For the sixth straight week, initial jobless claims remained below 300,000, falling to 268,000 — the lowest number since the pandemic hit. The continued decrease in claims towards pre-pandemic levels is a sign employers are avoiding layoffs as many workers quit. The quits rate was measured at a record high of 3% in September, Labor Department figures show.

Retirees are ‘unretiring’ — and that’s good for the labor market - CNBC

@profwolff: Not a worker "shortage;" rather a shortage of decent wages, job conditions for decades. So now workers say "take this job and shove it" and quit or strike or unionize. Finally!

Florida Republicans approved a bill Wednesday that aims to hinder vaccine mandates in businesses and rejected claims that businesses refusing mandates sacrifice public health. After Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the bill in the coming days, Florida will become the first state with a law imposing fines on companies that require a COVID-19 vaccination for employment.

As G.O.P. Fights Mask and Vaccine Mandates, Florida Takes the Lead - The New York Times

@jayobtv: NEW: Florida legislature passes Republican-led bill meant to thwart Biden Administration vaccine mandate. Doesn’t ban workplaces from requiring the shot, but does force those employers to allow for broad opt-outs. Bill is awaiting @GovRonDeSantis’ signature.

President Joe Biden asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate potential “illegal conduct” from energy companies as gas prices hover around a seven-year high. Fuel prices for a gallon of gasoline are averaging $3.41, according to data from the American Automotive Association. In August, the Biden administration called on OPEC to increase production and asked the FTC to monitor and address any illegal conduct.

Biden faces pressure to tap strategic oil supply as gas prices soar - Fox Business

Gas price relief on the horizon as global oil supply picks up, says IEA ​​- CNN

@SenWarren: .@ExxonMobil and @Chevron have doubled their net profit. Meanwhile, consumers are being crushed at the pump even as fuel costs have dropped. I’m glad @POTUS asked @LinakhanFTC to investigate whether greedy oil and gas giants are cheating and driving inflation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration suspended the enforcement of Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private businesses after a federal appeals court opposed it last week. The agency said it is confident in its authority “to protect workers in emergencies.” OSHA originally gave employers with more than 100 employees a Jan. 4 deadline to comply with the vaccine mandate and threatened thousands of dollars in fines if businesses do not comply.

Conservative-leaning appeals court to hear challenges to Biden's vaccine mandate after ping-pong ball lottery - ​​CNN

@RepRussFulcher: Alongside my Republican colleagues in the Education and Labor Committee, I am leading the effort to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) to nullify OSHA’s emergency temporary standard mandating vaccines for private sector employers.

CEO turnover spiked in the first half of 2021 as many companies restructured with hopes to navigate the aftermath of the pandemic, according to a study from recruiting firm Heidrick and Struggles. Survey findings show that stressed CEOs are not immune to the worker exhaustion and lifestyle change that has been dubbed the Great Resignation. Following resignations, the report found that women are most likely to be promoted to executive roles.

What the CEOs of Walgreens, Hilton and Progressive think about the Great Resignation - Fortune

One solution to the labor shortage: teenagers - CNBC

@malas_n: As US workers keep quitting their jobs at a record-setting rate, "employers are forced to do things that they haven’t had to do before." @smasunaga reports on the wild variety of ways companies are fending off the Great Resignation.

"The Great Resignation: Why millions of workers are leaving their jobs and what to consider before...