North America HR News Flash: Tuesday, November 10, 2026

EEOC plan to end race and sex workforce data reporting sent to White House for review

• The EEOC's finalized plan would eliminate the EEO-1 form for large employers
• The EEO-2 through EEO-5 forms for unions, state and local governments and public schools would also be scrapped
• The rule was sent to the White House OIRA for review on November 9

What employers should do: Monitor the rule's progress through White House review and formal publication, and confirm whether EEO-1 filing is still required

UK Autumn Budget 2026: key points for employers, including non-compete reform and self-employed parental pay

• The Government reiterated its commitment to legislate on non-competes, with a detailed position due in early 2027
• From April 2029, parental pay is expected to extend to eligible self-employed fathers, partners and adopters in Great Britain
• Some measures take effect in 2027; others await consultation or further detail

What employers should do: Follow the non-compete consultation and the early 2027 detailed position, and review existing restrictive covenants

Sixth Circuit upholds dismissal of nurse's retaliation claims over HR's angry response to bias question

• The Sixth Circuit upheld dismissal of a nurse's retaliation and constructive discharge claims
• According to her complaint, HR's head angrily questioned her after she asked about implicit bias training
• The court found two tense conversations and an ambiguous remark insufficient even taking her allegations as true

What employers should do: Review how HR responds to employees' questions about bias training and document such conversations

New York Construction Reporting Pay Act takes effect Dec. 8, requiring four hours' reporting pay

• From Dec. 8, 2026, covered employees reporting to work must receive at least four hours' pay, or the scheduled shift if shorter
• Shifts canceled with under 12 hours' notice require two hours' pay
• Specified prevailing-wage projects use the applicable prevailing wage including supplements

What employers should do: Adjust construction employees' scheduling and reporting-pay practices before Dec. 8, 2026; Update shift cancellation notice procedures; shifts canceled with under 12 hours' notice require two hours' pay

SAG-AFTRA backs Rockstar Games Workers Union after recognition vote

• SAG-AFTRA stands in solidarity with the Rockstar Games Workers Union over its recent recognition vote
• Take-Two dismissed 34 employees in October 2025, 31 of them union members, saying they leaked confidential information on Discord
• The union has been supported by the IWGB

House passed Faster Labor Contracts Act 230-193; Proskauer weighs what midterms mean for the bill

• The U.S. House voted 230-193 on June 9, 2026 to pass the Faster Labor Contracts Act
• The article examines what the midterm elections mean for the bill's prospects
• The bill has not yet become law

What employers should do: Monitor the bill's progress in the Senate and after the midterm elections

IBM stops visa and green card sponsorship for most Consulting roles; affected staff can relocate abroad or leave by year-end

• IBM has decided to stop sponsoring visas and green cards for most roles in its Consulting unit
• Affected staff may move to positions outside the US or leave the company by year-end
• IBM said participation had declined and talent supply and client demand had changed; the Consulting unit has more than 150,000 employees

What employers should do: Review which employees on visa or green card sponsorship could be affected by similar policies; Track transfer and departure arrangements for visa-holding staff and confirm compliance requirements with legal counsel in advance

CCIA urges DHS to keep 60-day grace period for H-1B workers, citing economic costs

• CCIA opposes a proposed rule eliminating the discretionary 60-day grace period for highly skilled foreign workers
• CCIA estimates annual net economic costs of $121.5 million to $762.1 million, with a central estimate of $262.8 million
• CCIA estimates nearly $1.85 billion over ten years

What employers should do: Monitor the proposed rule and assess its impact on transition arrangements for H-1B workers who lose their jobs

Five organizations launch Trusted Recruiter Alliance to advance ethical recruitment of H-2A, H-2B guest workers

• Five organizations launched the Trusted Recruiter Alliance
• The alliance aims to advance ethical recruitment and protect seasonal H-2A and H-2B guest workers
• The release was datelined Charlottesville, Va.

H.R. 1013 proposal would let 403(b) retirement plans invest in collective investment trusts and annuities

• H.R. 1013 is a proposal
• If passed, 403(b) plans could invest in CITs and annuities
• CITs and qualifying insurance products are exempt from SEC regulation and can often be offered at lower cost

Boeing's commercial airplanes unit to cut 5% of workforce, with layoff notices expected from December

• Boeing's commercial airplanes unit will cut 5% of its workforce
• Layoff notices are expected to begin in December, through attrition and involuntary layoffs
• The unit has about 50,000 employees; the memo says it is overstaffed as production ramp-up lags

Boeing to eliminate 2,500 positions in another blow to Washington state's workforce

• Boeing is to eliminate 2,500 positions
• The report quotes a statement that production schedule adjustments and lower aircraft output have left the company overstaffed

Conference Board Employment Trends Index edges down 0.1% to 108.36 in October, up 2.4% year over year

• The October Employment Trends Index slipped 0.1% to 108.36 and is up 2.4% year over year
• Nonfarm payrolls added 165,000 jobs in October and unemployment ticked down to 4.1%
• The share of firms unable to fill positions rose to 36% from 32%

ADP NER Pulse: U.S. private employers added average 19,750 jobs per week in four weeks to Oct. 24

• U.S. private employers added an average of 19,750 jobs per week over the four weeks ending Oct. 24
• Hiring strengthened for the second consecutive week
• The figures are preliminary; the next NER Pulse is due Nov. 17, 2026

Go1 survey: 90% of L&D teams run structured frameworks, yet 74% of employees still need monthly support

• 90% of L&D teams now operate within a structured development framework
• 74% of employees need advice or support monthly, almost half two to three times more often
• The article argues L&D teams are failing to reach employees when they need help most

Deloitte Global survey: only 16% of organizations have an established strategy for technology transformation's workforce impact

• Only 16% of respondents say their organization has an established strategy for technology transformation's workforce impact
• 49% say boards do not consistently incorporate human capital into AI and technology transformation discussions
• 49% report limited or no oversight of technology versus workforce investment; only 12% report full oversight

Hirevue launches advanced fraud detection to help employers validate candidate identity and skills

• Hirevue announced advanced fraud detection built into its platform
• The capabilities connect identity, location and behavioral signals across interviews and assessments
• They help identify potential cheating and identity misrepresentation

Visier releases 2027 workforce trends report: 48% of employees admit exaggerating AI use

• Visier released the report Beyond the AI Hype on November 10, 2026, identifying six shifts
• The data is based on more than 10 million live employee records worldwide
• 48% of employees admit exaggerating AI use or expertise; 59% say their employer lacks a clear AI jobs plan or they are unsure; companies rehiring laid-off staff pay a 3% salary increase on average

Ceipal launches Ceipal Ora, agentic AI platform for staffing and recruiting

• Ceipal launched Ceipal Ora on November 10, an agentic AI platform for staffing firms
• The platform is built into its unified ATS, VMS and workforce management platform; agents act within recruiter-approved guardrails and log every action
• The company says customers report sourcing time under 4 minutes and time-to-fill 3 times faster

Bloomberg Law survey: quarter of 1,082 attorneys fear losing jobs to AI, including 36% of associates

• A quarter of 1,082 surveyed attorneys fear losing their jobs to AI
• 36% of associates and 16% of partners share this concern
• Lawyers still must check AI output, with associates bearing more of that work

Survey: 48% of Canadian office workers say employers never showed them how to use AI safely

• Of 1,042 Canadian office workers surveyed, 48% said they received no guidance on using AI safely
• 47% use AI tools at least a few times a week; 71% increased use in the past year
• 39% use free or personal accounts at work

Lean In survey finds 'manosphere' content deepens workplace gender bias against women

• A new Lean In survey examines how 'manosphere' views feed gender bias at work
• Lean In founder Sheryl Sandberg told HR Brew that HR leaders need to proactively establish practices
• Wharton's Corinne Low commented on the ideology's roots

What employers should do: Assess whether 'manosphere'-related views contribute to gender bias in the workplace and establish practices to address it

Return-to-office left dress codes unclear, leaving workers and executives unsure what to wear

• IWG surveyed 1,000 US hybrid workers in 2025
• Respondents felt stressed about what to wear about seven times a month on average; 46% said weekly and 14% daily
• Image consultant Grant Alexander says many executives have never discussed dress with employees