THE HOT STORY

Schaeffler seeks 1,300 job cuts through early pension push

German manufacturer Schaeffler plans to cut staff through an expanded phased-retirement programme that will unfold over four years amid weak automotive demand. The supplier said it expects some 1,300 employees, or 1.2% of its total workforce, to accept the early pension offer. “We expect to see the first minor positive effects as early as 2027, but this is not a programme that produces quick results,” Schaeffler CEO Klaus Rosenfeld said. The measure will result in a one-off charge of about €51m ($59m) this year, the company said.

Bloomberg

WORKFORCE

Young Dutch workers' wage increases outpace collective agreements

An ABN Amro study has found that many Dutch workers in their twenties have seen stronger wage growth than would be consistent with collective bargaining agreements. Last year, collective wages rose by about 5%; the actual wages of people in their twenties increased by more than 6%. “People in their twenties and thirties often start working more hours or get promoted more frequently in that phase of life,” observed ABN Amro researcher Finn Blokker. “Changing jobs more often also plays a major role. When they move from one job to another, this is often accompanied by an extra salary increase.”

NL Times

LEGAL

Former VW engineers deny US insider trading charges

Two former Volkswagen engineers have pleaded not guilty to charges they made a combined $300,000 trading on secret information about the German carmaker’s planned 2024 $5bn joint venture with electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive. News of the planned deal caused Rivian’s stock price to surge by 23%. The engineers, both in the US on assignment from Germany, are charged with conspiracy and securities fraud. A trial may take place early next year.

Bloomberg

HIRING

Parents become a bigger presence in young adults' careers

Recruiters and hiring managers say parental involvement in the careers of young adults is becoming increasingly common, with some parents contacting employers, applying for jobs on behalf of their children, attending interviews, or even participating in workplace discussions. Human resources professionals say the trend has become far more widespread in recent years, particularly among Gen Z workers, raising concerns that excessive parental involvement signals a lack of independence and self-reliance. While some parents argue they are simply helping their children navigate a difficult job market or providing networking support, employers say direct intervention rarely improves hiring prospects and can instead create a negative impression. A survey by résumé service Zety found that 20% of Gen Z respondents had a parent attend a job interview with them, while HR professionals reported receiving calls from parents about applications, performance reviews, benefits, and even absences. Many employers said they now encourage parents to step back and instead coach their children to communicate directly with managers and recruiters.

Wall Street Journal

RISK

Russia considers support package after Ukrainian drone strikes hit Wildberries

Russia is considering a package of financial support for merchants using e-commerce platform Wildberries after Ukrainian drone strikes damaged the company's warehouse network, with sellers estimated to have suffered losses of almost R280bn ($3.5bn). Proposed measures include loan repayment holidays, subsidised working capital loans, temporary tax relief and access to alternative storage facilities, although no final decisions have been made. The attacks have affected more than a dozen Wildberries warehouses since mid-July, reducing the company's storage capacity by at least 17% and prompting it to reorganise its logistics network, suspend its investment programme and introduce support measures for affected merchants.

Bloomberg

INTERNATIONAL

OpenAI pays $3.2m in US probe over hiring foreign workers

OpenAI and Statsig, a subsidiary which makes product development software, will pay $3.2m to settle US government claims that they favoured foreign workers with temporary employment visas and discriminated against US job applicants when hiring. The Justice Department said various steps were taken to discourage US workers from applying for positions, including requiring applicants to mail paper applications instead of submitting electronic ones, advertising jobs on the radio late at night, and ⁠not posting the openings on an external website. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said that "this substantial settlement ensures that OpenAI redresses harm and changes its recruitment practices so that US ⁠workers receive a fair opportunity for highly sought-after technology positions."

Reuters

UAE professionals are taking on more responsibilities without more pay

A study by Robert Walters has found that 79% of UAE professionals have taken on additional responsibilities over the past year, often without pay or recognition. Many are working longer hours, with 49% reporting increased time at work. The study highlights the rise of "shadow workloads," whereby extra tasks accumulate informally. Andrew Powell, Chief Commercial Officer at Robert Walters, noted that while AI tools are helping employees manage these workloads, they can also raise expectations without formal role changes. The study found that 43% of respondents experience mental fatigue from such pressures. Andrew Powell, Chief Commercial Officer at Robert Walters, said: "AI is already proving to be a powerful tool for boosting productivity and helping employees step into new areas more quickly . . . [However] the challenge is ensuring it's implemented in a way that genuinely reduces pressure rather than simply raising expectations."

Gulfnews.com

Survey supports a better deal for PALM workers

A survey of more than 2,000 people has found that more than two-thirds support giving workers on the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme the right to change jobs if they are underpaid. About 33,000 temporary migrant workers from the Pacific Islands and East Timor currently live in Australia to fill the local shortage of unskilled and low-skilled labour. Morgan Harrington, a research manager at the Australia Institute, which carried out the poll, said that although the PALM scheme ensures a minimum wage, businesses working alongside the programme can make deductions, including flights to Australia, visa costs, accommodation, and transportation of workers from their housed residence to the work site. "Once all of those deductions are made, PALM scheme workers can be left with very little in their pocket," Harrington said.

Yahoo News Australia

Congo's Ebola response hit by worker protests over late pay

Ebola response workers at treatment centres in eastern Congo are protesting as they call for the government to pay salaries and allowances that they say are nearly three months overdue. "We are facing an unjust situation that seriously jeopardises the continuation of the response effort," the health workers said in a letter to President Felix Tshisekedi. The outbreak has infected 3,802 people and killed 1,707 since it was declared ⁠on May 15.

Reuters

OTHER

Children who join social media younger fall behind faster

An Italian study of more than 5,000 school pupils, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, has found that children who opened their first personal social media account by the age of 11 or 12 had fallen behind by the equivalent of about six months of schooling by the time they sat national tests at 15 or 16, relative to peers who opened their first account at the age of 14 or 15. Professor Marco Gui said that while "most research on social media and minors has looked at mental health as an outcome, we looked at academic performance and we found clearer signs of this negative effect." Prof. Dennis Ougrin from Queen Mary University of London, who was not involved in the research, noted that "While the findings do not prove that social media alone causes poorer academic performance, they suggest that earlier, largely unsupervised use is associated with differences in later attainment, particularly in mathematics and language. The study also points towards plausible mechanisms, such as frequent phone checking and reduced attention, rather than simply screen time itself."

The Times

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