News

States Throw Spotlight on Use of AI for Compensation Decisions

State lawmakers around the U.S. are increasingly targeting employer use of AI to determine employee pay, with several states expected to introduce new legislation this year.

By Gregory C. Hoff

The Skills AI Can T Steal Why Human Capabilities Matter More Than Ever

AI is getting faster, smarter, and cheaper by the day. But here’s the paradox of the AI age: the more powerful machines become, the more valuable human capabilities are.

By Megan Wolf

Ig Metall Stormy Waters Ahead

By Tom Hayes

EWCS New Irish Network

By Tom Hayes

Malaysia Prioritises Local Talent over Foreign Workers

Malaysia has faced a persistent talent drain as skilled professionals migrate to countries like Singapore, Australia, and the US in search of higher wages, better career progression, and more competitive working conditions.

By Michelle Swinden

Vietnam Recognises Value of Older Workers

Vietnam’s Law on Employment 2025, which took effect on 1 January 2026 - introduces several important changes that expand opportunities and protections for older workers as part of the country’s broader effort to adapt to a rapidly ageing population.  

By Michelle Swinden

New Zealand Law to Bypass the Biscuit Tin of Democracy

New Zealand’s two largest political parties have collaborated to introduce a Modern Slavery Bill.

By Michelle Swinden

2026 Heralds New AI Obligations Across Asia Pacific

Four major jurisdictions-South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and China-have  implemented significant new laws or amendments governing the implementation of AI, due to take effect in 2026.

By Michelle Swinden

Glass Lewis Issues Guide to Navigate Executive Pay Scrutiny

Glass Lewis released a comprehensive guide helping companies anticipate and address shareholder concerns about executive compensation amid continuing debate over pay-for-performance alignment.

By Ani Huang

Five Trends Redefining Compensation in 2026

After several years of higher than “normal” salary budgets, pay increases are leveling out. As organizations plan for 2026, the focus is on smarter use of data, targeted differentiation and clearer communication around pay decisions.

By Megan Wolf

Proxy Advisors at a Crossroads What the Shake up Means for Companies

Wells Fargo is the second major investor to cut ties with ISS, following JP Morgan’s decision to replace ISS analytics with a proprietary AI-driven voting tool. Add to that President Trump’s Executive Order directing the SEC to conduct a sweeping review of proxy advisor regulation, and it’s clear the traditional model of proxy advisory influence is under pressure.

By Megan Wolf

congress-may-avert-another-government-shutdown-for-now-

The government is once again at risk of partially shutting down as soon as the end of today, pending further negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats.

By Gregory C. Hoff

From Promise to Practice GLP 1 Insights from Our Webinar

Once considered a niche treatment for diabetes, GLP-1 medications are rapidly reshaping how employers think about weight management, chronic disease, and the future of employer-sponsored health benefits. A recent CHRO Association webinar explored why these drugs have gained such momentum—and how organizations are navigating the complex tradeoffs between access, affordability, and long-term sustainability.

By Megan Wolf

What Chros Need to Know About the Eightfold AI Lawsuit

A novel lawsuit against AI recruiting platform Eightfold AI could reshape how companies use hiring technology—and expose employers to new liability. If plaintiffs succeed in arguing AI screening tools are "consumer reports" under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, companies may need to rethink how AI is used in hiring. 

By Ani Huang

UK Job Cuts Signals AI Productivity Outpacing Workforce Transitions

A Morgan Stanley analysis shows that the UK is experiencing the largest net job losses linked to AI adoption compared to other advanced economies, due to job displacement not being offset by AI-related hiring.

By Wenchao Dong

Keeping Pace in the AI Race

The promise of AI-driven reinvention is undeniable, yet many organizations are still struggling to turn ambition into measurable results. PwC’s latest CEO survey sheds light on why some leaders are pulling ahead and what’s holding others back.

By Megan Wolf

EU Unions Meps Call for a Just Transition Directive

By Tom Hayes

UK Employment Law Changes Coming Shortly in 2026

By Tom Hayes

Germany Significant Equal Pay Decision

By Tom Hayes

AI Meps Want Stricter Workplace AI Rules

By Tom Hayes

Forced Labour Romanian Government Plans New Law

By Auret van Heerden

The Debate on Performance Shares Who Has It Right

Turning Incentive Plans into Strategy Engines

The most effective performance incentive plans start with a clear-eyed view of where a business sits on the value-creation spectrum. A Meridian primer discusses how high-return, average-return, and low-return companies should consider value creation and align the outcomes accordingly.

By Megan Wolf

2025 Proxy Season Reveals a Shifting Investor Playbook

At first glance, the 2025 proxy season looks reassuringly familiar. Say on Pay support remains high, and most companies cleared the bar comfortably. However, new analyses from Semler Brossy and Georgeson show that while aggregate support levels barely moved, there was significant divergence among large investors on social shareholder proposals.

By Megan Wolf

New Research Questions Whether Competitive Markets Deliver Efficient CEO Pay

A new Journal of Finance study offers a fresh perspective on executive compensation that may interest practitioners navigating an increasingly complex landscape.

By Ani Huang

EU Pay Transparency the Real Cost of Getting It Wrong 1

The financial penalties for non-compliance with the EU Pay Transparency Directive are potentially significant, ranging from hundreds to millions of euros. However, the bigger risk for global companies lies in the combination of uncapped employee compensation claims and litigation, expanded access for worker representatives, reputational consequences, talent impacts, and operational disruptions.

By Wenchao Dong

EEOC Rescinds Gender Identity Harassment and Discrimination Guidance

By Gregory C. Hoff

The AI Efficiency Puzzle

While companies continue to rapidly integrate AI based on its promise of increased productivity and efficiency, a pair of recent studies highlight early roadblocks for fulfilling that potential.

By Gregory C. Hoff

PSUs on Trial: Are Performance Shares Losing Their Edge?

For more than a decade, performance share units (PSUs) have been the gold standard of long-term incentive (LTI) design. Investors liked them, proxy advisors championed them, and compensation committees embraced them. But in 2025, PSUs found themselves in the spotlight.

By Megan Wolf

What Chros Need to Know About the House Passed Government Funding Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives  advanced a government funding package—the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026—totaling roughly $1.2 trillion, which will fund federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor, through the end of fiscal year 2026. The bipartisan vote was 341-88. 

By Chatrane Birbal

EU Pay Transparency the Real Cost of Getting It Wrong

The financial penalties for non-compliance with the EU Pay Transparency Directive are potentially significant, ranging from hundreds to millions of euros. However, the bigger risk for global companies lies in the combination of uncapped employee compensation claims and litigations, expanded access for worker representatives, reputational consequences, talent impacts, and operational disruptions.

By Wenchao Dong

Global Companies Need to Plan for Their EWCS and the Time Is Now

For global HR leaders with responsibility for Europe, the revised European Works Council (EWC) rules require a clear, time-bound strategy, as transposition across EU/EEA states will take place on 31 December 2027.  

By Alan Wild

AI at Work Five Global Realities Every CHRO Need to Navigate

It’s hard to read, watch, or listen to anything on HR today without being overwhelmed by podcasts and advertisements on AI. At the CHRO Association we offer some of the very best advice, led by my old colleague Nickle Lamoreux at IBM. AI is “the big thing” for good reason: it will shape how and where work is done everywhere in the world.

By Alan Wild

EWCS Expert Group to Be Established

By Tom Hayes

GDPR Meeting with EU Commissioner Mcgrath

By Tom Hayes

Due Diligence: Do you know about the win you are drinking?

By Tom Hayes

Data Protection UK Ico to Probe Lloyds

By Tom Hayes

Auto Industry Europe Job Losses Top 100 000 over Two Years

By Tom Hayes

2026 Proxy Advisor Policies Yes You Still Need to Pay Attention

Amid the maelstrom of the White House executive order, JP Morgan ditching proxy advisors, and the SEC suggesting AI could replace proxy advisors, policy changes were surprisingly hefty.

By Megan Wolf

CHRO Pay as a Strategic Signal

A new study by Stanford’s David Larcker purports to show that the CHRO pay ratio—what the top HR executive earns relative to the CEO—reveals how seriously companies take their people strategy. 

By Ani Huang

ESG Proxy Disclosures Without the Script

If 2024 was the year ESG became unmistakably polarized, 2025 shaped up as the year companies decided how—or whether—to talk about it at all.  Labrador’s review of 115 proxy statements reveals a proxy season defined less by uniformity and more by divergence and nuance. Companies took highly tailored approaches to ESG disclosure, marked by their individual business models, risk profiles, and their shareholder bases. 

By Megan Wolf

Trump Order Gives Pentagon Veto Power Over Defense Contractor Executive Pay

President Trump issued an executive order last week granting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unprecedented authority to dictate executive compensation structures at military contractors, raising questions about government overreach into private sector pay decisions.

By Ani Huang

Regulatory Roundup White House Presses for AI Law EEOC Gears up for Big Year DOL Readies Independent Contractor Changes

A quick look at some recent federal regulatory developments and their implications for large companies.

By Gregory C. Hoff

Preparing for an Interview Here S How to Stand Out

Professional recruiters and assessors wield enormous power over C-suite appointments, so when faced with a new opportunity, consider these advisers carefully. A new Harvard Business Review piece by Chief Executive Alliance chairman Mark Thompson and Nasdaq head of board advisory Byron Loflin distills their recent book on the subject to five strategies for success.

By Ani Huang

Brazil Employment Benefits 8 Issues on Employer S Radar

Brazil’s employment landscape continued to tighten in 2025, with increased regulatory enforcement, active judicial review, and expanding employer obligations. As highlighted in a recent analysis by Mayer Brown, these trends point to a more compliance-intensive operating environment in 2026.

By Wenchao Dong

10 Key Labor and Employment Developments in 2026 in Canada

For employers with operations in Canada, 2025 brought a wide range of legal changes that will shape HR practice in 2026 and beyond. A recent Baker McKenzie overview highlights ten developments that should be on HR’s radar.

By Wenchao Dong

Geopolitics to Business Reality 5 Things U.S. Employers Need to Know Right Now About Venezuela

Recent geopolitical developments in Venezuela have shifted from headlines to real operational risk for employers in the region. Following U.S. actions against the Maduro government, Venezuela’s oil industry and broader market access have entered a period of intense uncertainty and potential transition.  

By Wenchao Dong

4 New Changes in Mexico Reshape Employer Risk in 2026

Mexico’s labor agenda in 2026 continues to move in a clear direction: stronger enforcement of workers’ rights, increased scrutiny of union compliance, and more benefits. For HR leaders, these developments raise both compliance and employe relations considerations, particularly for unionized operations. 

By Wenchao Dong