Searching Workplace Equity on page 122

GOP Senators Unveil Contractor-Focused Bill Package Republican Senators Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), Tim Scott (South Carolina) and Rand Paul (Kentucky) on Monday, July 7, introduced a legislative package that seeks to: ;Alter federal labor by enabling 27 million American independent workers to access portable workplace benefits, like healthcare and retirement; and,; ;Provide consistency and clarity in how an independent contractor is defined, making it easier for workers to find jobs that allow for flexibility and independence.; The Unlocking Benefits for Independent Workers Act , sponsored by Cassidy (chair of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee), would: ;Establish a safe harbor under federal law for employers that would like to voluntarily provide benefits;; ;Apply to any benefit or protection commonly provided to full-time employees, such as retirement and healthcare benefits; and,; ;Apply to emerging models where firms may pay into portable accounts

The future of work, the pandemic, hybrid working and more flexibility desired in the workplace are definitely newer things that are driving more of these changes.

.; ;43: The percentage of surveyed U.S. workers who say there are few or no opportunities for growth at their current job, according to a 2025 Workplace Culture and Trends Study by experience management platform SurveyMonkey.

A majority (58%) blame a workplace skills gap while 43% cite competitions from their peers.; “ Personal Capital and Harris Poll Study ” 91% percent of Generation Z workers polled said they wanted to find new jobs.;65% of those 25-and-younger workers are expected to actually land new jobs in 2022.

“When workplaces are confident in their pay practices and have the ability to be agile, they will be better prepared for the next crisis and to talk through their strategy with employees.”

Is this an indication that a four-day workweek will become more common in the workplace?

Shannon Meade, executive director of Littler Mendelson P.C.’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), noted that Congressional progressives from the Democratic Caucus had asked the Secretary of Labor to raise the salary threshold to nearly $83,000 by 2026and indexed thereafter.

Scott-Wears noted that sign-on bonuses aid in attracting talent, particularly in competitive market environments where potential employees may be receiving multiple offers and are being selective about their workplace of choice.

Editor’s Note: Additional Content For more information and resources related to this article see the pages below, which offer quick access to all WorldatWork content on these topics: Equitable and Diverse Workplaces ;Executive Compensation ;Organizational Performance ; FREE Newsletter FREE E-newsletter Subscribe to Workspan Weekly for news on trends and compliance in Total Rewards, compensation and benefits.

A recent survey of financial services managers by Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence found that of respondents who work remotely at least some of the time, 66% said they likely would leave their role if they were required to return to the office five days a week.