This HR News Roundup covers gambling, workplace violence, religious accommodation. compliance matters and more.Don’t miss the items from the lighter side!
‘The Next Opioid Epidemic’: Gambling Legalization Outpaces Public Health Response to Addiction
Anastassia Gliadkovskaya, Fierce Healthcare
Seven in 10 U.S. adults gamble, according to a survey from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Commercial gaming revenue broke records at $78.7 billion in 2025, with over $18 billion in tax revenue going into state and local coffers. All gaming segments, from casinos to sports betting to online games (iGaming), are growing. Throw in prediction markets, which allow users to speculate on the outcome of real-world events but are not legally considered gambling platforms, and the betting buffet becomes basically limitless.
This menu of options is creating an addiction crisis yet to be widely recognized by the public, policymakers and the healthcare sector, experts caution. Current national problem gambling prevalence is unknown due to a lack of research and funding dedicated to the issue. States that measure and publish their own prevalence rates see anywhere from 1% to 6%. Those most at risk include young adults, men and online gamblers. Gambling-related harms can be dire, from financial stress to co-occurring behavioral health conditions to suicide, which a fifth of individuals with gambling addiction attempt.
Better Safe than Sorry: Addressing the Rise of Workplace Violence
Anuradha Mukherjee, HR Digest
The National Council on Compensation Insurance’s (NCCI) recent exploration of BSL data showed workplace assault rising by 5.3% per year from 2011-2022. Additionally, the rate of workplace assaults per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers also increased by 62%. The share of assaults among all of the days away from work (DAFW) cases went up from 1.3% in 2011 to 2.3% in 2019. A drop was witnessed in this number from 2022, but primarily due to the pandemic and the many restraints it put on the workforce. Soon enough, this number went up to 3.0% in 2023–24.
The workplace assault statistics for the U.S. also showed that workplace violence was a bigger threat for women, with them experiencing assaults at a rate 2.7 times higher than men. Part of this is the natural tendency to direct greater violence towards women, but in this scenario, it also has something to do with the industry. Threats to employee safety and the possibility of workplace violence are highest in the health care and social assistance workforce. Considering that women make up a large majority of these high-risk industries, their chances of encountering violence are also higher.
Simply Divine! 10 “Easy” Steps to Religious Accommodation
Robin E. Shea, Employment & Labor Insider
I recently posted about 10 “easy” steps to considering and making reasonable accommodations for disabilities, pregnancy, and pregnancy-related conditions. Before I move off the subject of accommodations … I thought it would be a glorious time to do 10 “easy” steps on religious accommodation. Although all reasonable accommodations have similarities, religious accommodations have some unique aspects that employers need to be aware of.
Related: A Refresher on Religious Accommodation and Forced Religion at Work Is a Very Bad Idea
Here’s How Much Workers Say They Need for a Comfortable Retirement
Kathryn Mayer, SHRM
Employees say they need more money saved for their retirement at the same time a growing number of workers are considering lowering 401(k) contributions or withdrawing funds as financial anxiety jumps.
Americans’ so-called magic number to retire comfortably in 2026 climbed to $1.46 million — a $200,000 jump from last year, according to new figures out from Northwestern Mutual. For those with $1 million or more in investable assets, the magic number is even higher, at $2.67 million.… While a variety of factors that are affecting employees’ retirement are in flux, one big finding about the state of retirement remains consistent: The amount that U.S. workers think they need to save for their post-work years is still much higher than what they actually have saved.
Nearly half of Americans (46%) don’t expect to be financially prepared for retirement, and nearly half (48%) believe it is somewhat or very likely they will outlive their savings.
OSHA Updates and Extends its Heat Program for Five More Years
Felicia Watson, Pete Vassalo, and Cathy Seidelman, Littler
The 2026 updated NEP is effective immediately and will be in place for five years (through 2031). Although there is no federal heat plan, OSHA can still issue heat citations under the OSH Act’s general duty clause, and many states are adopting their own heat rules. With summer approaching, or for geographic areas already experiencing warmer temperatures, employers should be prepared to address heat-related hazards and consider consulting experienced workplace safety counsel on ways to do so.
Will DOL’s Proposed Joint Employer Rule Survive the Courts?
Ginger Christ – HR Dive
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division on Wednesday proposed a new joint employer rule that would return, in part, to a rule issued in 2020 by the first Trump administration and set “more stringent criteria for when [a company] can be considered a joint employer,” Mark Clark, counsel in Barnes & Thornburg’s labor and employment department, told HR Dive.
Related: DOL Releases Proposed Rule on Joint Employment Status Under FLSA, FMLA, and MSPA
HR News Roundup: Quick Takes
- PLEASE, Do Not Litigate Your Cases on Social Media
- Garnishments: Understanding Orders to Withhold Wages
- 3 Ways to Turn Overwhelm Into Productivity
- ICE Redefines I-9 Violations, Reshaping Employer Compliance Strategy
- IRS Names Professions Qualifying for Tax Deductions on Tipped Wages
- How to Save Money at the Gas Pump
- 5 Ways to Handle Awkward Work Situations
- Why Are Employees Considering Quitting Despite Their Satisfaction on the Job?
- Rectal Cancer Deaths Rising Rapidly Among Millennials: ‘It’s a Medical Crisis.’
- What Are the Job Listing Deal Breakers for Applicants?
- EEOC Provides Guidance on Telework as a Reasonable Accommodation
- The 3 Lessons of Apple CEO Tim Cook
- Alzheimer’s Risk May Be Influenced by Flu Shots
- 6 Ways to Improve Trust in the Workplace
From the Lighter Side …
- Did you catch this heartwarming moment in this year’s Boston Marathon? It was one of those events that renew your faith in humankind!
- Are you too young to remember this from the early days of the internet? (YouTube clip)
- It’s that time of year again – webcams are letting us spy on fledgling birds in the nest: Big Bear Bald Eagle Live Nest Cam is located in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California. It’s the current home for Jackie & Shadow, a local bald eagle pair. There are two babies in the nest. And also check out Fledge Watch Barred Owl Nest Cam, hosted by Collins Creek Critters in Greenville, SC. It’s currently live streaming a barred owl nest 24/7, highlighting resident barred owls, Tootsie & Pops, and their two owlets.
- The Artemis II mission was a wonderful moment of hope and unity in a time that often feels too divisive. Here are 3 collections of photos from the Artemis II mission a selection of favorites from Nautilis and The Planetary Society, and a stunning gallery of NASA photos. And if you didn’t see it, this Q&A video with the astronauts is excellent, and a super good lesson in teamwork. It might be great to show at your next team meeting.
HR News – Blog posts you may have missed!