Alexa Kissinger is a student at Harvard Law School.
The Wall Street Journal covered the national movement being waged against Walmart in China. Disgruntled workers, who complain of low wages and a new scheduling system that has left them poorer and exhausted, are protesting across the country. Bypassing official unions controlled by the Communist Party, the workers are using social media to coordinate their actions. A fifth of Walmart’s Chinese work force has joined the messaging group WeChat, and Walmart has discouraged its workers from downloading another app called WorkIt. Walmart has instructed store managers to tell employees WorkIt wasn’t made by the company and are describing it as a scheme to gather workers’ personal information. According to the Wall Street Journal, the government, which appears to be keeping a distance, seems worried about provoking backlash or being seen as acting on behalf of a prominent American company and against Chinese workers at a time of rising Chinese nationalism.
The EEOC issued it’s fiscal year 16 performance report, finding the Commission secured more than $482.1 million for victims of discrimination in private, state and local government, and federal workplaces in the last year. In addition to other accomplishments, the EEOC completed 15,800 charges of discrimination through administrative processes-settlements, mediations, and conciliations. The EEOC also resolved 273 systemic investigations before filing litigation, obtaining more than $20.3 million in remedies. Through litigation, the EEOC resolved 21 systemic cases, six of which included at least 50 victims of discrimination and two of which included over 1,000 victims of discrimination. The report also touted outreach and other resources the Commission provided throughout the year.
After the most recent election, Arizona and Washington will become the latest to join the ever-expanding list of states with measures requiring employers to provide eligible employees with paid sick leave. Both measures entitle employees to accrue paid leave for their own medical needs, those of certain family members, and other covered purposes. Both measures define “covered family member” fairly broadly, and also allow employers to require a 90 day waiting period after an employee begins a new job before using leave.
The Times Higher Education released its sixth annual list of which schools produce graduates most sought-after by employers. Universities in the United States dominated this year’s results, with six of the top ten schools whose graduates are most sought after by hiring managers based in the U.S. See the full rankings here.
Daily News & Commentary
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July 17
Canadian wildfires endanger rail workers; 26 Meta employees allege targeted layoffs for those on paid leave; FIFPRO pushes for more rigorous heat protections for players.
July 16
Trump's NLRB nominee set for Senate vote, federal district court grants partial win on WARN Act claims, Brigham and Women's nurses return to work.
July 15
U.S. labor productivity climbs at its fastest pace in decades; a federal judge grants a preliminary injunction to anti-abortion groups challenging Michigan’s civil rights law; and Jackson, Mississippi’s bus workers walk off the job.
July 14
DOJ opens investigation of UAW president; LIUNA protests Pfizer building collapse; national park workers unionize
July 13
New York Times files retaliation suit against the EEOC; US government pushes back TPS designation termination for Haiti; federal judge grants preliminary injunction to federal workers seeking reasonable telework accommodations.
July 12
Postal workers demand investigation into Atlanta distribution center conditions following deaths; University of Chicago Press Workers vote to unionize.