American cities are going wild as Amazon looks for a place to build its second headquarters and employ 50,000 people. Tucson businessmen sent a 21-foot cactus to Jeff Bezos’ office. Philadelphia and Tulsa have expressed openness to modifying their tax codes. Canadian cities, meanwhile, highlight their more stable political environment and looser immigration policy. Contemplating local impacts, the Cary, North Carolina News & Observer notes that enticements have not been necessary to attract Amazon projects in the past; does this new competition among cities amount to ‘corporate welfare’?
Retail firms that usually hire temporary workers for fall and winter are facing low unemployment and competition from e-commerce firms. Target will try to attract workers by raising the lowest wage to $11 per hour. Walmart plans to avoid hiring temporary store employees by assigning more hours to its regular employees. In general, Walmart regards 34 hours per week — the threshold above which more employee benefits would be required — as full-time work. Anecdotes suggest that employees will welcome additional hours.
The first woman ever to complete the Marine Corps’ Infantry Officer Course graduated yesterday. She will soon lead a platoon of 40 in a service that has been much criticized for its misogyny. Infantry roles have only been open to women since April 2016. A New York Times op-ed analogizes the contemporary debate around mixed-gender units and leadership to the recent debate around repeal of Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell. The op-ed quotes a RAND study finding that “performance of a group influences its cohesion more than cohesion influences performance.”
Management-side attorney William Emanuel was confirmed yesterday as the NLRB’s fifth member. (We wrote about Emanuel’s confirmation hearing here.) The Board now comprises three Republicans and two Democrats and is expected to reverse changes made by the Obama NLRB.
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July 4
The DOL scraps a Biden-era proposed rule to end subminimum wages for disabled workers; millions will lose access to Medicaid and SNAP due to new proof of work requirements; and states step up in the noncompete policy space.
July 3
California compromises with unions on housing; 11th Circuit rules against transgender teacher; Harvard removes hundreds from grad student union.
July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]