Paid family leave pays off: A new survey of more than 250 human resources decision-makers reveals that 88% of companies offer standalone employer-sponsored paid family leave (PFL) and/or paid parental leave (PPL), including 46% that offer both. Almost 21% offer one or both to all part-timers, and 62% provide immediate coverage eligibility upon hire.  Plus, here’s the kicker: 74% of employers that implement PFL/PPL report improvement in attraction and retention. The results of the survey, conducted by leave and accommodation management system AbsenceSoft and the Integrated Benefits Institute, reveal how rapidly employer practices are evolving. Adoption of both PFL and PPL is highest among large employers (50%), compared with 48% among mid-sized firms and 31% among small companies.  Leave adoption peaks among mid-market employers, with 63% of firms with revenue of $41 million-$100 million offering both benefits, compared to 43% of those under $10 million and 57.1% of those with revenue of $1 billion or more.  The education sector leads in paid leave offering at a full 100%, followed by the technology sector at 65%. Conversely, the business/consulting sector has the highest rate of no paid leave at 23%. Source: HR Executive 2/5/26

Why training is important: More than half of employees said they would always report harassment at work, but a third said they only would if they were able to do so anonymously, according to online compliance training company Traliant’s latest annual workplace harassment report, released Tuesday. Of the more than 2,100 full-time U.S. employees surveyed, 22% said they didn’t report harassment and 38% of those who did said they were unsatisfied with how their employer handled it, Traliant found. It is important that employees feel safe and empowered to report harassment.  “When reports of misconduct go unaddressed, organizations risk reinforcing cycles of fear and perpetuating cultures that tolerate harassment,” Elissa Rossi, vice president of compliance services at Traliant, said in a statement. Even though more than three-quarters of workers said their organization places a “very high” or “extremely high” priority on preventing workplace harassment, nearly a third said they don’t feel completely protected, the report found. Although numbers improved from the previous year, 38% of workers surveyed said they have witnessed workplace harassment in the past five years and 21% said they experienced it personally, Traliant said. Those figures are higher among Generation Z employees; nearly half said they witnessed harassment, and a third said they faced it firsthand.  ASE partners with Traliant to provide on-demand learning to our members. Learn more here. Source: HR Dive 2/4/26

92% of executives are not ready to lead change: A study from global leadership firm DDI on change readiness revealed a startling reality: Just 8% of executives demonstrate the ability to lead change effectively, leaving a full 92% of top leaders unprepared to steer their organizations through transformation. When it comes to their own perceptions, about 18% of leaders across levels feel very prepared to lead change. But despite the rising demand for change skills, preparedness appears to be backtracking. About a quarter of leaders report being prepared in some regards, a figure that has been nearly halved in the last five years. The report analyzed data from more than 100,000 leaders across the frontline, mid-level and executive levels, with the latter exhibiting the greatest need for stronger change leadership capability. In particular, executives struggle to demonstrate the underlying behaviors associated with driving change, including empathy, emotional engagement, and influence, researchers found. According to the report, HR is aware of the change-readiness gaps among leaders: Just 13% of HR leaders think their company’s leaders, across levels, can effectively anticipate and react to change today. Source: HR Executive 2/9/26

Investing in leave programs still a priority for employers: Nearly three-quarters (73%) of U.S. employers plan to enhance their leave programs over the next two years, according to new research from WTW. Employers cite improving the employee experience (67%) and strengthening attraction and retention (60 %) as the top drivers behind these planned enhancements.  WTW’s 2025 Absence, Disability and Medical Leave Survey finds organizations are expanding multiple forms of time away benefits to better meet workforce needs. Today, more than four in five employers offer parental leave, and 16% expect to enrich those programs. Similarly, 18% of employers plan to expand bereavement leave by increasing duration or broadening eligibility. The most significant growth is anticipated in caregiver leave, which is expected to nearly double from 22% to 39% over the next two years. Interest in unlimited paid time off (PTO) is also on the rise. Currently, 15% of employers offer unlimited PTO to exempt employees, up from 12% two years ago, and 18% expect to offer it within the next two years. Adoption is higher among directors and executives: 27% of employers offer unlimited PTO today, with nearly one third (32%) planning to do so by 2028. Source: CCH 2/10/26

E-Verify required for nonresidential contractors in Ohio: Starting March 19, 2026, Ohio’s E-Verify Workforce Integrity Act will require any “nonresidential” construction company contracting in the state of Ohio to use E-Verify and impose penalties for violations. The main provision of the Act requires any “nonresidential construction contractor, subcontractor, or labor broker to verify the employment eligibility of each employee hired to perform work on a nonresidential construction project through the E-Verify program.” A nonresidential construction project is defined as “the construction or renovation of any building, highway, bridge, utility, or related infrastructure.” This includes installation work on an industrial building as it would likely be viewed as an “improvement” or “renovation” on a nonresidential project. It does not include industrialized units, manufactured homes, residential buildings, mobile homes, or buildings or structures that are incidental to the use of land on which the building or structure is located for agricultural purposes.  The statute seemingly applies to non-residential construction projects within the state of Ohio only. If an Ohio nonresidential construction contractor performs work outside the state, the statute should not apply.  Source: Littler 2/5/26