft sought to unfairly short-change. Hard-working employees deserve full compensation for their labor.”
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TECHNOLOGY

Walmart’s warehouse automation push faces technical challenges

Walmart is undertaking a multibillion-dollar program to automate its U.S. warehouse network, but technical difficulties, rising operating costs and implementation delays are complicating the transition. The retailer is introducing robotic systems across most of its approximately 200 supply-chain facilities, aiming to accelerate inventory processing, improve stock availability and reduce reliance on manual labor. However, challenges involving robotic breakdowns, incompatible packaging and oversized products have slowed progress, while automated grocery warehouses have seen monthly electricity costs rise from approximately $250,000 to as much as $800,000. By August, more than 65% of Walmart’s U.S. stores were receiving some automated freight, while over 50% of e-commerce inventory was processed through automated systems. The company is working with robotics specialist Symbotic, in which it holds a 12.6% stake, to expand automation across 42 distribution centers by approximately 2030.
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HIRING

AI skills drive higher salary premiums

Employers are increasingly offering higher salaries to professionals with AI expertise, according to Robert Half’s 2027 Salary Guide, which found that 72% of managers are increasing pay for relevant AI skills, while 42% offer higher premiums for AI expertise than for other technical capabilities. Additionally, 57% are exceeding planned salary offers to attract specialized talent. Finance and accounting starting salaries are projected to rise by an average of 1.8% in 2027, with financial analysts (+3.8%), staff accountants (+3.7%), and financial planning and analysis managers (+3.6%) expected to see stronger growth. As businesses expand investments in AI, automation, and data analytics, demand is increasing for finance professionals who can apply emerging technologies while maintaining accuracy and compliance. However, industry experts emphasize that critical thinking, professional judgment, and the ability to evaluate AI-generated outputs remain essential alongside technical expertise.
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STRATEGY

GSK to invest more than $800m in biopharma hub

GSK plans to invest more than $800m to expand its Upper Merion, Pennsylvania site into ​a new biopharmaceutical manufacturing and research ‌hub, creating over 300 jobs in the next five years. The drugmaker said construction, which is planned to begin next year, will ​help accelerate the development and supply of future medicines.

Netflix 'plans to cut 5% of its workforce'

Puck News reports that Netflix is planning to cut about 5% of ​its workforce. The last major round of layoffs at the streaming ​giant ​came in 2022, when the company laid off hundreds of employees amid slowing ​growth and subscriber losses. Netflix ​had about 16,000 full-time employees at the ‌end ⁠of 2025.
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LEGAL

Trump announces committee to investigate Fed governor Lisa Cook

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he is establishing a committee to investigate Lisa Cook, the U.S. Federal Reserve governor, over allegations that she committed mortgage fraud. Lawyers for Cook have said ​that if ‌the planned hearing ​is "anything close to objective," ​it will demonstrate that Cook ⁠did not commit mortgage ​fraud and will leave no ​case to remove her. "We have engaged with the White House ​to evaluate whether the ​process proposed has a possibility of ‌being ⁠a genuine one and not simply a box checking exercise," lawyers Abbe Lowell ​and Norm ​Eisen ⁠said. "Governor Cook welcomes the ​opportunity to present ​the ⁠facts so she can clear her name and demonstrate ⁠there ​is no legal ​basis to fire her.”

OpenAI denies firing researchers over safety warnings

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has responded to accusations that three former safety researchers were fired for warning about the dangers of AI, insisting that their dismissals were due to a "significant breach of trust." The researchers, Mikita Balesni, Tomek Korbak, and Jasmine Wang, claim they were fired for prioritizing safety concerns "over the near-term interests of OpenAI as a corporation."
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REGULATION

Aurora granted exemption for self-driving trucks safety feature

The U.S. transportation department has granted Aurora and other self-driving trucking companies a five-year exemption ​from rules that ‌require drivers to place warning devices around a stopped vehicle. The department has agreed to allow ​autonomous trucking firms to use warning beacons mounted on the truck cab to ​avoid needing human drivers. Aurora and Alphabet's self-driving unit Waymo have previously sought a waiver of ​rules requiring reflective triangles to be placed outside stopped trucks ⁠to help prevent crashes.
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REMUNERATION

Goldman Sachs to pay top executives $500m in special bonuses

Goldman Sachs is preparing to award more than $500min share-based bonuses to senior executives under a five-year incentive plan introduced in 2021. Chief executive David Solomon is expected to receive approximately $100m, with president and chief operating officer John Waldron and other eligible senior leaders also benefiting. The final payout, determined by Goldman’s share performance relative to competitors at the end of October, could still change. The awards follow strong stock market performance, with Goldman’s shares rising approximately 180% over the past three years, supported by a renewed focus on investment banking, trading, and asset management following its retreat from consumer banking. The bank said the incentive scheme was designed to reward performance, retain senior talent, and ensure leadership continuity in a competitive financial services market.
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INTERNATIONAL

Entire IT department hands in notice at top Slovak court

The Supreme Administrative Court in Slovakia is facing a significant challenge as its entire IT department prepares to leave, raising concerns about the management of electronic case files. Opposition MP Zuzana Števulová said the employees had complained about receiving orders verbally, through intermediaries or outside the usual procedures for recording instructions, precipitating their resignations. The court said the IT department had experienced staff churn in previous years and the latest departures would not put its operations at risk.

HSBC to cut wealth management jobs in U.K.

HSBC is planning major job cuts across its U.K. wealth management business as part of a wider push to integrate AI. Around half of management and specialist roles could go, while financial adviser numbers may be reduced by up to 70%. The changes are currently under consultation; affected staff are expected to leave by the end of October.
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OTHER

Wells Fargo faces potential probe over Black homeownership commitments

Wells Fargo faces a potential investigation from the Trump administration's housing authority over programs and commitments ​the lender made over nearly a decade to increase homeownership among Black Americans. The probe will look at whether the ​bank violated fair-lending laws by favoring Black or other ⁠minority homeowners, according to a letter from the Department of Housing and Urban Development sent to Wells Fargo CEO ​Charlie Scharf. The Wall Street Journal notes that the potential probe is another instance of corporate America being targeted by the White House for programs that were encouraged during prior administrations, either by the government or socially conscious investors.
 
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