Data shows that teleworkers spend less time working
For those who only measure inputs (i.e. hours worked) – the latest research agrees with what many have suspected – namely, that remote workers don’t spend as much time working as those who are in the office. Data from the American Time Use Survey confirms that remote workers have drastically reduced their work hours over the course of the pandemic and beyond, working 32 minutes per day. fewer in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2021, it was 41 minutes less, in 2022, 57 minutes less, and in 2023, 35 minutes less. In 2023, women working from home reduced their working hours significantly—working a whopping 76 minutes less in 2023 than in 2019 (men worked just 13 minutes less in 2023). Crucially, these declines in working hours are not due to shorter commute times. While overall commute times have fallen, the majority of the decline in working hours is due to reductions in actual working hours. But while these rough input data look pretty black and white, commentators claim they don’t tell the whole story, nor do they explain whether people are actually “working.”better’ work remotely and simply take less time to do so. Others say these changes in time use simply reflect differences in the type of workers engaged in remote work over time. Still others add that women are also more prone to burnout than men.
Bank of America sends letters to its employees urging them to return to the office
Bank of America (BoA) has reportedly sent out “advice letters” threatening disciplinary action if employees do not return to the office. In a letter posted online by a bank employee, BoA said the employee “failed to meet the minimum workplace expectations set out in the Workplace Excellence Guidelines despite requests and reminders.” The letter went on to say, “Failure to meet the workplace excellence expectations applicable to your position within two weeks of the date of this notification may result in further disciplinary action.” The requests were first reported in the Financial Timeswhich also said that BoA had been sending similar messages since last fall. However, it is not known whether the bank is stepping up its efforts to bring employees back, as the bank has not responded to requests from various news agencies for further details. What is certain, however, is that BoA is joining other banking giants (including Goldman Sachs and Citigroup) in demanding that large numbers of their employees return to the office. Goldman Sachs has since reported that office attendance returned to pre-pandemic levels between Monday and Thursday.
Chipotle denied union members pay raises, US labor agency finds
The general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board has announced that he will file a formal complaint against Chipotle unless it settles a lawsuit alleging that the company denied unionized workers at one of its Michigan restaurants a raise. Workers at the Lansing, Michigan restaurant voted 11-3 to join the Teamsters union in 2022, but have not yet signed a contract with Chipotle. The union (in a complaint filed last year) says Chipotle withheld raises from the store’s employees by falsely claiming they were ineligible for raises because of their union affiliation. Last year, Chipotle workers at the Lansing, Michigan restaurant voted 11-3 to join the Teamsters in 2022, but have not yet signed a contract with Chipotle. In a complaint filed last year, the union says Chipotle withheld raises from the store’s employees by falsely claiming they were ineligible for raises because of their union membership.
Almost half of full-time workers say their wages are not enough to survive
A staggering 44% of full-time employed Americans say they don’t make enough money to meet their family’s basic needs, according to a new study released by Dayforce, a human capital management software company, in partnership with the Living Wage Institute. Using data from more than 600,000 workers, the report finds that Americans need an average hourly wage of $23 to make a “living wage,” but only half of full-time women and just 62% of male workers make a living wage. The report also found that only 40% of full-time Black and Latino workers make a living wage and are nearly twice as likely to be struggling to make ends meet as their white counterparts. These workers make $8.20 and $7.70 less per hour, respectively, than their white counterparts. Commenting on the figures, Jason Rahlan, vice president of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Dayforce, said: “People who do not earn a living wage are more likely to report difficulty paying their housing, overdrawing their checking and savings accounts, forgoing healthcare, and not purchasing medications.” He added: “When workers are at higher risk of these negative outcomes, they are also at higher risk of leaving their jobs and seeking other work opportunities because they need the opportunity to live a life of health, fulfillment, and dignity.”
US Customs discriminates against pregnant workers
A federal agency was found guilty by another federal agency of discriminating against workers because of their pregnancy. A class action lawsuit filed by the Equal Opportunities Commission against the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency alleges that pregnant employees were forced to perform temporary light work due to their pregnancy, “without regard to whether they could continue working in their previous positions with or without reasonable accommodation.” According to the law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, which is representing 1,000 women in the case, “the lawsuit challenged a CBP policy and practice that required more than 500 officers and agricultural specialists to perform temporary light work. The evidence collected strongly supported the conclusion that all or most of these women were placed in these temporary light work assignments simply because of their pregnancy, without considering whether they could continue to perform the essential functions of their previous positions and without, the firm said, the accommodation afforded to employees with comparable short-term disabilities.” Final approval of the settlement amount is expected in September.
Musk’s latest letter to employees raises eyebrows
X-tycoon Elon Musk has sparked concern among employees after a notice to staff suggested that employees would have to justify why they were entitled to cash in their stock options. An email to staff said employees would have to submit a one-page summary of their contributions to access their options. According to The edge – which first revealed this – the email adds to already growing tensions within the company, as it was also reported that the company’s promotion process was delayed without explanation. According to The edgeThe social media company still owes its employees their annual stock refresh, which was due to be paid out in April. According to two employees, Musk had previously assured employees that they would be able to cash in stocks on a regular basis, similar to SpaceX employees. However, he has so far failed to keep that promise. The last stock refresh for X employees came in October 2023 and valued the company at $19 billion – significantly less than the $44 billion Musk paid for it.
Ohio introduces bill to penalize employers who hire non-citizens
Representative Thomas Patton has introduced a bill (House Bill 656) that would penalize employers who hire people living in the U.S. illegally. The bill states that no employer may knowingly hire a person living in the country illegally. In addition, the bill allows the County Court of Common Pleas to order employers to fire all “unauthorized aliens.” It proposes that employers who hired illegal workers should be placed on probation for three years or have their licenses suspended for up to 10 business days. Citizens can file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General, who will investigate the case and notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. An employer could prove that they did not hire someone without permanent resident status if they used the E-Verify program or another status verification system. If the bill becomes law, the Attorney General’s Office will maintain a database of the names of employers who violate the law, as well as the address of the business location where they have hired people without permanent residency status.
