Nothing is ever as simple as it seems—especially the jobs report.

Hiring ticked up in August—though it was lower than analysts’ expectations—and the unemployment rate fell slightly according to the most recent jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Despite not being as dour as last month’s stock market panic-inducing employment data, the report still points to an overall cooldown in the labor market, suggesting the Federal Reserve will cut rates later this month, which could have implications for employers. Let’s take a closer look.

What the data says. US employers added 142,000 jobs in August, while the unemployment rate fell slightly to 4.2% from 4.3% in July. One worrying standout of the latest report, though, is the revision for July and June employment data. Employers added 89,000 jobs in July, a significant drop from the 114,000 initially reported. Similarly, only 118,000 jobs were added in June, well below the 179,000 originally reported. These corrections show the labor market cooldown is steeper than originally thought.

Zoom out. While the labor market remains strong and layoffs remain low, employers have been adjusting to economic challenges in other ways, including slowing hiring and cutting back on hours. But employers might be reaching the limits of their options to cut down on costs without culling workers, Elizabeth Crofoot, a senior economist at labor market analytics firm Lightcast, told HR Brew.

Keep reading here.—PM

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While some US employers, including Brown-Forman, Ford, and Lowe’s, have signaled a retreat from DE&I in recent weeks, Amazon appears to be quietly pushing ahead with its commitments.

The company released an equity audit the Friday before Labor Day, two years after it commissioned the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, and Garrison (Paul, Weiss) to conduct it, without a formal press announcement or accompanying social media posts.

In 2023, 69% of Amazon’s 1.5 million US workers were BIPOC. Last year, the company also combined its disparate DE&I teams—each responsible for different business developments such as promotions, inclusion, and participation—into one group, known as the inclusive experiences and technology (IXT) team, which is now responsible for all global DE&I efforts.

The audit examined the policies, programs, and benefits of Amazon’s more than 750,000 US hourly associates and conducted employee listening sessions to uncover where the company is succeeding, has room for improvement, and might be open to potential legal risks.

Keep reading here.—KP

It should come as no surprise to HR professionals that parents are stressed out. From transitioning back to work after leave to securing adequate childcare, balancing the responsibilities of being an employee with those of being a caregiver is no easy feat—and these challenges are something to which business leaders are increasingly attuned.

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is now sounding the alarm on new stressors today’s parents face, and he’s calling on various stakeholders—including employers—to do more to support these caregivers. Among the factors contributing to heightened parental stress today are financial strain, time demands, and isolation and loneliness, the surgeon general said in an advisory issued Aug. 28.

Working two full-time jobs. The amount of time parents spend working and caregiving has increased over the past three decades, the advisory noted, which in turn may contribute to higher stress levels among this population compared to other adults. As of 2022, US mothers dedicated an average of 26.7 hours a week to work, up from 20.9 hours in 1985, while fathers spent 41.2 hours working weekly, representing a 4% increase over the same period. At the same time, the average number of hours moms and dads dedicate to primary childcare each week has also gone up—by 40% and 154%, respectively, according to government data.

What employers can do to mitigate parental stress. The surgeon general’s office recommended three actions employers can consider to help combat stress among working parents.

Keep reading here.—CV

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