Five Reasons Why ‘The Retail Apocalypse’ Is A False Scare Story

– Forbes

Articles about the death of retail are great click bait. Media outlets from The Wall Street Journal to Fortune to USA Today have trumpeted news about store closings, retail bankruptcies, and the end of retail as we know it. They serve to frighten the industry, allow retail observers to pontificate endlessly, and give “everyman” a new slow-moving train wreck to watch. Here are five reasons that shatter the notion that “retail is reeling.”

 

H-2B Visa Limits Causing Staffing Shortages in US Hospitality Industry

– HR Drive 

The U.S. hospitality industry is facing critical staffing shortages since the government tightened up its H-2B visa program, reports Skift. Restaurants, inns and landscapers say business will be down this season because they’re unable to hire the number of workers they need.

 

Businesses Push Back on Paid-Sick-Leave Laws

– NPR

Nearly three-quarters of private sector workers receive paid sick days from their employers, though there is no federal mandate requiring it. In recent years, dozens of states, cities and counties have passed their own ordinances, which typically require employers to provide between three and seven paid sick days a year. The business community is fighting against the proliferation of these laws, saying that the landscape for paid-leave regulation is getting way too complex.

 

Yellen Says Family-Friendly Work Policies Can Boost Economy

– The Wall Street Journal 

Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen said family-friendly policies that increase women’s participation in the workforce could boost economic growth and help the U.S. overcome longer-term challenges. Ms. Yellen said if the U.S. had the kinds of family policies common in Europe — such as paid leave, greater availability and affordability of child-care and increased availability of part-time work — more women would work.