IRS releases draft W-2 to encompass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act changes:  The IRS released a draft version of the new W-2.  Forms and instructions are subject to OMB approval before they can be officially released, so the IRS post drafts of them until they are approved. Drafts of instructions and pubs usually have some additional changes before their final release.  The changes specific to Tips, Overtime, and Trump Accounts are found in Box 12:  TA-Trump Accounts  TP-Qualified Tips   TT-Qualified OT; and addition to Box 14 for Tipped Occupation Code.  IRS guidance is still on tap to define how these changes will be implemented for the tax year.  Source: IRS

Can you detect fake candidate details on resumes? As fake candidate information grows more prevalent, only 1 in 5 HR professionals say they’re “very confident” about being able to detect fabricated or misleading details in job applications, according to an August18 report from Equifax. In fact, 71% of HR pros said they’ve already encountered fake or misleading candidate details during the hiring process, particularly around employment history, educational background and credentials. Facing a tough job market, 10% of job seekers say they’ve lied on their resume, typically about dates of employment, years of experience, and job responsibilities, according to a report from AI Resume Builder. Among those who lied, three-quarters said they received a job offer, and 92% said their lies were never discovered. In the Equifax survey of 254 HR pros and HR leaders, 76% reported using AI to improve efficiency in hiring and onboarding. For instance, automation could help with background checks and other verifications, Equifax noted.  Source: HR Dive 8/22/25

Healthcare costs projected to increase at least 10% for 2026: U.S. employers project a median health care cost increase of 10% for 2026, according to new survey results from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. A similar Foundation survey conducted in 2024 projected a median cost increase of 8% for 2025. Employers shared their thoughts on the primary factors contributing to a rise in medical plan costs for 2026. The top four factors (listed by the percent of respondents who identified them as primary causes) include the following: 31%—Catastrophic claims (up from 20% last year), 23%—Specialty/costly prescription drugs (up from 20% last year), 15%—Utilization due to chronic health conditions (down from 16% last year), 11%—Medical provider costs (down from 18% last year).  Respondents who selected specialty/costly prescription drugs as a primary reason for the cost increase indicated that the following types of drugs were predominantly responsible for the increase: 59%—GLP-1 drugs (down from 75% last year), 50%—Cancer drugs (first year this answer option was included), 21%—Cell and gene therapy (up from 19% last year), and 26%—Other drugs.  To manage costs, 27% of employers reported cost-sharing initiatives (up from 21% last year) and 17%—Plan design initiatives (up from 15% last year).  Source: https://www.ifebp.org/

How to help employees who won’t help themselves: More than 78% of employees in the U.S. now have at least one chronic condition, an increase of 7% since 2021. Surprisingly, disability claims decreased by more than 20%, according to new research by the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI). This surge in chronic conditions threatens workforce productivity, cost efficiency, and business continuity – making strategic employer action critical.  IBI's analysis of 47,450 workers reveals employees with three or more chronic conditions miss 7.8 days annually versus 2.2 days for healthy workers – a 4-fold increase. The most prevalent conditions are musculoskeletal issues (59.5%), obesity (34.4%), and anxiety/depression (22.5%). Carole Bonner, MSAS, MSET, Lead Researcher at IBI stated, "Despite rising chronic conditions, we see disability improvements – suggesting that targeted interventions work. 60% of employees skip medications due to cost, leading to surges in chronic pain and mental health challenges." Employees facing healthcare barriers take 72% more sick days and are 41% more likely to file short-term disability claims. Approximately 14.6% of employees report unmet medical needs, with those with chronic conditions facing higher prescription affordability challenges. Additionally, there is a concerning trend toward higher-cost care, with emergency visits up 11.7% and urgent care visits up 16.3%, while virtual care usage has declined by 24.1%.  Source: www.ibiweb.org 4/25/25

Drug use on the rise for younger workers: About 9% of U.S. workers in their early 30s use alcohol, marijuana, or hard drugs while at work, according to a July 8 report from researchers at The Ohio State University.  The risk for substance use was highest among workers in food preparation, service, and safety-sensitive occupations, including construction and transportation. Published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, the study included more than 5,000 employees who participated in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, which included people between ages 12-17 in 1997 and followed them through 2022. The surveys were conducted by Ohio State’s Center for Human Resource Research, and the study focused on survey data from 2015-2016.  Among the workers who reported substance use immediately before or during a work shift during the past month, 5.6% said they drank alcohol, 3.1% used marijuana and 0.8% took cocaine, opioids, or other hard drugs. Drug test cheating rose more than six-fold in 2023, marking the highest rate in 30 years, according to a Quest Diagnostics report. Finally, marijuana test positivity after a job accident also reached a 25-year high in 2022, according to another Quest Diagnostics report.  Source: HR Dive 7/16/25

Do you feel secure in your job? Here’s a number that is stark if not altogether surprising: Only 20% of U.S. workers feel secure in their job, according to research released this week by the hiring platform Greenhouse.  For some, there have been explicit warning signs, with 13% of survey respondents telling Greenhouse they’ve already faced a role elimination or reduced work hours and 15% saying they’ve been told their job might be impacted soon. It’s not just traditional economic factors at play. Artificial intelligence also is affecting their outlook, along with their approaches to job hunting.  As more executives emphasize the importance of integrating AI into daily workflow, worried job seekers are taking note. Almost a third of applicants have marketed AI skills on their resume that they don’t have, according to Greenhouse, but they’re also making use of the technology. According to Greenhouse, 22% of job seekers are handling applications with the help of AI, while 45% use AI tools to prep for interviews.  Source: Bloomberg 7/17/25