HR Roundup: Employers Budget for 4% Pay Raises

• According to a new report, U.S. employers are budgeting an average increase of 4% in 2024 — down from the actual increase of 4.4% in 2023.
• Bricker Graydon, the OMA’s general counsel, has published this insight on the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision clarifying how employers should consider employee requests to accommodate religious practices.
• Health care consulting conglomerates are engaging in secret kickback deals with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), adding major costs for employers, according to this report.
• The U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule to update overtime regulations is awaiting White House review, reports say.
• A survey conducted by recruitment agency Robert Walters Group shows stability concerns, managerial pressure, lack of pay increases, and heavier workloads are the most frequently cited sources of workplace stress.

Finally, a group of 13 GOP attorneys general have warned the largest U.S. companies against maintaining “race-based quotas or preferences” in employment decisions after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling banning race-conscious college admissions. Here is the AGs’ letter. 7/20/2023