Trump's EEOC Chair Suggests White Men Face Job Bias, Deserve Compensation

The Trump administration is facing backlash after the head of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) suggested white men are the true victims of workplace discrimination and should seek compensation under civil rights laws.

In a video posted to X earlier this month, EEOC Chair Andrea R. Lucas, a Trump appointee, addressed white men directly, saying they may have a claim to compensation due to workplace discrimination.

“Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race and sex?” Lucas asked. “You may have a claim to recover money under civil rights laws.” READ MORE

OpenAI's employee compensation dwarfs every major tech IPO of the past 25 years

OpenAI's financial model reflects the intense pressure to retain the people driving its breakthroughs. The company's willingness to spend aggressively on equity has redefined what competitive pay looks like in artificial intelligence – and raised the stakes for every firm vying to shape the field's future.

Internal financial disclosures show that OpenAI is distributing more equity per employee than any major technology startup on record. Its stock-based compensation – averaging roughly $1.5 million per worker across a staff of about 4,000 – far exceeds the benchmarks set by historical peers, according to data the company shared with investors. READ MORE

Long Commutes Widen Gender Wage Gap

In the early hours of a weekday morning, millions of American workers embark on their daily commutes, a ritual that shapes not just their days but their careers and family lives. For mothers, this journey often carries an outsized cost, exacerbating the gender wage gap in ways that extend far beyond simple pay disparities. Recent research highlights how longer travel times disproportionately hinder women’s professional advancement, particularly after childbirth, forcing tough choices between family responsibilities and career opportunities. As remote work options fluctuate in a post-pandemic world, the commute emerges as a critical factor in understanding why women, especially mothers, continue to earn less than their male counterparts. READ MORE

CEO and Executive Compensation Practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500

CEO and executive compensation—covering the CEO and other NEOs—is disclosed annually by US public companies in proxy statements. Reported figures reflect “total compensation” which, as defined by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), records the grant-date fair value or accounting expense value of pay packages rather than realized income. Since much of CEO pay takes the form of equity awards whose value depends on stock performance and other corporate metrics, these disclosures do not indicate what executives ultimately take home.

Against this backdrop, the data provide critical insight into how boards respond to market conditions, design incentives, and benchmark against peers. Year-over-year shifts signal changes in award levels, which largely reflect stock market cycles, competitive labor dynamics, and investor expectations. READ MORE

Inside OpenAI's $1.5 million compensation packages

OpenAI is paying its employees at levels that have little precedent in Silicon Valley history — $1.5 million in stock-based compensation per employee in 2025. That’s according to financial projections shared with investors and first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Such compensation dwarfs what earlier generations of tech giants paid their workforces before going public. Adjusted for inflation, OpenAI's equity payouts are multiples above the norm for large tech firms over the past two decades, and even several times higher than what Alphabet or Meta disclosed ahead of their IPOs. READ MORE

How HR leaders tackled compensation chaos this year

From pay transparency mandates to economic anxiety, 2025 tested HR leaders’ ability to navigate compensation in a year marked by uncertainty. Tech giants shuffled their value, employees demanded faster access to earned wages and global forces from AI to tariffs complicated every pay decision. These stories captured the toughest compensation conversations and the strategies that helped HR leaders address them. READ MORE

OpenAI Is Prepared to Pay Someone $555,000 — Plus Equity — for This ‘Stressful Job’

OpenAI is offering more than half a million dollars in salary to fill what could be one of the most stressful jobs in tech — a new Head of Preparedness tasked with anticipating the ways powerful AI systems could go wrong. 

In a post on X on Saturday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman advertised the position, which he called a “critical role at an important time” as well as a “stressful job.” The role reflects how seriously the company takes the potential for harm from its own technologies.  READ MORE

New York State Minimum Wage and Exempt Salary Updates for 2026

As we approach the new year, New York employers should be aware of increases to the state exempt status salary thresholds and minimum wage that will take effect on January 1, 2026.

Exempt Salary Threshold Increases

Under New York State wage law, employees working in an executive or administrative capacity must receive a minimum weekly salary (as well as meet certain duties requirements) to be exempt from the state’s overtime pay requirements.  Beginning January 1, 2026, the thresholds for these exemptions will be as follows: READ MORE

How To Align Executive Compensation With Strong Governance: Seven Recommendations

A well-designed compensation system is an essential pillar of corporate governance. Not only can it attract and retain top talent, but it can also create structures that effectively incentivize performance and alignment with strategic objectives. But its impact goes even further: An effective compensation system also strengthens trust and transparency in management, contributing to the company's sustainability and long-term value creation.

In times when corporate trust is built or lost around these principles, the way companies define and manage executive compensation reflects their corporate culture and values. It's a tangible expression of the organization's strategic priorities. READ MORE

What Trump’s crackdown on proxy advisors could mean for executive compensation

The Trump administration is seeking to weaken the power of proxy advisors that play a major role in shaping corporate governance issues, including compensation.

In a Dec. 11 executive order, President Donald Trump called for increased oversight of the proxy advisor industry, arguing that these organizations have used their power to advance shareholder proposals related to issues like DEI and ESG, rather than prioritize investor returns. READ MORE

Elon Musk's net worth hits record $749B after legal win restores massive Tesla compensation

Elon Musk just got richer. The Tesla CEO saw his net worth rise to $749 billion after the Delaware Supreme Court on Friday overturned a lower court ruling that had invalidated his 2018 Tesla compensation package, according to Forbes.

The decision effectively restored a pay package now estimated to be worth approximately $139 billion, up from its original valuation of around $56 billion due to Tesla stock appreciation. READ MORE

Employees Are Accepting Lower Salaries Just so They Can WFH—Would You?

I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones. You know, one of those people who somehow dodged the return-to-office mandate and still works from home every day of the week. I’m not being dramatic when I say that nothing, and I mean nothing, could get me to go back into an office on a daily basis. However, I had a moment this week, after watching Tinx’s viral TikTok video, when I asked myself, “Would I go back if the price was right?” After considering a few shiny salary amounts, the answer was still a hot, fiery no. But, as it turns out, not everyone feels that way. Even my husband thought I was certifiably insane. READ MORE

Why financial wellness should start with employees' paychecks

Employers have invested heavily in financial wellness tools that go beyond the basics, but most employees still don't even know how to set up their paychecks.  

Traditional financial wellness tools give employees access to a wealth of information about their finances, but they rarely help employees understand how those insights will impact their take home pay. Whether it's saving more, or adjusting their withholdings for HSAs, FSAs or taxes, employees aren't being given the proper education or guidance on how those choices affect their overall compensation. READ MORE

Bitcoin’s Silent Exodus Hits Crypto as Long-Time Buyers Cash Out

Bitcoin’s most entrenched investors are still cashing out — and the pressure is starting to show.

More than two months after the token hit a record high above $126,000, Bitcoin has fallen nearly 30% and is struggling to find support. One reason: its long-time holders haven’t stopped selling. New blockchain data shows that coins held for years are being divested at some of the fastest rates in recent memory, just as the market’s ability to absorb them is fading. READ MORE

The Future of Payroll: How Crypto and Stablecoins Are Changing Salaries

The payroll game is changing, and it’s not just about numbers on a check anymore. With the rise of blockchain payments and stablecoins, companies are starting to rethink how they pay their employees. So, how is crypto payroll making its way into the mainstream? Let's dive into how these digital currencies are reshaping the salary landscape and what it means for businesses and employees alike. READ MORE

A Revolution in Payrolls: How XRP Changes Global Compensation

The conversion rate of XRP to USD now has a deeper meaning than its mere surface-level value. XRP is increasingly seen as a settlement token for global payroll systems because it is faster and cheaper than traditional software. Organizations all over the world have to deal with slow payments between countries and high conversion fees. Companies can use XRP for payroll to change fiat money into XRP, move it across borders, and change it back to the local currency right away for a lot less money. READ MORE

Tesla board made $3 billion via stock awards that dwarfed tech peers

Tesla's board of directors has earned more than $3 billion through stock awards that far exceeded the value of those given to peers at the biggest U.S. technology firms at the time they were paid, according to an analysis performed for Reuters by compensation and governance specialist Equilar.

The analysis found CEO Elon Musk's brother Kimbal has earned nearly $1 billion since 2004, based on the appreciated value of stock options held or liquidated. Director Ira Ehrenpreis has collected $869 million since 2007. Board chair Robyn Denholm has made $650 million since 2014. READ MORE