SEC Proposes Ending Oversight of Shareholder Votes on Climate and Executive Pay

The proposal had been anticipated since last month and forms part of a wider reallocation of influence from investors toward corporate managers at the SEC, which currently has three Republican members and two unfilled seats that were previously held by Democrats. The top Wall Street regulator also proposed other changes, including the elimination of a rule requiring companies to produce glossy annual reports that the agency said duplicate information already contained in their annual Form 10-K filings. READ MORE

Real wages fall as income squeeze deepens

Inflation-adjusted hourly earnings have turned negative on a year-over-year basis, adding to pressure on workers as wage growth slows while inflation remains elevated.

Real average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls fell about 0.3% year over year in August, according to the chart from EY-Parthenon, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data. READ MORE

Where wage inequality is increasing and decreasing

Wage equality helps define how workers share in economic growth. When top earners pull far ahead of median workers, rising high-end pay concentrates gains among a relatively small group. According to the Economic Policy Institute, earnings inequality has “redistributed wages away from most workers” and stifled “broader-based wage growth.” However, wider wage gaps may also reflect stronger rewards for specialized skills and experience, factors that can help drive productivity and economic expansion.

SmartAsset analyzed 90th-percentile wage thresholds — the wage level at which workers enter the top 10% of earners — in each of the 50 states over the preceding two years. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data for May 2024 and May 2025, the study calculated how much that threshold exceeded the median wage, expressed as a percentage, and measured the year-over-year change in the disparity. READ MORE

Wage theft is the heavyweight champion of American larceny

The biggest thieves in America don’t wear ski masks. They clock in at nine, break for lunch, sign your paycheck and quietly keep a cut for themselves. 

Wage theft strips American workers of more money every year than the FBI’s entire tally of robbery, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft combined. It is, by a striking margin, the largest form of theft in the U.S. READ MORE

These are the top 10 U.S. states for workers’ rights, says new report—8 of them have a minimum wage over $15

If strong worker protections are one of your top workplace criteria, you might want to start applying to roles in California.

Oxfam’s 2026 Best States to Work Index, published Sept. 3, evaluated all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico on the strength of their minimum wages, worker protections and rights to organize. READ MORE

IRS Issues New Guidance on Qualified Overtime Compensation Deductions

On Aug. 6, 2026, the Internal Revenue Service issued updated Frequently Asked Questions concerning the new federal income tax deduction for qualified overtime compensation under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

This deduction is only available for tax years 2025 through 2028.

The FAQs supersede the previously released FAQs and provide important clarification concerning what qualifies for the deduction and employers’ payroll and reporting obligations. READ MORE

15 States Where a Middle-Class Salary Actually Feels Middle Class

In some parts of the country, a middle-class income barely covers the basics. Between rent, expensive groceries, and a cost of living that seems to climb every year, plenty of people with solid paychecks still feel like they’re falling behind. But in other states, that same salary can go a whole lot further.

The difference usually comes down to housing costs, taxes, and everyday expenses like gas and groceries. In these states, a middle-class income doesn’t just cover the bills; it actually leaves room for savings, vacations, and a comfortable life. Here are 15 states where a middle-class salary still feels like what it’s supposed to feel like. READ MORE

U.S. firms plan to increase employee base salary budgets by an average 3.3% in 2027

Despite the current economic turbulence, most employees in a majority of companies will be getting a base salary increase for 2027, according to a large survey by organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry.

Almost half (47%) of the 5,512 participating employers said they expect to provide salary hikes to at least 95% of their employees, while 79% expect to do so for at least 80% of employees. Only 2% said they are planning no increases for anyone. READ MORE

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Hit $49.46 an Hour

Employers paid an average of $49.46 for every hour a civilian worker put in during June 2026, according to new figures the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Wednesday. Wages made up $33.85 of that total. Benefits accounted for the remaining $15.61.

The number sounds abstract until it’s split apart. It’s the clearest signal yet of where compensation is heading in the second half of 2026, and it comes loaded with detail that matters differently depending on whether an employer sits in Alabama or Massachusetts — or in Sofia rather than Luxembourg City. READ MORE

Shareholder opposition to executive pay eases globally

Shareholder rebellions over executive pay eased across many of the world’s biggest stock markets this year, with opposition falling in Europe, the United States and Japan despite a handful of high-profile revolts.

The move comes as pay and perks continue to dwarf the average worker’s wage, with average CEO pay at S&P 500 companies hitting a record high even excluding a bumper pay plan for Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of SpaceX. READ MORE

15 States Where Your Salary Goes Much Further

A bigger salary doesn’t always mean a better financial life. Where you live can have an enormous impact on what your paycheck actually buys once housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, healthcare, and taxes enter the equation.

According to MERIC’s first-quarter 2026 Cost of Living Index, many of America’s least expensive states are concentrated in the South and Midwest. A score below 100 indicates costs below the national benchmark, and housing is often where the biggest savings appear. READ MORE

See How Earnings Progress and When Pay Peaks as You Advance in Your Career

Once you’ve settled into a job, it’s easy to fall into the rhythm of meetings, deadlines, and regular paychecks.

You may not think much about how your income compares to others. But seeing how your salary stacks up by age—and how earnings rise and fall over time, including which group earns the most—can give you a better sense of your financial trajectory. READ MORE