Human Times

North American Edition

14th January 2026

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THE HOT STORY

Tesla agrees to mediation in attempt to resolve racism lawsuit

Tesla has agreed to mediation that could resolve the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's lawsuit which accuses the electric car maker of tolerating widespread harassment of Black employees at its assembly plant in Fremont, California. The EEOC said it is working with Tesla to choose a mediator, and negotiations could begin in March or April. “Should this matter not resolve through settlement discussions and mediation efforts, the parties will submit to the court on or before June 17, 2026, a proposed protocol for the next phase of the litigation,” lawyers for the EEOC said.

Bloomberg

Reuters

2026 COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

January 1, 2026: New year brings 145+ new compliance requirements

Hello 2026 and hello to a slew of new federal, state and local employment law requirements! While we can’t predict everything 2026 will bring, we can help you and your HR team stay in compliance with the new January 1 employment law updates.

These new laws – more than 145 in total – affect employers in more than 20 states and dozens of localities and cover an array of topics from minimum wage to benefits to leave and more…

For a complete list of the new January 1 compliance updates by jurisdiction, download our guide and get your organization compliant today.

Stay compliant in 2026 here

LEGAL

Court hears arguments in Amazon overtime dispute

Former Amazon workers in Chicago are challenging the company's pay practices regarding pre- and post-shift activities in a case before the Illinois Supreme Court. The plaintiffs, Lisa Johnson and Gale Miller Anderson, argue that they should be compensated for time spent undergoing COVID-19 screenings before their shifts. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul supports their claim, saying: “If you require your employees to do something, then you have to pay your employees to do that thing.” Amazon contends that the screenings were not integral to job duties and that requiring payment for such activities could impose significant financial burdens on employers.

Chicago Sun Times

BP refinery workers enter negotiations amid proposed job cuts

Workers at BP's Whiting refinery in Indiana have started contract negotiations regarding proposed changes that could result in over 200 job cuts in operations, maintenance, and environmental safety. The United Steelworkers union expressed concerns that these cuts and other workplace changes would undermine the workers' long-standing contributions to the company, with union president Eric Schultz emphasizing the need for efficient operations without sacrificing employee welfare. The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on January 31, and BP has committed to engaging in negotiations in good faith.

Reuters

LEADERSHIP

CEOs shoulder the burden alone

Chief executives are contending with "mounting pressure and [are] increasingly bearing the weight of that accountability alone" as other senior staff do not share the same urgency, according to a study by consulting firm AlixPartners. The survey of 3,200 executives across 11 countries revealed that 70% of CEOs are facing pressure from high levels of disruption or challenges to their businesses, while less than 40% of their C-suite colleagues share this sentiment. In the U.K., over 40% of CEOs believe their leadership teams lack the agility to keep pace with their competitors. Warning of a "growing disconnect" at the top of businesses, Rob Hornby, co-CEO of AlixPartners, said: "Today's CEOs are full-time stakeholder managers, grappling with a relentless and increasingly complex wave of disruptive forces."

The Times

ECONOMY

U.S. core inflation slowed to 2.6% in December

Core consumer prices in the U.S. rose by 2.6% annually in December, slightly below expectations and offering fresh signs of cooling inflation. The Labor Department said Tuesday that monthly core CPI increased 0.2%, while headline inflation - driven by shelter and food - was up 0.3% for the month and 2.7% annually. The softer core inflation figures support hopes that price pressures are easing, although they remain above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. "Distortions caused by the government shutdown have made the inflation data harder to interpret, but the recent run of figures suggests inflation has peaked," commented Michael Pearce, Chief U.S. Economist at Oxford Economics. "We think tariff-driven price rises have mostly been passed through and anticipate further disinflation in services inflation in 2026 will drive inflation back closer to the 2% target by the end of the year."

Small-biz confidence rises on brighter economic outlook

U.S. small-business optimism climbed in December, with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reporting a rise in its confidence index to 99.5, up from 99.0 in November and above the long-term average of 98. The boost was fueled by improved expectations for future business conditions - marking the first increase in that category since July. The NFIB also noted a drop in its uncertainty index to the lowest level since June 2024. Chief economist Bill Dunkelberg cited reduced cost pressures, easing labor issues, and stronger capital investment as reasons for the brighter outlook heading into 2026.

PYMNTS

Wall Street Journal

CORPORATE

Saks Global files for bankruptcy

Late on Tuesday, Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, around a year after a $2.7bn deal that brought Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf ‌Goodman, and Neiman Marcus under common ownership. The filing stated that Richard Baker is stepping down as chief executive of Saks Global, with former Neiman Marcus chief Geoffroy van Raemdonck assuming the post through bankruptcy proceedings. Saks Global said it had secured $1bn of debtor-in-possession financing, led by Pentworth Capital Management and Bracebridge Capital, which “will provide ample liquidity to fund Saks Global’s operations and turnaround initiatives." Additionally, a bondholder group has pledged an additional $500m in financing for the firm when it emerges from bankruptcy.

INTERNATIONAL

Trump says trade agreement with Mexico, Canada ‘irrelevant’ to U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump says the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is not relevant to the U.S. “There’s no real advantage to it; it’s irrelevant,” Trump said about the trade agreement on Tuesday, as he toured a Ford factory in Dearborn, Michigan, ahead of a speech he delivered on the economy in Detroit. “The problem is, we don’t need their product. You know, we don’t need cars made in Canada. We don’t need cars made in Mexico. We want to take them here. And that’s what’s happening,” Trump said.

Automotive News

Reuters

India urges quick-commerce firms to drop 10-minute delivery promise

India’s labor ministry has called on rapid delivery platforms including Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto to remove 10-minute delivery guarantees amid concerns over gig worker safety and conditions. Blinkit has already dropped the branding, and others are expected to follow. While the move is seen as a reputational response rather than a change in operations, analysts say fast delivery remains essential in India's fiercely competitive e-commerce market.

Bloomberg

Hindustan Times

Reuters

Job losses in European car parts sector top 100,000 in two years

European car parts suppliers have announced more than 100,000 job losses in the past two years as they suffer from low demand for vehicles and fierce competition from Chinese rivals.

Financial Times

OTHER

WHO calls for higher taxes on sugary drinks

According to two reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), sugary drinks and alcohol are inadequately taxed, contributing to ongoing health issues. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said: "Health taxes are not a silver bullet . . . but many countries have shown that when they're done right, they're a powerful tool for health." The reports reveal that sugary drinks have become more affordable in 62 countries since 2022, while beer prices have dropped in 56 countries. The WHO's "3 by 35" initiative aims to increase prices of these beverages by 50% over the next decade through taxation, potentially raising $1tn by 2035. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticised major soda manufacturers, and advocates for healthier dietary choices.

Reuters

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