Human Times

North American Edition

4th November 2026

THE HOT STORY

Firms seek to improve jobsite culture to retain female workers

Employers are cracking down on workplace harassment and providing properly sized safety gear and cleaner facilities as they seek to retain female workers in sectors such as construction, and installation and repair. Female participation in these fields has risen in the last decade, federal data shows. Katie Yurick, career services director at Universal Technical Institute’s campus in Exton, Pa., said women are enrolling in these sectors partly because they have become more tech-infused. “These jobs aren’t even dirty jobs anymore,” she observes, adding that she has also heard from recruiters who believe women possess high maturity levels and are detail-oriented.

Wall Street Journal

WORKFORCE

Job openings reach four-month high as layoffs fall to lowest level in over a year

The U.S. labor market showed signs of renewed strength in September, with job openings increasing by 333,000 to 7.52m, their highest level in four months and above all economists' forecasts in a Bloomberg survey, according to the Labor Department. Layoffs declined to their lowest level since March 2025, while the voluntary quits rate rose to 2.1%, its highest in more than a year, suggesting improving worker confidence. Job vacancies increased across professional and business services, manufacturing, construction, government, trade, and transportation, with manufacturing openings reaching their highest level since late 2023. Hiring also accelerated, particularly in accommodation and food services, while the West recorded the largest regional increase in vacancies. The ratio of job openings to unemployed workers remained at approximately 1.1, indicating a relatively balanced labor market, compared with a peak of 2 to 1 in 2022.

AP News

Bloomberg

Wall Street Journal

ECONOMY

Food prices and inflation drive voter backlash as Democrats take control of Congress

Rising food prices, fuel costs, and persistent inflation emerged as decisive factors in the U.S. midterm elections, with Democrats winning control of both the House and Senate amid widespread dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump's economic policies. At 07:00 EST, the Democrats had 54 Senate seats, compared to 44 for the Republicans, and 228 against 139 in the House. A national survey of more than 79,000 registered voters for the Associated Press and all the major TV and cable news networks found that approximately 90% considered the cost of living a crucial or major factor in their congressional vote, while roughly 60% were very concerned about food prices and a similar proportion about gasoline and diesel costs. Nearly two-thirds blamed Mr. Trump's policies for worsening inflation, while 75% described the economy as poor or not particularly good. Almost two-thirds believed Mr. Trump's tariffs had damaged economic conditions.

LEGAL

Democrats prepare for aggressive oversight of Trump administration

NBC News reports that when Democrats take control of the House and the Senate in January, they will face the “tricky challenge” of carrying out aggressive oversight of the Trump administration while needing the President's signature to advance most legislative goals. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, has warned Republicans to “lawyer up.” Rep. Peter Aguilar (D-CA) told NPR: “there will be a host of investigations . . . there is plenty to investigate, but I’ll tell you what the American public wants us to investigate are the grift and the corruption, the self-dealing, the no-bid contracts.” The Financial Times says investigations could uncover communications between officials and executives after alleged corruption emerged as a campaign theme in the midterms.

Financial Times

NBC News

NPR

CYBERSECURITY

Fake job interviews used as part of $6.3bn crypto hack

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has said hackers who stole $6.3bn used "fake job interviews" to steal funds. An engineer was contacted through a legitimate job-hunting platform and invited to bogus job interviews with fake company representatives. "Advanced and deceptive" methods were used to build trust, and the job applicant was instructed to download an "assignment" that deployed malicious code. The engineer's compromised computer and a compromised internal AI tool were then leveraged to gain control over two other engineers' laptops and execute the next steps of the attack. The FBI has traced the theft to TraderTraitor, a North Korean hacking group with links to the government.

STRATEGY

Fiserv cuts 3,000 employees and contractor jobs

Financial technology company Fiserv has cut its employee and contractor base by 3,000 since June. Senior management roles have been reduced by more than 10%. "We are pursuing a number of initiatives to simplify the organization and operate more efficiently," Fiserv said in a statement. Fiserv had more ‌than ⁠38,000 employees worldwide as of December 31, 2025.

Reuters

TAX

Democratic lawmakers press IRS over delayed tax gap estimates

A group of 43 Democratic lawmakers has urged IRS chief executive Frank Bisignano to explain the delay in releasing tax gap estimates for 2023 and 2024. The lawmakers argue that the IRS is “hiding the extent to which wealthy taxpayers avoid paying what they owe.” The IRS has historically published tax gap data since 1979. The latest figures show a gross tax gap of $696bn and a net tax gap of $606bn for 2022. Notably, those in the top 10% of income accounted for 64% of unpaid individual income taxes that year. The lawmakers expressed concern that withholding this data deprives Congress of crucial information needed to enforce tax laws effectively. They requested that Bisignano commit to releasing the estimates by November 15 and ensure that the methodology remains useful for policymakers.

The Hill

INTERNATIONAL

Canada-India $5.5bn bank takeover faces worker opposition

Canadian firm Fairfax Financial Holdings' proposed $5.5bn acquisition of IDBI Bank is encountering significant opposition from employees and political parties in India. The United Forum of IDBI Officers and Employees has announced a two-day nationwide strike, expressing “grave concerns” about the sale's transparency and valuation process. The forum is calling on the government to “cancel the privatization process” and prioritize strengthening the lender. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition, supported the unions, stating: “Public banks are not assets to be sold off, they are tools to build the nation.” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman defended the sale, asserting that IDBI Bank is being revived through “professionalism, prudence” and substantial recapitalization. The government claims the sale will be the largest foreign direct investment in India's financial sector.

CNBC

Greece introduces new gender pay transparency rules

Greece has introduced new pay transparency and equal pay regulations effective from 1 November 2026. Under Law 5316/2026, private-sector employers must ensure equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender. The legislation mandates objective salary structures, disclosure of pay information to job applicants, and corrective actions for unjustified wage differences. Employees can request salary information and challenge pay inequalities through the Labour Inspectorate or courts. The Ministry of Labour said it aims to make equal pay a reality through transparent procedures and effective measures against wage disparities.

GreekCitytimes

OTHER

Starbucks expands protein-rich menu as GLP-1 drugs reshape consumer tastes

Starbucks has expanded its range of high-protein drinks and smaller snacks to adapt to changing consumer habits driven by the growing use of GLP-1 weight-loss medications. Chief executive Brian Niccol said the coffee chain is focusing on smaller, protein-rich food options that appeal to customers with reduced appetites, including protein lattes, cold foams, protein popcorn, turkey jerky, and snack bars. The company has also introduced zero-sugar energy drinks as part of its broader menu innovation strategy. The shift comes as one in seven U.S. adults reports having used GLP-1 medications for weight loss. Meanwhile, Starbucks' U.S. comparable-store sales increased 7.7% in its latest fiscal quarter, contributing to its fifth consecutive quarter of positive global comparable-store sales growth. However, the company has reportedly discontinued employee health insurance coverage for GLP-1 medications prescribed specifically for weight loss amid rising healthcare costs.

The Seattle Times

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