Why rapid wage growth makes the Fed nervous

The startlingly rapid pace of job creation in January captured all the headlines Friday. But other details contain the biggest implications for markets in the months ahead: namely, wage growth.

Why it matters: Wages soared last month, great news for workers seeking bigger raises that help keep up with inflation. But that could fuel higher inflation in the future and prompt a more aggressive response from the Federal Reserve. READ MORE

Biden steps out of bounds with his wage hike for federal contractors

As ordered by the Biden administration, the Department of Labor’s new minimum wage hike, which requires federal agencies to pay their contractors a $15-per-hour minimum wage, has officially taken effect.  

At first glance, the policy appears to impact only government employees, or at least that’s how it’s being presented to the public. But the fine print tells a different story — and reveals how much the president has exceeded his constitutional authority. READ MORE

NYC Job Salary Law Called 'Transformative' by Some, 'Unnecessary' by Others

New York City businesses and residents will see a change this spring when a new law forcing companies to post salary ranges on job postings officially goes into effect.

The bill was approved by a 41-7 city council vote on December 15 and went into law January 15 when Mayor Eric Adams declined to veto it. It prohibits employers from posting job listings without minimum and maximum salary information. READ MORE

A travel writer tweeted her salary and reignited a trend

When Victoria Walker traveled to the Caribbean this week, her plan was to unplug.

For three days, she'd relax on a beach in Saint Kitts, drinking mimosas and listening to the waves crash against the shore, in part to celebrate a new chapter in her life: The 28-year-old had left her job as a senior travel reporter for the Points Guy, joining millions of people in the "Great Resignation" sweeping the U.S. workforce. READ MORE

What’s the salary of a chief security officer?

With a challenging job market and an ever-present skills gap within the security industry, prospective employees and students determining their career trajectories want to know: “What does the compensation look like?” While salary and compensation won’t prevent burnout or reduce on-the-job stress levels, it’s certainly an important metric within the industry that allows security peers to see where their position lies within the average. It can also be an attractive selling point for recruiting others into the industry. READ MORE

SEC Commissioner Lee Suggests Role for ESG in Executive Pay

SEC Commissioner Alison Herren Lee recently availed herself of the opportunity presented by the re-opening of the comment file on the Dodd-Frank rule "requiring companies to disclose the relationship between executive compensation actually paid and the financial performance of the company" to invite comments opining on "performance metrics related to, for example, climate, diversity, and other company-specific ESG goals." In other words, SEC Commissioner Lee has used her platform at the SEC to provide public support for the notion that executive pay at regulated companies should take into account the implementation of ESG goals. READ MORE

$15/Hour Minimum Wage for Many Federal Contractors to Take Effect

The federal government, led by the U.S. Department of Labor, is moving forward on implementing the provisions of President Biden’s Executive Order 14026, which was signed in April 2021. Most new federal government contracts or contract extensions awarded after January 30, 2022 will require contractors—and subcontractors—to pay their service and construction workers at least $15/hour. READ MORE

How Can Multi-State Employers Manage the Compliance Minefield of Wage Disclosure Laws Nationwide?

Pay equity, or the desire to achieve it, has been a hot topic for employers in the United States in the past several years. Due to a recent increase in legislation in many states and local jurisdictions, pay equity no longer just means ensuring women and other marginalized groups are being paid similar to their male counterparts who are performing similar jobs. READ MORE