Cannabis on path to legalization: The Trump administration moved to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule 1 drug to a Schedule III drug, a major federal shift recognizing its medicinal use. The change eases restrictions from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, making it significantly easier for research while opening banking pathways.  Schedule III drugs, like Tylenol with codeine and testosterone are recognized as having medical applications and are subject to fewer regulatory restrictions. The move would not legalize marijuana federally or affect current incarceration but could carry political implications. Reclassification lowers longstanding barriers that have made it difficult for researchers to study cannabis in clinical settings. In 2024, the Biden administration started that process and put reclassification before the public for a 60-day comment period. After that window, hearings to review potential hurdles stalled in the handoff between administrations. Source: CNBC 4/23/26

Hiring managers less likely to hire overweight candidates: Weight discrimination in the workplace is widespread, according to a new Sunlight.com survey of 1,000 U.S. hiring managers. The findings show weight bias shapes hiring, compensation, and promotion decisions, leaving overweight candidates less likely to be hired and overweight employees more likely to face smaller raises and fewer advancement opportunities.  Nearly 1 in 5 hiring managers (19%) admit they are less likely to hire an overweight job candidate. More than a quarter (28%) say a candidate's weight influences their first impression, and 14% say they have given overweight candidates worse job offers because of their weight.  Bias persists after hiring. 17% of hiring managers say they have given overweight employees smaller raises because of their weight, and 14% say they are less likely to promote an overweight employee. At the company level, 20% of managers say overweight employees are less likely to receive promotions, 18% say they receive smaller raises overall, and 16% say overweight employees earn less on average than non-overweight employees. Nearly 1 in 4 hiring managers (23%) believe overweight employees are less likely to reach executive or leadership roles, and 24% say overweight employees are less likely to be hired. It is illegal in Michigan to discriminate on the basis of weight.  Source: CCH 3/3/26

Upper middle class growth gaining steam: America’s middle class is becoming wealthier as more families scale the economic ladder into higher-earning groups. New research shows that the ranks of the affluent have grown markedly over the last 50 years or so, while the lower rungs of the middle class have shrunk. In 2024, about 31% of Americans were part of the upper middle class, up from about 10% in 1979, according to a report released this year by the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute. There is no single, standard definition of middle class, or upper middle class, and what counts as a hefty income in one city can feel paltry in another. The AEI report, by Stephen Rose and Scott Winship, classified a family of three earning $133,000 to $400,000 in 2024 dollars as upper middle class. Households earning more were categorized as rich. The analysis looked just at incomes, not assets such as stocks or real estate.  The rise in affluence is powering an American economy built on consumer spending and transforming the types of products and services companies offer.  Yet white collar jobs are under attack for a variety reasons, it is questioned whether this level of income may be maintained.  Pew Foundation found similar results.  Source: Wall Street Journal 4/4/26

I’m engaged but still want to quit: Nearly half of self-proclaimed “engaged” U.S. and Canadian workers are still likely to seek a new job within the year, according to Firstup’s 2026 State of Employee Engagement Report for North America. The employee communication and engagement platform surveyed 3,093 U.S. and Canadian workers across corporate, manager and hourly roles to understand how engaged they are at work. While a majority of corporate employees (82%), managers (89%) and hourly workers (75%) consider themselves engaged or highly engaged, nearly half (43%, 46% and 40%, respectively) admit they are still likely to seek a new job within the year. The research indicates that communication breakdowns combined with a widespread lack of trust in leadership and HR, as well as a frontline management layer that is overwhelmed and under-resourced, impact productivity, retention, compliance and trust. The result is a workforce that may be “engaged” one day and ready to leave for a new job the next. Across roles, the top requests beyond pay are the same: Employees want employers to show they care (50% to 52%), improve communication (43% to 48%), and provide better tools (38% to 47%). Source: HR Executive 4/6/26

Pre work and post work tasks count as hours worked per Illinois Supreme Court: Illinois law does not specifically shield companies from having to pay employees for time spent completing required pre- and post-work activities, the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled.  Although federal regulations exclude that requirement, the court found Illinois’ wage law does not include any similar provisions. That means employers could be required to compensate employees for required activities outside of the normal work day. In 2020, Amazon required its employees to complete 10-15-minute pre-shift health screenings to avoid transmission of COVID-19. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit asked the state’s high court to decide if state law includes the federal regulation found in the Fair Labor Standards Act. The question originates from a civil suit brought against Amazon by two former employees, although the court’s ruling is not an official ruling in that case. Two employees, Lisa Johnson and Gale Miller Anderson, later sued the company in the Cook County circuit court, arguing they should have been compensated for that time under federal and state law. Source: The State Journal Register 3/22/26