Data proves remote workers spend less time working
For those who only measure inputs (ie hours toiled) – latest research chimes with what many will have suspected – that remote workers don’t spend as much time working as those who are in the office. Data extracted from the American Time Use Survey confirms remote workers drastically reduced their time working over the course of the pandemic and beyond, working 32 minutes per day less in 2020 compared to 2019. It was 41 minutes less in 2021, 57 minutes less in 2022, and 35 minutes less in 2023. In 2023, remote-working women reduced the time spent working substantially – working a whopping 76 minutes less in 2023 compared to 2019 (men only worked for 13 fewer minutes in 2023). Crucially, these declines in time spent working are not driven by reductions in commuting. While commute times have declined overall, the bulk of the decline in time at work has been driven by reductions in actual time working. But while this crude inputs data looks pretty black and white, commentators claim it doesn’t tell the full story, nor explain whether people are actually doing ‘better’ work remotely, and simply need less time to do it. Others suggest these changes in time-use simply reflect differences in the type of worker within remote jobs over time. Others add women are also more prone to burnout than men.
Bank of America sends letters out demanding staff return to the office
Bank of America (BoA), has reportedly sent out ‘letters of education’ in which disciplinary action is threatened unless staff return to the office. In one letter posted online by an employee of the bank, BoA said the worker had failed “to follow the minimum expectation regarding your work location set by the Workplace Excellence Guidelines despite requests and reminders to do so.” The letter added: “Failure to follow the workplace excellence expectations applicable to your role within two weeks of the date of this notification may result in further disciplinary action.” The requests were first reported in the Financial Times, which also said BoA had been sending similar messages since last autumn. Whether or not the bank is ramping up efforts to get staff back is not known, however, as the bank has not responded to requests for more details from various news outlets. What is certainly true, however, is that BoA joins the likes of other banking giants (including Goldman Sachs and Citigroup), in requesting that large numbers of employees return to the office. Goldman Sachs has since reported that its in-office attendance is back to pre-pandemic levels between Monday and Thursday.
Chipotle denied raises to unionized workers, finds US labor agency
The National Labor Relations Board’s general counsel has announced it will issue a formal complaint against Chipotle unless it settles a claim that it refused to give raises to unionized workers at one of its Michigan restaurants. Workers at the Lansing, Michigan, restaurant voted 11-3 to join the Teamsters union in 2022, but have yet to secure a contract with Chipotle. The union [in a complaint filed last year], said Chipotle withheld raises from the store’s employees by falsely claiming that they were not eligible for pay bumps because they had unionized. Last year Chipotle workers at the Lansing, Michigan, restaurant voted 11-3 to join the Teamsters in 2022, but have yet to secure a contract with Chipotle. The union in a complaint filed last year said Chipotle withheld raises from the store’s employees by falsely claiming that they were not eligible for pay bumps because they had unionized.
Nearly half of full time workers say they’re not making a living wage
A staggering 44% of full-time working Americans claim they do not make enough money to cover their family’s basic needs. This is according to new research published by Dayforce, a human capital management software company, in partnership with the Living Wage Institute. In number-crunching data from more than 600,000 workers, the report finds that Americans need an average hourly wage of $23 per hour to have a ‘liveable wage’ but only half of full-time female workers and only 62% of male workers have a liveable income. The report also found only 40% of black and Latino workers in full-time roles earn a living wage, and are nearly twice as likely to not make ends meet compared to their white counterparts. These workers earn $8.20 and $7.70 less per hour, respectively, than white staffers. Commenting on the figures, Jason Rahlan, VP of corporate responsibility and sustainability, Dayforce, said: “People not making a living wage are more likely to report struggling to pay for housing, overdrawing their checking and savings accounts, skipping healthcare and purchasing medicine.” He added: “When workers are at higher risk of suffering these negative outcomes, they’re going to be more at risk for leaving a workplace and seeking another job opportunity because they need the opportunity for a life of health, fulfillment, and dignity.”
US customs agency found to have discriminated against pregnant workers
A federal agency has been found guilty by another federal agency for discriminating against workers because of their pregnancies. According to a class action suit filed by the Equal Opportunities Commission against the US Customs and Border Protection Agency, pregnant staff were compelled to submit to temporary light duty because of their pregnancy “without regard to whether they could continue working in their positions of record either with or without a reasonable accommodation.” According to the law firm representing 1,000 women in the case, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll: “The complaint challenged a CBP policy and practice pursuant to which more than 500 officers and agricultural specialists have been in temporary light duty positions. The evidence collected strongly supported the conclusion that all or most of these women were placed in these temporary light duty positions simply because they were pregnant, without assessing whether they could continue to perform the essential functions of their positions of record and without, according to them, the process and protections afforded to employees with comparable short-term disabilities.” Final approval of the settlement amount is expected in September.
Musk’s latest missive to staff raises eyebrows
X-tycoon, Elon Musk, has sparked concern amongst employees, after a communication to staff appeared to suggest that staff would need to justify why they deserved to cash-in their stock options. An email to staff said workers would need to submit a one-page summary of their contributions to access their options. According to The Verge – which first revealed this – the email adds to already building tension at the company, as it has also been reported that the company’s promotion process has been delayed without explanation. According to The Verge, the social media company still owes staff their annual equity refresher, which was supposed to be paid out in April. Musk previously assured employees that they could regularly cash out stock, similar to SpaceX staff, according to two employees. However, he has not yet followed through on this promise. The most recent stock refresh for X employees was in October 2023, valuing the company at $19 billion — significantly less than the $44 billion Musk paid for it.
Ohio introduces bill to punish employers hiring non-citizens
A bill (House Bill 656), has been introduced by Rep. Thomas Patton, which seeks to punish employers who hire people living in the US illegally. The bill states that no employer can knowingly employ a person living in the country illegally. Moreover, the bill also allows for the county court of common pleas to be able to order employers to fire all “unauthorized aliens.” It is suggested that employers found to have hired illegal workers should be put on probation for three years or have their licenses suspended for up to 10 business days. Citizens will be able to submit a complaint to the Ohio attorney general, who will investigate and notify the US Department of Homeland Security. An employer would be able to prove they did not hire someone lacking permanent legal status if they used the e-verify program or other status verification system. Should the bill become law, the attorney general’s office will maintain a database with the names of employers who violate the law and the address of the business location where they employed people lacking permanent legal status.