Why unemployment numbers are not increasing – income stacking: For a growing number of Gen Z workers, one paycheck is no longer enough to feel financially secure. Instead of relying on a single employer, many young Americans are combining part-time jobs, freelance projects, and gig work into what researchers now call “income stacking.” The strategy reflects mounting pressure from rising living costs, economic uncertainty, and fears that artificial intelligence could disrupt entry-level careers before they fully begin. What was once considered temporary side work is increasingly becoming a permanent financial model for younger workers trying to stay ahead. From college students balancing multiple shifts to freelancers building parallel careers online, Gen Z is reshaping how work looks in the modern economy and redefining what financial stability means in an increasingly unpredictable labor market. Fiverr’s October 2025 Next Gen of Work survey, conducted by Censuswide, which polled 12,003 Gen Z and Gen Alpha respondents across the UK, U.S., France, and Germany, including 5,001 Gen Z and 2,000 Gen Alpha respondents in the United States.  Among U.S. Gen Z respondents surveyed, roughly 55% said they believe traditional employment will eventually become obsolete, and 39% reported they are either already freelancing or planning to start, according to CNBC.  Source: The Street: 5/13/26

DEI training, including “white fragility” terminology did not lead to hostile work environment: A Colorado corrections officer failed to plausibly allege his employer’s DEI training led to a hostile work environment, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held. The worker had been required to attend a training program dealing with “racial sensitivity and the historical suppression of racial minorities,” according to the court. While he alleged the training contained “disturbing generalizations” about White people and had an effect on his day-to-day work, the court disagreed, finding his complaints failed to meet the “extremely high” bar for a hostile work environment charge. The 10th Circuit didn’t dispute the content of the training but found the worker could not sufficiently argue the training or its aftermath created an abusive work environment by altering the terms, conditions or privilege or his job. For example, while he may have found the glossary offensive, it did not appear to affect his job responsibilities. Similarly, he did not explain how the meeting guidance led to an abusive workplace. While the worker may have found the videos offensive, “he doesn’t say how the content affected his job responsibilities, interactions with fellow employees, or career advancement,” the court said.  Source: HR Dive 5/12/26

Teens not working summer jobs: Employers are expected to add only about 790,000 jobs for workers ages 16 to 19 between May and July, according to a new report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, slightly below 2025’s total, which had already marked a historic low.  The report frames the downturn as part of a sustained contraction rather than a short-term fluctuation. Teen summer hiring, which historically exceeded one million jobs, has steadily weakened in recent years. Unlike prior declines tied to recessionary cycles, the current drop is occurring amid broader economic expansion, pointing to longer-term structural changes in the labor market. Cost pressures on employers—particularly inflation and higher fuel prices—are constraining hiring in industries that traditionally rely on teen labor, such as food service, retail, and seasonal recreation. At the same time, businesses are exercising greater caution and waiting for clearer signals on consumer demand before expanding payrolls.  Automation and artificial intelligence are increasingly absorbing routine entry-level tasks, reducing the number of roles historically available to first-time workers. In addition, older workers are remaining in or re-entering the labor force and competing directly with teens for part-time and seasonal positions. On the supply side, fewer teenagers are seeking traditional summer employment. Source: CCH 6/1/26

Can HR deliver analytics to meet C-Suite Needs? Executives want people analytics to pinpoint what productivity gains AI is capable of delivering. They want to understand which leadership behaviors drive thriving teams and which skills AI is pricing up or rendering obsolete. They want data that helps them make decisions, not data that describes what already happened. What HR has ready to give them is something different, according to Mercer’s 2026 Global Talent Trends study, a survey of approximately 12,000 executives, HR leaders, investors and employees. The researchers found that the workforce insights HR teams are most likely to have on hand focus on individual and team productivity, benefits ROI by employee group and how effectively HR is meeting its own internal needs. Fifty-seven percent of the C-suite identify it as the single people initiative most likely to generate returns this year. Investors agree, with 76% saying they expect leading firms to be prioritizing analytics capabilities. Yet only 27% of executives believe their HR team effectively advises them on human capital risks and opportunities. Fifty-five percent say their organization already underutilizes the workforce intelligence it currently has. The problem, in other words, is not a lack of data. It is a failure to turn that data into the kind of foresight that drives business strategy.  Source: HR Executive 5/13/26

Player-coach model resurfacing: The player-coach model, once common across professional sports, is starting to show up in an odd place: the corporate workforce. As firms, especially those in tech, eliminate managers and flatten org charts, they are tasking remaining managers or experienced colleagues with something akin to a player-coach role: They’re asking them both to manage team members and also to function as active individual contributors. It’s a model that experts say can have its advantages, by “giving the team a ‘we’re all in this together’ feel,” says Jenna Young, a senior client partner in the Culture, Change, and Communications practice at Korn Ferry. But while it can sound great in theory, experts say it can be hard in practice. “It’s always more challenging for individuals to go down this path than it is for the firm,” says Liz Bickley, chief operating officer for Korn Ferry’s Healthcare practice. Taking this approach, she says, can create a situation in which individuals are good at a lot of things, but great at none of them. Another challenge of the player-coach model is that it can create friction within the team instead of fostering collaboration. For instance, player-coaches might appear to be promoting their own work or reserving resources for themselves. Source: Korn Ferry 5/13/26

Are your 401(k) fees nickel and diming you? Small and mid-sized businesses are struggling with unexpected retirement plan fees, according to a new survey, and some are canceling their benefit plans as a result. Two-thirds of small and midsized employers paid fees they didn't anticipate when selecting their current retirement plan provider, the report by Human Interest found. These include charges for third-party services such as auditors and ERISA counsel, value-add services, and routine plan events such as participant searches, compliance updates and IRS filings. "Small and medium-size businesses are being nickel-and-dimed for every retirement plan transaction, distribution, and plan event," said Rakesh Mahajan, chief revenue officer for Human Interest, a financial technology company offering 401(k) plans. The findings of the Retirement Industry Disruptor report are based on surveys with 500 U.S.-based benefits decision-makers at small businesses offering a 401(k) or pooled employer plan between March 3 and 12. Nearly three-fourths of employers reported that additional services and plan event fees drove up the overall cost of their benefits program. As a result, 13% terminated their plan because they couldn't afford the additional costs, while 26% lowered their matching contribution to save money.  Workers are feeling the impact too. According to the survey, 81% of respondents said providers charge employees fees for hardship withdrawals and loan originations.  Source: EBN 3/14/26