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North American Edition
19th December 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

White men urged to report discrimination

Andrea Lucas, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has called on white men to report experiences of workplace discrimination based on race or sex. In a social media post, she stated, “Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex? You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws." This initiative has sparked debate, with critics like David Glasgow from the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging arguing that it reflects a misunderstanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles. Glasgow noted, “If DEI has been this engine of discrimination against white men, I have to say it hasn't really been doing a very good job at achieving that.” Former EEOC Chair Jenny Yang expressed concern over prioritizing one demographic group, suggesting it undermines the agency's mission of equal opportunity for all.
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HIRING

Walmart boosts truck driver salaries to $115,000

Walmart is increasing starting salaries for truck drivers to $115,000 annually, significantly above industry norms, to combat a critical driver shortage. The move has attracted more women to Walmart's fleet, with female drivers now making up 18% of the workforce. The trucking industry faces a demographic crisis, costing companies around $100m weekly due to driver shortages. Ryan McDaniel, senior vice president of transportation at Walmart, said: "Within the four walls of this company, it's viewed as one of the best jobs."
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WORKPLACE

TikTok to mandate five-day office return for U.S. staff next year

TikTok plans to require its U.S. employees to return to the office five days a week starting September 2026, Business Insider reports. The move marks one of the company's most significant return-to-office requirements to date and will apply across several large teams. 
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WORKFORCE

New jobless claims fall by 13,000 to 202,000 as layoffs remain subdued

The Labor Department reported on Thursday that initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 13,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 224,000 in the seven days to December 13th. Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected 225,000 new claims. The four-week moving average rose 500 to 217,000, while the total number filers for jobless benefits, reported with a one-week lag, grew 67,000 to 1.9m. 
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CORPORATE

Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader set to merge in record $3.6bn deal

Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft are merging to form a new firm, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, with combined revenues exceeding $3.6bn. The merger will create the world's fifth-largest law firm, employing over 3,000 lawyers. “Clients are increasingly looking for law firms with deep sector expertise and broad global reach to advise on their most complex mandates around the world,” said Hogan Lovells CEO Miguel A. Zaldivar Jr., who will lead the new entity. Partners will vote on the merger in spring, with completion expected by June. Despite potential office overlaps, job losses are not anticipated. 
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LEGAL

UAW President’s chief of staff to exit

Chris Brooks, chief of staff to UAW President Shawn Fain, will leave the union on December 31 after a federal monitor's report found he improperly sought to remove duties from secretary-treasurer Margaret Mock. The UAW has been under federal oversight since a 2020 corruption settlement. The monitor, in its report, called the union's recent actions, including holding Brooks accountable for the treatment of Mock, steps that signal “to union staff and membership that the union is willing to address acts of retaliation, even at the highest level of the union.”
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CYBERSECURITY

Banks get new federal guidance on AI cyber risks

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a preliminary draft of guidance called the Cyber AI Profile, which is aimed at helping organizations align their cybersecurity strategies with AI adoption. Barbara Cuthill, one of the authors of the profile, said: “Regardless of where organizations are on their AI journey, they need cybersecurity strategies that acknowledge the realities of AI’s advancement.”
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INTERNATIONAL

Portugal's government to amend labor reform

Portugal's government is to amend labor reform legislation in the wake of the country's first general strike since June 2013. Unions said the labor code - an important part of the government's agenda to boost productivity and economic growth - favors employers at the expense of workers. Labour Minister Maria do Rosario Ramalho on Tuesday met with the leadership of umbrella union UGT, and said the government was now ready to reach a compromise. "It was a very constructive meeting. This is not about backing down, but about bringing positions closer together in a negotiation," she said, adding that UGT would also put forward proposals to seek a middle ground.

Asahi CEO weighs creation of new cybersecurity team

Asahi CEO Atsushi Katsuki has said he is mulling the creation of a new cybersecurity unit after a September ransomware attack disrupted operations and financial reporting. As part of recovery efforts, the Japanese beer making giant is adopting what Katsuki called a stricter “zero-trust” approach, whereby the company assumes nobody inside its network is safe. He said Asahi has already scrapped the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs, that help disguise a user’s location. “Information security is a management issue that should be given the highest priority,” he said. “We thought we had taken sufficient measures, which were easily broken. It made me realize there’s no limit to the precautions that can be taken.”

Class action filed against Woolworths for alleged staff underpayments

Class action proceedings have been filed against Australian grocery giant Woolworths in Federal Court, alleging potential underpayments to staff in South Australia. Woolworths said the claims brought by Shine Lawyers involve a subsidiary, and were based on a South Australian state law that was repealed some time ago, which deemed Sundays to be public holidays. Woolworths said it would defend the proceedings. A prior proceeding had been filed by another law firm, Dutton Law, regarding staff underpayments.

Singapore extends part-time re-employment grant

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced that it will extend the Part-Time Re-employment Grant (PTRG) until Dec 31, 2027, due to ongoing demand. The grant, which was introduced in 2020, aims to support employers in hiring senior workers aged 60 and above. MOM said: "Since its introduction in 2020, the take-up of the PTRG has been encouraging." Over 7,500 employers have used the grant, benefiting more than 65,000 senior workers, with over $92m disbursed since its inception. Companies registered in Singapore can apply for the grant.
 
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