Latest news with #Indeed
USA Today
3 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
Former In-N-Out employee accuses burger chain of discriminatory firing for natural hair
A former In-N-Out employee is suing the West Coast burger chain for alleged discriminatory treatment and termination due to his natural hair. Elijah Obeng filed a lawsuit against In-N-Out, alleging he was discriminated against and fired based on his natural hairstyle and texture. Obeng claims he has suffered damages from the termination, including emotional distress, reputational harm and loss of employment, court documents state. He is seeking $3 million in damages and $200,000 in pay he would have earned since his firing or could have earned in the future. In-N-Out declined to comment to USA TODAY on June 18, citing ongoing litigation. Obeng and his lawyer did not immediately respond to request for comment. Lawsuit accuses In-N-Out of 'humiliating and discriminatory' action According to court documents, Obeng began working at an In-N-Out restaurant in June 2020 after graduating from high school. He continued to work for the chain until he was terminated in spring 2024. Obeng went to work with his natural hair, in accordance with In-N-Out's grooming and uniform policy, the lawsuit reads. When Obeng's hair got longer, he was instructed by management to cut or alter it to fit under the required uniform hat. In an effort to comply with the policy, Obeng began wearing his hair in braids. Management then told him, court documents state, that he needed to cut his sideburns, which Obeng found "humiliating and discriminatory." When he did not cut his sideburns, Obeng began experiencing different treatment. He was punished for minor policy violations, like not attending work meetings, which Obeng claims his colleagues did not face, the lawsuit reads. In-N-Out's grooming and uniform policy is not readily accessible online, but Indeed forums indicate that male workers must arrive to shifts clean-shaven, with no facial hair. On around May 25, 2024, Obeng clocked in for what would be his last shift at In-N-Out. Upon his arrival, management told him to go home, shave his sideburns and return, court documents state. Instead, Obeng left and texted his supervisor that he would return for his next shift. A few days later, Obeng was fired, which In-N-Out claimed was due to prior write-ups, according to court documents. Obeng, however, alleges that his termination was because of his "ancestry, color and race, including his natural hairstyle and hair texture." Former employee says In-N-Out violated CROWN Act In the lawsuit, Obeng says In-N-Out violated the CROWN Act, a law that prohibits employers from discrimination based on hairstyle and texture. Standing for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," the law was first passed in California in 2019 with the help of Dove, the CROWN Coalition and Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. As of June 18, the CROWN Act is law in 27 states, according to The CROWN Act website. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Business Insider
11 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
In a rocky job market, power has shifted back to employers. Hiring is down, promotions are scarce, and RTO is in.
Companies are back in control, at least for now. Workers, in general, have lost their power after being spoiled during the Great Resignation. Career growth opportunities, flexible work-from-home benefits, and wage growth have cooled. It's getting harder to negotiate a new job and move up the career ladder at your current gig. Exclusive data from Gusto, a payroll and benefits platform for small and medium-sized businesses, showed that the rate of workers receiving a promotion, meaning a title bump and a raise of at least 5%, peaked at 14.5% around mid-2022 and has now fallen to just over 10%. Economic uncertainty is likely a reason. Aaron Terrazas, an economist with Gusto, said companies are pausing big decisions, and more employees are staying put. "It's clear that during that period of intense competition for talent, companies were using promotions as another incentive to retain their employees, prevent them from looking elsewhere," Terrazas said. Compensation and job mobility have worsened Don't expect high wage growth in the near future. Indeed data shows the year-over-year change in pay advertised in US job postings on the platform has cooled from the Great Resignation high of 9.5% in November 2021 to 3% this past April. What it boils down to: It's gotten harder to find a new job, so people are willing to work for less. A survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York showed the average lowest wage people said they would accept for a new job dropped from about $82,000 this past November to $74,000 in March. And once at a job, they're not advancing as quickly as in recent years. Gusto data showed promotion rates at small to midsize businesses declined across the board from May 2022 to this past May. Technology took the biggest hit, sliding from 17.4% to 10%. Terrazas said companies could be stepping back from their "aggressive talent retention strategies" they had a few years ago. "There's less of an urgent need for companies to lure their employees to stay in positions through promotions," Terrazas said. There's less bargaining power, especially in white collar and retail Cory Stahle, an economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab, said people looking for white-collar roles, especially in software development, have less bargaining power than in healthcare, where workers are more in demand. He added that the power has shifted to employers in retail, where Indeed data shows postings have cooled to below pre-pandemic demand. Tariff uncertainty could be a reason. Though many of President Donald Trump's plans have been paused or walked back, Stahle said "the damage" could have already been done. "With the on again, off again tariffs and a lot of the other uncertainty in the economy, businesses are a little more hesitant because they're saying, 'We're not sure what spending is going to look like going forward,'" Stahle said. People hoping to get a work-from-home gig will have a harder time finding one than in the past few years, when more companies allowed this during the pandemic. Indeed data shows the share of job postings mentioning hybrid or remote has cooled down to 7.5% at the end of May from 10% in 2022. While some companies are requiring people to work a few days a week in person, Amazon and JPMorgan are among the companies that have called on workers to be in the office every day. All hope isn't lost for workers hoping to negotiate for more. Because of how business cycles work, Stahle thinks bargaining power will shift back to workers eventually — and then employers will have the upper hand again someday, too. "It really is this tug of war, back and forth, that is driven by broader economic forces rather than some moral force," Stahle said. Stahle doesn't think people have to wait. He said if you have the skills an employer needs, you can try to negotiate what you want. "If you have an opportunity to negotiate, you should always be trying to negotiate, " Stahle said. "Always be trying to make sure that you are getting upfront the pay and the compensation and the benefits that match your skills and your experience." Have you struggled to land a promotion or find a new job in the current economy? Reach out to this reporter at .
Independent Singapore
12 hours ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Hospitality and tourism job interest in Singapore jumps 130% as industry rebounds after pandemic: Indeed
Photo: Depositphotos/ (for illustration purposes only) SINGAPORE: Jobseeker interest in Singapore's hospitality and tourism sector has more than doubled in four years amid the sector's recovery, according to new data from global hiring and matching platform Indeed. The number of clicks on hospitality and tourism job ads per million users rose by 130.3% from 2021 to 2025. Indeed said the increased interest could be linked to better perception of the sector's job security, pay, and working conditions. Skilled talent, including those returning to the workforce, and new graduates are also likely contributing to this demand. Job opportunities in the sector also increased by 48.7% from 2021 to 2025. From April 2024 to April 2025 alone, job postings grew 14.6%, likely driven by higher travel demand, major concerts and sporting events in Singapore, and new investments in building the local tourism workforce. In April, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said that the city-state welcomed 1.4 million tourists , up 4.5% from the same period last year. Indeed 's spokesperson Shannon Peter Pang said the strong interest from jobseekers is a good sign of the sector's recovery, but employers must ensure these workers are placed in roles that match their skills and support the industry's long-term growth. 'Employers are encouraged to invest in upskilling programmes to build a sustainable workforce pipeline to meet evolving service expectations and demands. Better employee retention strategies, such as competitive benefits and clear career development pathways, could help keep talent motivated and committed to building the industry,' he said. 'Singapore's smooth recovery as a premier travel destination in the Asia Pacific spells an exciting time for the country. As demand surges, the sector's businesses must ensure they're not just filling roles, but building meaningful career pathways,' he added. /TISG Read also: Singapore's tourism spending to hit record high in 2024, with more growth in 2025 Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'We Know For A Fact It's Not AI,' Experts Explain Slowdown In White Collar Hiring
For the past two years, hiring in professional and business services roles— more commonly referred to as "white collar" jobs— has been slow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in May, hiring in the sector declined by 0.1%. Economists told CNBC that the shrinkage was not because of AI, like many people assume, but because of structural issues in the economy. "We know for a fact that it's not AI," Roosevelt Institute director Alí Bustamante said. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can Cory Stahle, an economist at Indeed, agrees. "This is more of an economic story and less of an AI disruption story, at least so far," told CNBC. Experts point to the fact that the decline in job creation has been an issue for several years, and began in a time when AI technology wasn't all that effective, as the primary reason that AI isn't behind the slowdown, according to CNBC. Additionally, Stahle told CNBC that the technology is still in its early stages and can't yet execute certain tasks without human intervention. A 2024 report by Indeed found that AI is more likely to support white collar workers than to replace them. Of the 2,800 skills evaluated in the report, only 28.5% were deemed fully replaceable by generative AI, and only if the technology improved quite a bit. Meanwhile, 68.7% of the work skills were deemed "very unlikely" or "unlikely" to be replaced by generative AI, as they require too much of a human touch. Trending: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: . "We might get to a point where [AI replaces human workers], but right now, that's not necessarily looking like it's a big factor," Stahle told CNBC. In fact, the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 forecasts that AI will create 170 million new jobs by 2030. That number amounts to 14% of total current employment, and would go a long way in offsetting the 92 million jobs that could be displaced by AI. Stahle urges white collar workers whose skills may overlap with AI and who could potentially be displaced by it to learn how to use the technology to stay ahead. "Certainly, jobs are going to transform," he told CNBC. "I'm not going to downplay the potential impacts of AI." Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. These five entrepreneurs are worth $223 billion – Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article 'We Know For A Fact It's Not AI,' Experts Explain Slowdown In White Collar Hiring originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Mint
a day ago
- Business
- Mint
Americans are side hustling like we're in a recession
Does your friend with a second job know something you don't? The share of working Americans holding down multiple jobs rose to between 5.3% and 5.5% during the first five months of the year. That's a range we haven't seen since the recession of the aughts, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Granted, almost anything—from Lady Gaga to men's underwear—can supposedly be a recession indicator. Leave the forecasting to influencers and economists. Whether an increase in second jobs portends a recession is only half the point. People are side hustling like we are already in one. It's a testament to our collective unease and further evidence that careers will look very different than they used to. Holding one job at a time is on the way to becoming antiquated, or a luxury, for emerging generations. Roughly four in 10 millennials and Gen Zers have side jobs, according to new research by Deloitte. Elizabeth Faber, Deloitte's global chief people and purpose officer, says it's notable that the share of millennials working two jobs has been virtually unchanged for several years. People typically have less need for side hustles as they advance in their careers. But it isn't playing out that way for a group already scarred by two recessions. Marie Incontrera opened a cleaning business to diversify her income. Those juggling more than one job say they are bracing for a potential downturn by padding their finances while they can. They are also ensuring they'll still have a source of income in the event of a layoff or diminished earnings. 'I just started thinking, 'Well, a recession might be coming. Maybe it's time to diversify,'" says Marie Incontrera, who launched a cleaning business six months ago to supplement her main job as owner of a small public-relations agency in New York. She has grown her PR shop to two employees and several freelancers over a decade in business, and she earns enough to live comfortably in Manhattan. But Incontrera, 39 years old, knows her services could be one of the first things clients eliminate if they need to cut costs. After researching businesses that seemed dull but reliable—laundromats, carwashes, vending machines—she settled on cleaning because of low startup costs. She and a business partner book commercial and residential cleaning assignments and deploy gig workers to do the scrubbing, occasionally filling in when someone no-shows. What's most striking about Incontrera's choice of side hustle is that she had a cooler option. Before going into PR, she was a professional jazz musician. She could play the dive-bar circuit for extra cash but decided to be practical. The story of second jobs in this moment isn't only about how many people are taking additional work, but also about what they are picking. 'In the past we saw that many side hustles were driven by passion, but right now they're very much driven by necessity," says Priya Rathod, a spokeswoman for job-search site Indeed. In a recent Indeed survey, 52% of respondents said they have side hustles to make ends meet, much higher than the Labor Department's figure. Rathod says that could be because the poll includes people who don't have two steady jobs, but occasionally drive for DoorDash or pick up freelance projects on Fiverr. Dyna Krigbaum works 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as a development coordinator at a real-estate firm in Arizona. She started nannying on nights and weekends this year. Dyna Krigbaum's second job allows her to bring her son to work. She makes enough at her day job to pay her bills but isn't willing to risk living paycheck to paycheck in the current economy. The roughly $800 a month she earns as a nanny is a safety net. Krigbaum, 30, used to babysit when she was a teenager. Now that she has a college degree, a white-collar career and a child of her own, watching other people's kids feels a bit like going backward. But it's a rare side hustle that checks three critical boxes: It pays well, fits around her primary job and allows her to bring her son to work. 'One minute I'm meeting with consultants and investors, the next I'm talking to a 2-year-old," she says. 'Sometimes you've just got to take a humble pill because you know it's the best thing for you." On a sunny afternoon last month, students at the University of California, Irvine, pitched tents and business ideas on a campus green. It wasn't another 'Shark Tank"-style contest for founders trying to build billion-dollar startups. Instead the event was billed as a 'side-hustle challenge" and featured cookies, homemade sweatshirts and eyebrow threading. Alexa Gaxiola also makes and sells rhinestone-studded clothing as a side hustle. Maryam Garg, a venture consultant to UC Irvine's entrepreneurship center, says more colleges are preparing students for a world that may require them to work a second job. 'And it's often something completely different than what they're studying," she says. Alexa Gaxiola's degree is in business marketing, which she uses in her day job as a sales assistant and social-media coordinator at an aerospace manufacturer in California. Her night job as a club DJ could hardly be further removed. Gaxiola, 26, says practically everyone in her social circle works more than one job. 'And if I know someone that has only one job, they're working overtime," she says. 'It's a survival thing." Her mix of a fun job and a staid one reminds me of how Hall of Fame baseball players once sold insurance or cars in the offseason. Recession or not, we may be headed back to a time when two jobs are the norm. Write to Callum Borchers at
