Belgium has joined a growing list of countries to offer employees the choice of working for four days a week without a loss of salary.

The decision is part of the coalition government’s series of labour market reforms that will also give workers the right to turn off work devices and ignore work-related messages after hours without fear of reprisal.

"We have experienced two difficult years. With this agreement, we set a beacon for an economy that is more innovative, sustainable and digital. The aim is to be able to make people and businesses stronger," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told a press conference announcing the reform package.

The new measures would allow employees to work up to 38 hours over four days instead of five in order to enhance the quality of life of Belgians and offer them a better work-life balance.

The new laws also allow workers to clock in higher number of working hours in a week to have a lighter consecutive week.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/4-days-work-3-days-off-india-labour-code-may-transform-office-culture-if-passed-438798">4 days work, 3 days off? India labour code may transform office culture, if passed</a>

But such requests need to be approved by the boss wherein the worker needs to justify their response in writing.

Apart from that, the new labour laws have also proposed changes to night work. According to new rules, the night work rate of pay will come into force only after midnight rather than the current 8 pm cut-off.

The proposed rules are currently in the draft format and need to be cleared by the parliament.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/to-improve-work-life-balance-japan-proposes-four-day-working-week-393381">To improve work-life balance, Japan proposes four-day working week&nbsp;</a>

But before that, the unions will have their say on a draft bill before amendments are made, then the legislation will be scrutinised by the Council of State advising the government, before the parliament votes.

Observers expected it to come into effect around the middle of this year.

Other reforms approved by the multi-party Belgian government include individual employee access to training, and a test programme allowing night-work for employees in the e-commerce sector.

Four-day working week&nbsp;was piloted in Iceland between 2015 and 2019, and it has since become the choice of 85 per cent of the country’s working population, The Guardian reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

Belgium has joined a growing list of countries to offer employees the choice of working for four days a week without a loss of salary. The decision is part of the coalition government’s series of labour market reforms that will also give workers the right to turn off work devices and ignore work-related messages after hours without fear of reprisal.

Belgium has joined a growing list of countries to offer employees the choice of working for four days a week without a loss of salary. The decision is part of the coalition government’s series of labour market reforms that will also give workers the right to turn off work devices and ignore work-related messages after hours without fear of reprisal. "We have experienced two difficult years. With this agreement, we set a beacon for an economy that is more innovative, sustainable and digital. The aim is to be able to make people and businesses stronger," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told a press conference announcing the reform package. The new measures would allow employees to work up to 38 hours over four days instead of five in order to enhance the quality of life of Belgians and offer them a better work-life balance. The new laws also allow workers to clock in higher number of working hours in a week to have a lighter consecutive week. Also read | 4 days work, 3 days off? India labour code may transform office culture, if passed But such requests need to be approved by the boss wherein the worker needs to justify their response in writing. Apart from that, the new labour laws have also proposed changes to night work. According to new rules, the night work rate of pay will come into force only after midnight rather than the current 8 pm cut-off. The proposed rules are currently in the draft format and need to be cleared by the parliament. Also read | To improve work-life balance, Japan proposes four-day working week But before that, the unions will have their say on a draft bill before amendments are made, then the legislation will be scrutinised by the Council of State advising the government, before the parliament votes. Observers expected it to come into effect around the middle of this year. Other reforms approved by the multi-party Belgian government include individual employee access to training, and a test programme allowing night-work for employees in the e-commerce sector. Four-day working week was piloted in Iceland between 2015 and 2019, and it has since become the choice of 85 per cent of the country’s working population, The Guardian reported. (With inputs from agencies)

This country allows four-day week, prohibits bosses to contact after work

American tech giant Apple has placed its iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn’s Chennai unit on probation, over cleanliness and hygiene issues at their staff dormitory and dining areas.

WION visited one such dormitory where the women staff had been staying. During the visit, it was found that the women were made to stay in crammed spaces and poor conditions.

During the visit, a team of Tamil Nadu Police personnel were seen occupying the rooms who had placed their belongings there. However, the cops refused to divulge the reason for their presence there.

&nbsp;

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Thread: (1/n)What I witnessed at an offsite dormitory where <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Foxconn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Foxconn</a> women workers stayed, near the Sriperumbudur factory 
 
Each dorm room was barely 150sqft and up to 7 women used to stay in the room, without bed/mattress, under a single fan. No attached bath/wash<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chennai</a> <a href="https://t.co/8ViMpvUKEm">pic.twitter.com/8ViMpvUKEm</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1476599202436157441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The dormitories building was a short walk away from and fairly unnoticeable from the nearby main road. Painted in pale yellow, the three-storeyed appeared fairly clean, but offered a vastly different picture while entering the rooms. With over 50 rooms, the building was once occupied by over 250 women workers.

All of 150sqft and fitted with a lone ceiling fan, each room is learnt to have been used by up to seven women workers. Despite having a window, owing to a fairly high compound wall blocking it, the ground floor rooms had hardly any natural ventilation.

There were no beds or mattresses in any of the rooms. Neither did they have attached bathrooms or toilets. The toilets, bathrooms and the washing area were at the corner of the building.&nbsp;

At the other corner of the building, there was a space that was used as a cooking area. It was just an open space with large vessels that hardly had any kitchen facilities. Here too, the cleanliness and hygiene standards were questionable. Parts of the cooking area were surrounded by the compound walls whereas another side was covered with a tin sheet.

Just a few steps from the cooking area was a closed toilet that looked extremely unclean even from the outside. Nearby, there was a passage that led to the common washrooms. The rear portions of the building seemed to lack a concrete boundary wall&nbsp;instead, there were only tin sheets erected to purportedly serve the same purpose.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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(6/n) 
Some pics from around the place to give an overall feel of why the women were totally distraught by the facilities provided or the lack thereof... 
 
Hope <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/foxconn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#foxconn</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Apple?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Apple</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/tim_cook?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tim_cook</a> ensure accountability and TN Govt supervises the facility and supports the women... <a href="https://t.co/0rHAV5nQPe">pic.twitter.com/0rHAV5nQPe</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1476605277952626703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Foxconn technology group issued a statement saying, “The safety and wellbeing of our employees is our top priority. We have been investigating recent issues at our Sriperumbudur facility in Tamil Nadu and have found that some offsite dormitory facilities do not meet the required standards.”

Besides apologising for the plight of their employees, the company also said they were taking immediate steps to enhance the facilities and services at remote dormitory accommodations.

In addition to restructuring the local management team, Foxconn said that it would also continue to pay its employees while making necessary improvements before restarting operations.&nbsp;

According to an Apple spokesperson, the tech giant has dispatched independent auditors to undertake additional detailed assessments following recent concerns about food safety and accommodation conditions at Foxconn’s Sriperumbudur unit.

It was also said that some of the remote dormitory accommodations and dining rooms being used for employees did not meet their requirements.

“Foxconn’s Sriperumbudur facility has been placed on probation and we will ensure our strict standards are met before the facility reopens. We will continue to monitor conditions closely” the statement added.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, nearly 150 women workers of Foxconn staying at an offsite dormitory had fallen ill and were admitted to hospitals, owing to food poisoning. They alleged that the food provided to them at the dining facility in the dormitory was unhygienic.

Turning up in large numbers, the women workers had blocked the arterial Chennai-Bengaluru highway and protested against their Foxconn management, demanding better facilities.&nbsp;

According to Kannan, deputy general secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Tamil Nadu, the details of the recent instance of food poisoning were not shared with the victims’ parents, which then led to protest.

“Not only iPhone but all brands of phones are also being manufactured at the Foxconn Sunguvarchatram plant. Nearly 10,000 employees are engaged in production activity here, but they all have been hired on a contract basis, despite doing a job that is of perennial nature. This is a major concern for workers to come out and protest,” Kannan told WION.

On behalf of CITU, he emphasised that the Tamil Nadu government, Apple and Foxconn management come forward and resolve the issue immediately.

American tech giant Apple has placed its iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn’s Chennai unit on probation, over cleanliness and hygiene issues at their staff dormitory and dining areas.

American tech giant Apple has placed its iPhone contract manufacturer Foxconn’s Chennai unit on probation, over cleanliness and hygiene issues at their staff dormitory and dining areas. WION visited one such dormitory where the women staff had been staying. During the visit, it was found that the women were made to stay in crammed spaces and poor conditions. During the visit, a team of Tamil Nadu Police personnel were seen occupying the rooms who had placed their belongings there. However, the cops refused to divulge the reason for their presence there. Thread: (1/n)What I witnessed at an offsite dormitory where #Foxconn women workers stayed, near the Sriperumbudur factory Each dorm room was barely 150sqft and up to 7 women used to stay in the room, without bed/mattress, under a single fan. No attached bath/wash#Chennai pic.twitter.com/8ViMpvUKEm — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) December 30, 2021 × The dormitories building was a short walk away from and fairly unnoticeable from the nearby main road. Painted in pale yellow, the three-storeyed appeared fairly clean, but offered a vastly different picture while entering the rooms. With over 50 rooms, the building was once occupied by over 250 women workers. All of 150sqft and fitted with a lone ceiling fan, each room is learnt to have been used by up to seven women workers. Despite having a window, owing to a fairly high compound wall blocking it, the ground floor rooms had hardly any natural ventilation. There were no beds or mattresses in any of the rooms. Neither did they have attached bathrooms or toilets. The toilets, bathrooms and the washing area were at the corner of the building. At the other corner of the building, there was a space that was used as a cooking area. It was just an open space with large vessels that hardly had any kitchen facilities. Here too, the cleanliness and hygiene standards were questionable. Parts of the cooking area were surrounded by the compound walls whereas another side was covered with a tin sheet. Just a few steps from the cooking area was a closed toilet that looked extremely unclean even from the outside. Nearby, there was a passage that led to the common washrooms. The rear portions of the building seemed to lack a concrete boundary wall instead, there were only tin sheets erected to purportedly serve the same purpose. (6/n) Some pics from around the place to give an overall feel of why the women were totally distraught by the facilities provided or the lack thereof... Hope #foxconn and @Apple @tim_cook ensure accountability and TN Govt supervises the facility and supports the women... pic.twitter.com/0rHAV5nQPe — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) December 30, 2021 × Foxconn technology group issued a statement saying, “The safety and wellbeing of our employees is our top priority. We have been investigating recent issues at our Sriperumbudur facility in Tamil Nadu and have found that some offsite dormitory facilities do not meet the required standards.” Besides apologising for the plight of their employees, the company also said they were taking immediate steps to enhance the facilities and services at remote dormitory accommodations. In addition to restructuring the local management team, Foxconn said that it would also continue to pay its employees while making necessary improvements before restarting operations. According to an Apple spokesperson, the tech giant has dispatched independent auditors to undertake additional detailed assessments following recent concerns about food safety and accommodation conditions at Foxconn’s Sriperumbudur unit. It was also said that some of the remote dormitory accommodations and dining rooms being used for employees did not meet their requirements. “Foxconn’s Sriperumbudur facility has been placed on probation and we will ensure our strict standards are met before the facility reopens. We will continue to monitor conditions closely” the statement added. Earlier this month, nearly 150 women workers of Foxconn staying at an offsite dormitory had fallen ill and were admitted to hospitals, owing to food poisoning. They alleged that the food provided to them at the dining facility in the dormitory was unhygienic. Turning up in large numbers, the women workers had blocked the arterial Chennai-Bengaluru highway and protested against their Foxconn management, demanding better facilities. According to Kannan, deputy general secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Tamil Nadu, the details of the recent instance of food poisoning were not shared with the victims’ parents, which then led to protest. “Not only iPhone but all brands of phones are also being manufactured at the Foxconn Sunguvarchatram plant. Nearly 10,000 employees are engaged in production activity here, but they all have been hired on a contract basis, despite doing a job that is of perennial nature. This is a major concern for workers to come out and protest,” Kannan told WION. On behalf of CITU, he emphasised that the Tamil Nadu government, Apple and Foxconn management come forward and resolve the issue immediately.

They help make iPhone, but here's where they stayed: Inside Foxconn Chennai offsite dorm room

The European Commission has now announced rules that will benefit employees. It aims to give workers for online platforms the rights for minimum wage, paid holidays and pension rights. Take a look at this report to know more.

European Commission announces rules that will benefit employees

After coming under fire for insulting 900 people he had just laid off, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg sent an email to the company's remaining employees on Tuesday afternoon.&nbsp;

The CEO of a digital mortgage lender based in the United States has apologised to existing staff for how he handled the situation.&nbsp;

"I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better. I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you," Garg said in the letter to current employees.

An employee shared a video of Garg's Zoom conversation on December 1st, during which he fired around 900 SoftBank-backed staff.

The dismissals were attributed to market conditions and a drop in the company's performance, according to the CEO.

Since the firings, the entrepreneur, who is also the founder of Better.com, has been in the middle of a storm, particularly owing to the manner in which they were announced. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ceo-abruptly-terminates-over-900-employees-in-us-and-india-over-zoom-call-434583">Watch | CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call</a> 
 
The dismissed employees made up 9% of the company's entire staff and were dispersed across the US and India.&nbsp;

According to Bloomberg, the mortgage lender also pushed back its public offering through a merger with Aurora Acquisition, a blank-check provider, after modifying the transaction a day before it laid off some of its employees.

According to Bloomberg, the corporation will seek additional regulatory permission after amending the merger conditions.

This will delay the transaction's completion, which the firms had previously stated would take place in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ceo-fires-900-people-on-zoom-call-434726/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

After coming under fire for insulting 900 people he had just laid off, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg sent an email to the company's remaining employees on Tuesday afternoon.

After coming under fire for insulting 900 people he had just laid off, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg sent an email to the company's remaining employees on Tuesday afternoon. The CEO of a digital mortgage lender based in the United States has apologised to existing staff for how he handled the situation. "I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better. I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you," Garg said in the letter to current employees. An employee shared a video of Garg's Zoom conversation on December 1st, during which he fired around 900 SoftBank-backed staff. The dismissals were attributed to market conditions and a drop in the company's performance, according to the CEO. Since the firings, the entrepreneur, who is also the founder of Better.com, has been in the middle of a storm, particularly owing to the manner in which they were announced. Watch | CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call The dismissed employees made up 9% of the company's entire staff and were dispersed across the US and India. According to Bloomberg, the mortgage lender also pushed back its public offering through a merger with Aurora Acquisition, a blank-check provider, after modifying the transaction a day before it laid off some of its employees. According to Bloomberg, the corporation will seek additional regulatory permission after amending the merger conditions. This will delay the transaction's completion, which the firms had previously stated would take place in the fourth quarter. (With inputs from agencies)

'I embarrassed you': Better.com CEO apologises for laying off 900 via zoom call

Days after the US-based mortgage come, Better.com, unceremoniously fired 900 people over Zoom call, three top executives have tendered their resignation.

Three of the companies’ top communications executives include Tanya Gillogley, head of public relations, Melanie Hahn, head of public relations, and Patrick Lenihan, VP of communications, according to multiple media reports.

The resignations come in response to the last week’s mass layoff, when CEO Vishal Garg abruptly terminated about 9% of the employees, which comprised of staff from US and India.

Garg received severe backlash over his move, following which he wrote an apology for the current employees of the SoftBank-backed mortgage lender firm.

Also see | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ceo-abruptly-terminates-over-900-employees-in-us-and-india-over-zoom-call-434583">CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call</a>

“I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better,” the letter reads.

“I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you.”

During the Zoom call, Garg had cited market efficiency, performance and productivity as the reason behind the firings.

Fortune later reported that Garg accused laid-off employees of “stealing” from colleagues and clients by being unproductive and working two hours a day.

“If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg,&nbsp;who founded Better.com in 2016, said on the call on Monday.

“Your employment here is terminated effective immediately,” he said, adding that employees could expect an email from HR detailing benefits and severance.

(With inputs from agencies)

Days after the US-based mortgage come, Better.com, unceremoniously fired 900 people over Zoom call, three top executives have tendered their resignation. Three of the companies’ top communications executives include Tanya Gillogley, head of public relations, Melanie Hahn, head of public relations, and Patrick Lenihan, VP of communications, according to multiple media reports.

Days after the US-based mortgage come, Better.com, unceremoniously fired 900 people over Zoom call, three top executives have tendered their resignation. Three of the companies’ top communications executives include Tanya Gillogley, head of public relations, Melanie Hahn, head of public relations, and Patrick Lenihan, VP of communications, according to multiple media reports. The resignations come in response to the last week’s mass layoff, when CEO Vishal Garg abruptly terminated about 9% of the employees, which comprised of staff from US and India. Garg received severe backlash over his move, following which he wrote an apology for the current employees of the SoftBank-backed mortgage lender firm. Also see | CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call “I failed to show the appropriate amount of respect and appreciation for the individuals who were affected and for their contributions to Better,” the letter reads. “I own the decision to do the layoffs, but in communicating it I blundered the execution. In doing so, I embarrassed you.” During the Zoom call, Garg had cited market efficiency, performance and productivity as the reason behind the firings. Fortune later reported that Garg accused laid-off employees of “stealing” from colleagues and clients by being unproductive and working two hours a day. “If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg, who founded Better.com in 2016, said on the call on Monday. “Your employment here is terminated effective immediately,” he said, adding that employees could expect an email from HR detailing benefits and severance. (With inputs from agencies)

3 top executives of Better.com resign after CEO lays off 900 people over Zoom call

More than 900 employees in the US and India of a mortgage lender company were fired abruptly by the CEO during a three-minute Zoom call.

According to CNN, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg made the announcement on Wednesday saying that about 9 per cent of its workforce have been laid off.

“I come to you with not great news. The market has changed and we have to move with it in order to survive, so that hopefully, we can thrive and hopefully, deliver on our mission,” he said as he began the grim announcement.

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He blamed market efficiency, performance and productivity as the reason behind the firings,

“If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg,&nbsp;who founded Better.com in 2016, said on the call.

“Your employment here is terminated effective immediately,” he said, adding that employees could expect an email from HR detailing benefits and severance.

Around 15 per cent of employees of the New York-headquartered company have lost their jobs as part of the cost-cutting exercise.

Garg said that this is the second round of lay-offs Garg has undertaken.

A video of the Zoom call has been widely shared on the internet.

“Having to conduct layoffs is gut-wrenching, especially this time of year," CFO Kevin Ryan said in a statement to CNN Business.

“However, a fortress balance sheet and a reduced and focused workforce together set us up to play offence going into a radically evolving homeownership market.”

(With inputs from agencies)

More than 900 employees in the US and India of a mortgage lender company were fired abruptly by the CEO during a three-minute Zoom call. According to CNN, Better.

More than 900 employees in the US and India of a mortgage lender company were fired abruptly by the CEO during a three-minute Zoom call. According to CNN, Better.com CEO Vishal Garg made the announcement on Wednesday saying that about 9 per cent of its workforce have been laid off. “I come to you with not great news. The market has changed and we have to move with it in order to survive, so that hopefully, we can thrive and hopefully, deliver on our mission,” he said as he began the grim announcement. × He blamed market efficiency, performance and productivity as the reason behind the firings, “If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group that is being laid off," Garg, who founded Better.com in 2016, said on the call. “Your employment here is terminated effective immediately,” he said, adding that employees could expect an email from HR detailing benefits and severance. Around 15 per cent of employees of the New York-headquartered company have lost their jobs as part of the cost-cutting exercise. Garg said that this is the second round of lay-offs Garg has undertaken. A video of the Zoom call has been widely shared on the internet. “Having to conduct layoffs is gut-wrenching, especially this time of year," CFO Kevin Ryan said in a statement to CNN Business. “However, a fortress balance sheet and a reduced and focused workforce together set us up to play offence going into a radically evolving homeownership market.” (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | CEO abruptly terminates over 900 employees in US and India over Zoom call

Is your boss texting you after your shift has ended? In Portugal, you can now sue them for doing so. Portugal has passed a law that bans bosses from contacting employees once they've left office. Which other countries have this law? Palki Sharma has a report.

Gravitas: Portugal bans employers from texting employees after shift hours

Aggrieved Chinese office workers have recently initiated a 'worker lives matter'&nbsp;campaign over gruelling work hours in the country.

The campaign is against the '996 work culture'&nbsp;in the country. According to this culture, people are scheduled to work from 9 am to 9 pm for six days in a week, Taiwan News reported.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/imf-cuts-chinas-growth-forecast-amid-disorderly-corporate-debt-defaults-420197">IMF cuts China's growth forecast amid 'disorderly corporate debt defaults'</a>

The campaign asks employees to share their work schedules on an open-access spreadsheet that is being circulated over the internet.

As per the updates on Thursday, the sheet had entries from over 4,000 people working in tech giants including Tencent, Alibaba and ByteDance.

Meanwhile, China has witnessed a huge backlash from the people against the dreaded work schedule in recent years, Taiwan News reported.

This 996 culture has also been publically praised by founders of China's tech unicorns, including Jack Ma, who once reportedly said that "To be able to work 996 is a huge bliss.

"But Chinese population, particularly youth emphasis on healthy life and a balance work trend with phrases such as "laying flat" and "feeling fish" being used as terms for slacking off among exhausted employees, Taiwan News reported.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dasu-bus-blast-china-demands-38-million-from-pakistan-for-the-dead-workers-420930">Dasu bus blast: China demands $38 million from Pakistan for the dead workers​</a>​​​​​​

Besides, Chinese tech companies are also attempting to bring productivity-enhancing tools into everyday office life, worker's efficiency is being channelized into squeezing more value from employees by using software-driven surveillance management and monitoring into their professional lives.

Despite fierce criticism over such aggressive practices and complaints from employees, they have had little impact on investor sentiment, reported Nikkei Asia.

Companies are running even more brutal working hours - ByteDance allows its employees a full weekend only every other week, while employees at Pinduoduo's newer units are required to work at least 300 hours a month.&nbsp;

Aggrieved Chinese office workers have recently initiated a 'worker lives matter' campaign over gruelling work hours in the country. The campaign is against the '996 work culture' in the country.

Aggrieved Chinese office workers have recently initiated a 'worker lives matter' campaign over gruelling work hours in the country. The campaign is against the '996 work culture' in the country. According to this culture, people are scheduled to work from 9 am to 9 pm for six days in a week, Taiwan News reported. Also Read | IMF cuts China's growth forecast amid 'disorderly corporate debt defaults' The campaign asks employees to share their work schedules on an open-access spreadsheet that is being circulated over the internet. As per the updates on Thursday, the sheet had entries from over 4,000 people working in tech giants including Tencent, Alibaba and ByteDance. Meanwhile, China has witnessed a huge backlash from the people against the dreaded work schedule in recent years, Taiwan News reported. This 996 culture has also been publically praised by founders of China's tech unicorns, including Jack Ma, who once reportedly said that "To be able to work 996 is a huge bliss. "But Chinese population, particularly youth emphasis on healthy life and a balance work trend with phrases such as "laying flat" and "feeling fish" being used as terms for slacking off among exhausted employees, Taiwan News reported. Also Read | Dasu bus blast: China demands $38 million from Pakistan for the dead workers Besides, Chinese tech companies are also attempting to bring productivity-enhancing tools into everyday office life, worker's efficiency is being channelized into squeezing more value from employees by using software-driven surveillance management and monitoring into their professional lives. Despite fierce criticism over such aggressive practices and complaints from employees, they have had little impact on investor sentiment, reported Nikkei Asia. Companies are running even more brutal working hours - ByteDance allows its employees a full weekend only every other week, while employees at Pinduoduo's newer units are required to work at least 300 hours a month.

Exhausted Chinese employees start 'worker lives matter' campaign over grueling work hours

Apple&nbsp;Inc will pay one-time bonuses of as much as $1,000 to store employees next month, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The company will give out $1,000 to retail staff hired before Mar. 31, while those who joined later will get $500, the report said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-issues-emergency-security-updates-to-close-a-spyware-flaw-413956">Also read |&nbsp;&nbsp;Apple issues emergency security updates to close a spyware flaw</a>

New employees for the holiday shopping season will receive $200 and bonuses will also be handed out to&nbsp;AppleCare and online sales staff, the report added.

Apple&nbsp;did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The company's retail chief told Reuters in June that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;was expanding its retail operations, betting that a combination of strategies developed before and during COVID-19 will make its stores more popular than ever.

Apple Inc will pay one-time bonuses of as much as $1,000 to store employees next month, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Apple Inc will pay one-time bonuses of as much as $1,000 to store employees next month, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The company will give out $1,000 to retail staff hired before Mar. 31, while those who joined later will get $500, the report said. Also read | Apple issues emergency security updates to close a spyware flaw New employees for the holiday shopping season will receive $200 and bonuses will also be handed out to AppleCare and online sales staff, the report added. Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The company's retail chief told Reuters in June that Apple was expanding its retail operations, betting that a combination of strategies developed before and during COVID-19 will make its stores more popular than ever.

Apple to pay bonuses of up to $1,000 to store employees

The city of&nbsp;San&nbsp;Francisco&nbsp;has announced it will require all municipal employees&nbsp;to be vaccinated against Covid-19, or they could face penalties up to and including dismissal.

The new rule, announced Wednesday, will not take effect until the vaccines have received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, which has so far green-lit their use on an emergency basis due to the pandemic.

San&nbsp;Francisco&nbsp;will then require its 35,000 employees, including police and firefighters, to be vaccinated. Those who fail to comply and do not receive an exemption for medical or religious reasons will be punished or could even be fired.

"It's really a decision for the health and safety of our employees and our public that we serve," said Carol Isen, the city's director of human resources.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chauvin-gets-22-12-years-in-prison-for-george-floyds-death-394037">Also Read |&nbsp;Chauvin gets 22 1/2 years in prison for George Floyd's death</a>

"It's about protecting the city as an employer from what we deem to be unacceptable risk."

The local branch of the Service Employees International Union, which represents around 20,000 city employees, called the move a "threatening mandate" and said such a requirement must be negotiated and not imposed.

This week, more than 150 employees at one of Texas's largest hospitals were fired or resigned after refusing to comply with a Covid vaccination requirement.

Officials at Houston Methodist had told its staff they needed to have received a Covid vaccination by June 7.

Some staff members had filed a lawsuit against the hospital, accusing it of "forcing its employees to be human 'guinea pigs' as a condition for continued employment."

The lawsuit was dismissed by a judge who said the vaccines' safety was not at issue.

The city of&nbsp;San&nbsp;Francisco, which adopted measures early on in the US coronavirus outbreak to stop its spread, has one of the highest vaccination rates in California: about 80 percent of residents 12 and over have received at least one dose.

The city of San Francisco has announced it will require all municipal employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, or they could face penalties up to and including dismissal.

The city of San Francisco has announced it will require all municipal employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, or they could face penalties up to and including dismissal. The new rule, announced Wednesday, will not take effect until the vaccines have received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, which has so far green-lit their use on an emergency basis due to the pandemic. San Francisco will then require its 35,000 employees, including police and firefighters, to be vaccinated. Those who fail to comply and do not receive an exemption for medical or religious reasons will be punished or could even be fired. "It's really a decision for the health and safety of our employees and our public that we serve," said Carol Isen, the city's director of human resources. Also Read | Chauvin gets 22 1/2 years in prison for George Floyd's death "It's about protecting the city as an employer from what we deem to be unacceptable risk." The local branch of the Service Employees International Union, which represents around 20,000 city employees, called the move a "threatening mandate" and said such a requirement must be negotiated and not imposed. This week, more than 150 employees at one of Texas's largest hospitals were fired or resigned after refusing to comply with a Covid vaccination requirement. Officials at Houston Methodist had told its staff they needed to have received a Covid vaccination by June 7. Some staff members had filed a lawsuit against the hospital, accusing it of "forcing its employees to be human 'guinea pigs' as a condition for continued employment." The lawsuit was dismissed by a judge who said the vaccines' safety was not at issue. The city of San Francisco, which adopted measures early on in the US coronavirus outbreak to stop its spread, has one of the highest vaccination rates in California: about 80 percent of residents 12 and over have received at least one dose.

San Francisco to require city employees to get Covid vaccine

Pope Francis has ordered cardinals to take a 10% pay cut and reduced the salaries of most other clerics working in the Vatican in order to save jobs of employees as the coronavirus pandemic has hit the Holy See's income.&nbsp;

The Vatican said on Wednesday that Francis issued a decree introducing proportional cuts starting on April 1. A spokesman said most lay employees would not be affected by the cuts.&nbsp;

A senior Vatican prelate said it was believed to be the first time in living memory that a pope had taken such action.&nbsp;

Francis, 84, and from a working-class family, has often insisted he does not want to fire people in difficult economic times, even as the Vatican continues to run up deficits.&nbsp;

Cardinals, who work at the Vatican and live there or in Rome, are believed to get salaries of about 4,000 to 5,000 euros ($4,730 to $5,915) a month, and many live in large apartments at well below market rents.&nbsp;

Most priests and nuns, who work in Vatican departments, live in religious communities in Rome, such as seminaries, convents, parishes, universities and schools - giving them greater protection from economic downturns.&nbsp;

They have much lower living expenses than lay employees, such as police, ushers, firefighters, cleaners, art restorers and maintenance personnel, who live in Rome and many of whom have families.&nbsp;

It is these lay workers, who the pope appeared to want to protect, as most of their employment levels were not listed in the papal decree. Vatican pay grades go from levels 1-10 for most employees. Senior positions have four grades, from C to C-3.&nbsp;

Apart from the cardinals, other clerics will see their salaries reduced by between 3% and 8%. Programmed pay rises for all but the three lowest pay grades will be suspended until March 2023.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Pope Francis has ordered cardinals to take a 10% pay cut and reduced the salaries of most other clerics working in the Vatican in order to save jobs of employees as the coronavirus pandemic has hit the Holy See's income.

Pope Francis has ordered cardinals to take a 10% pay cut and reduced the salaries of most other clerics working in the Vatican in order to save jobs of employees as the coronavirus pandemic has hit the Holy See's income. The Vatican said on Wednesday that Francis issued a decree introducing proportional cuts starting on April 1. A spokesman said most lay employees would not be affected by the cuts. A senior Vatican prelate said it was believed to be the first time in living memory that a pope had taken such action. Francis, 84, and from a working-class family, has often insisted he does not want to fire people in difficult economic times, even as the Vatican continues to run up deficits. Cardinals, who work at the Vatican and live there or in Rome, are believed to get salaries of about 4,000 to 5,000 euros ($4,730 to $5,915) a month, and many live in large apartments at well below market rents. Most priests and nuns, who work in Vatican departments, live in religious communities in Rome, such as seminaries, convents, parishes, universities and schools - giving them greater protection from economic downturns. They have much lower living expenses than lay employees, such as police, ushers, firefighters, cleaners, art restorers and maintenance personnel, who live in Rome and many of whom have families. It is these lay workers, who the pope appeared to want to protect, as most of their employment levels were not listed in the papal decree. Vatican pay grades go from levels 1-10 for most employees. Senior positions have four grades, from C to C-3. Apart from the cardinals, other clerics will see their salaries reduced by between 3% and 8%. Programmed pay rises for all but the three lowest pay grades will be suspended until March 2023. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, Pope orders salary cuts for cardinals, to save jobs of employees

Who is an employee? It may seem a simple question but it's not. In 2016, two Uber drivers in the United Kingdom took the app-based cab service to court.&nbsp;

These two drivers told the court that they worked for Uber but it said, the drivers did not work for the company and that they were self-employed. Is that something to fight over? Actually, it is.&nbsp;

The moment you employ someone, you are expected to give him or her employment benefits like minimum wage, annual leaves, insurance. These vary depending on a country's labour laws.&nbsp;

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In UK, there are three categories of employment status, employees, workers and self-employed contractors. Employees have the maximum protection as they enjoy the most benefits. Self-employed contractors have the least. So, when this case came up in court. Uber stuck to its claim and so did the two drivers. There was a four-year-long legal battle and then UK's top court said, uber drivers should be treated as workers and not self-employed. It meant that they are entitled to a minimum wage and a holiday pay.&nbsp;

It happened on the February 19. It was just the beginning of Uber's troubles. Four days later, the company was fined in Italy. Again, over the same employment debate.&nbsp;

Uber, and food delivery apps were told their couriers delivery personnel are employees. They should be treated as employees. Four companies were fined 733 million euros for breaching labour safety rules. The companies were told to pay the couriers delivery personnel, social security and insurance also give them adequate clothing, helmets, masks, scooters or bicycles, etc.&nbsp;

The decision of two courts in Italy and Britain to declare Uber drivers and food app couriers as employees is important for the whole world as it sets a precedent.&nbsp;

It's only a matter of time before such a case comes up in another country. It is important now as it ensures that there is no exploitation.&nbsp;

App-based cabs, and food delivery services have been around for some time now in India. They have generated employment for thousands of people. Many have migrated from rural areas to drive cabs in cities. Driving an Ola or an Uber was very lucrative a few years ago. Several people quit their desk jobs to drive cabs but the story slowly changed over the years. In 2017, some drivers approached a Delhi court as they said, the apps were exploiting them by not treating them as employees.&nbsp;

Soon, a video emerged of a Zomato delivery agent tasting food that he was tasked with delivering. While we all cringed, we overlooked the desperation in the video. &nbsp;

In India, a food delivery agent employed by a Zomato or a Swiggy barely earns a few thousand rupees a month. They work long shifts in polluted cities during extreme weather and yet they enjoy no benefits, such as sick leaves, insurance, etc. &nbsp;&nbsp;

They are called independent self-employed workers but they do not enjoy the benefit of that status. In other words, they cannot take up multiple jobs. The app-based cab drivers can, but the food couriers can't. When the pandemic struck many of these workers were fired without notice or compensation.&nbsp;

Their companies blamed the coronavirus but fingers were really pointing at the downside of gig economy. That's independent working. Today, the gig economy is worth over $3.7 trillion.&nbsp;

Freelancing, working multiple jobs and working from home have been trendy since the pandemic struck but what we don't realise is that such jobs have no cushions, no benefits.&nbsp;

The latest rulings by the courts in the UK and Italy have also put employers in a fix. Not only will they have to shell out more resources, they will also have to figure out how the resources are allocated. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Many cab drivers work for multiple service providers. How do you determine which company is supposed to give them employment benefits? Also, will the drivers be able to serve the rest of the companies once they are categorised as employees?&nbsp;

Will the end result be in favour of the drivers or will it create further troubles for them?&nbsp;

What the industry needs right now is to come up with a new model to ensure- that while companies survive those working are also not exploited.&nbsp;

Who is an employee? It may seem a simple question but it's not. In 2016, two Uber drivers in the United Kingdom took the app-based cab service to court. These two drivers told the court that they worked for Uber but it said, the drivers did not work for the company and that they were self-employed.

Who is an employee? It may seem a simple question but it's not. In 2016, two Uber drivers in the United Kingdom took the app-based cab service to court. These two drivers told the court that they worked for Uber but it said, the drivers did not work for the company and that they were self-employed. Is that something to fight over? Actually, it is. The moment you employ someone, you are expected to give him or her employment benefits like minimum wage, annual leaves, insurance. These vary depending on a country's labour laws. In UK, there are three categories of employment status, employees, workers and self-employed contractors. Employees have the maximum protection as they enjoy the most benefits. Self-employed contractors have the least. So, when this case came up in court. Uber stuck to its claim and so did the two drivers. There was a four-year-long legal battle and then UK's top court said, uber drivers should be treated as workers and not self-employed. It meant that they are entitled to a minimum wage and a holiday pay. It happened on the February 19. It was just the beginning of Uber's troubles. Four days later, the company was fined in Italy. Again, over the same employment debate. Uber, and food delivery apps were told their couriers delivery personnel are employees. They should be treated as employees. Four companies were fined 733 million euros for breaching labour safety rules. The companies were told to pay the couriers delivery personnel, social security and insurance also give them adequate clothing, helmets, masks, scooters or bicycles, etc. The decision of two courts in Italy and Britain to declare Uber drivers and food app couriers as employees is important for the whole world as it sets a precedent. It's only a matter of time before such a case comes up in another country. It is important now as it ensures that there is no exploitation. App-based cabs, and food delivery services have been around for some time now in India. They have generated employment for thousands of people. Many have migrated from rural areas to drive cabs in cities. Driving an Ola or an Uber was very lucrative a few years ago. Several people quit their desk jobs to drive cabs but the story slowly changed over the years. In 2017, some drivers approached a Delhi court as they said, the apps were exploiting them by not treating them as employees. Soon, a video emerged of a Zomato delivery agent tasting food that he was tasked with delivering. While we all cringed, we overlooked the desperation in the video. In India, a food delivery agent employed by a Zomato or a Swiggy barely earns a few thousand rupees a month. They work long shifts in polluted cities during extreme weather and yet they enjoy no benefits, such as sick leaves, insurance, etc. They are called independent self-employed workers but they do not enjoy the benefit of that status. In other words, they cannot take up multiple jobs. The app-based cab drivers can, but the food couriers can't. When the pandemic struck many of these workers were fired without notice or compensation. Their companies blamed the coronavirus but fingers were really pointing at the downside of gig economy. That's independent working. Today, the gig economy is worth over $3.7 trillion. Freelancing, working multiple jobs and working from home have been trendy since the pandemic struck but what we don't realise is that such jobs have no cushions, no benefits. The latest rulings by the courts in the UK and Italy have also put employers in a fix. Not only will they have to shell out more resources, they will also have to figure out how the resources are allocated. Many cab drivers work for multiple service providers. How do you determine which company is supposed to give them employment benefits? Also, will the drivers be able to serve the rest of the companies once they are categorised as employees? Will the end result be in favour of the drivers or will it create further troubles for them? What the industry needs right now is to come up with a new model to ensure- that while companies survive those working are also not exploited.

Courts set precedent to ensure exploitation of employees ends 

&nbsp;IndiGo on Monday said it is implementing "deeper" pay cuts of up to 35 per cent for its senior employees in order to reduce its cash outflow amid the coronavirus pandemic.

From May onwards, IndiGo had implemented pay cuts of up to 25 per cent for its senior employees.

The "deeper" pay cuts came after the airline's announcement on July 20 that it would lay off 10 per cent of its workforce due to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

In an e-mail on Monday, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta told employees, "I will increase my personal pay cut percentage to 35 per cent. I am asking all senior vice presidents and above to take a 30 per cent pay cut, all pilots will see their pay cut percentages increased to 28 per cent, all vice presidents will take a 25 per cent pay cut and associate vice presidents will take a 15 per cent pay cut."

These increased pay cuts will come into effect from September 1, he added.

The aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to the travel restrictions imposed in India and other countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic. All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, leave-without-pay and lay-offs in order to conserve cash.

Before Monday's announcement, IndiGo CEO Dutta took a 25 per cent cut in salaries. For senior vice presidents the pay cut was 20 per cent, for vice presidents it was 15 per cent and for associate vice presidents it was 10 per cent.

In May, IndiGo had also cut the salaries of Band D employees and cabin crew members by 10 per cent, and of Band C employees by 5 per cent.

Salaries of employees in Band B and Band A were not touched. Majority of the employees of the airline are in Band B and Band A.

Dutta's Monday announcement does not affect the cuts instituted in the salaries of Band D employees, Band C employees and cabin crew members in May. Moreover, no cuts were announced on Monday for Band B and Band A employees.

IndiGo in May had also implemented a compulsory leave without pay (LWP) scheme for its employees for up to five days per month. In August it was increased to 10.5 days per month.

Dutta said on Monday, "We are not making any changes for August LWP and from September each department will decide on the LWP for each month based on workloads and staffing levels."

"You can expect a direct communication from your department head on LWP each month. It is my earnest hope that the environment is conducive enough for us to add capacity back quickly and reduce LWP to zero," he added.

India resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the airlines have been allowed to operate only a maximum of 45 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

Occupancy rate in Indian domestic flights has been around just 50-60 per cent since May 25. Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23.&nbsp;

IndiGo on Monday said it is implementing "deeper" pay cuts of up to 35 per cent for its senior employees in order to reduce its cash outflow amid the coronavirus pandemic.

IndiGo on Monday said it is implementing "deeper" pay cuts of up to 35 per cent for its senior employees in order to reduce its cash outflow amid the coronavirus pandemic. From May onwards, IndiGo had implemented pay cuts of up to 25 per cent for its senior employees. The "deeper" pay cuts came after the airline's announcement on July 20 that it would lay off 10 per cent of its workforce due to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. In an e-mail on Monday, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta told employees, "I will increase my personal pay cut percentage to 35 per cent. I am asking all senior vice presidents and above to take a 30 per cent pay cut, all pilots will see their pay cut percentages increased to 28 per cent, all vice presidents will take a 25 per cent pay cut and associate vice presidents will take a 15 per cent pay cut." These increased pay cuts will come into effect from September 1, he added. The aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to the travel restrictions imposed in India and other countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic. All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, leave-without-pay and lay-offs in order to conserve cash. Before Monday's announcement, IndiGo CEO Dutta took a 25 per cent cut in salaries. For senior vice presidents the pay cut was 20 per cent, for vice presidents it was 15 per cent and for associate vice presidents it was 10 per cent. In May, IndiGo had also cut the salaries of Band D employees and cabin crew members by 10 per cent, and of Band C employees by 5 per cent. Salaries of employees in Band B and Band A were not touched. Majority of the employees of the airline are in Band B and Band A. Dutta's Monday announcement does not affect the cuts instituted in the salaries of Band D employees, Band C employees and cabin crew members in May. Moreover, no cuts were announced on Monday for Band B and Band A employees. IndiGo in May had also implemented a compulsory leave without pay (LWP) scheme for its employees for up to five days per month. In August it was increased to 10.5 days per month. Dutta said on Monday, "We are not making any changes for August LWP and from September each department will decide on the LWP for each month based on workloads and staffing levels." "You can expect a direct communication from your department head on LWP each month. It is my earnest hope that the environment is conducive enough for us to add capacity back quickly and reduce LWP to zero," he added. India resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the airlines have been allowed to operate only a maximum of 45 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. Occupancy rate in Indian domestic flights has been around just 50-60 per cent since May 25. Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23.

IndiGo announces 'deeper' pay cuts of up to 35 per cent for senior employees

Twitter said Tuesday it is unlikely to open its offices before September, and that many of its employees will be permitted to work from home permanently even after the end of the coronavirus lockdowns.

<a href="wionews.com/pakistan/radio-pakistan-copies-indian-broadcasters-gets-trolled-on-twitter-297852">Also read: Radio Pakistan copies Indian broadcasters; gets trolled on Twitter</a> 
 
The San Francisco-based company said it was among the first to move to telework in March as a result of the health crisis and that it will continue that policy indefinitely as part of a move towards a "distributed workforce."

"We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere," a Twitter spokesperson said.

"The past few months have proven we can make that work. So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen."

Twitter said any reopening of its offices will be "careful, intentional, office by office and gradual" when conditions permit.

"Opening offices will be our decision, when and if our employees come back, will be theirs," the spokesperson said.

"With very few exceptions, offices won't open before September. When we do decide to open offices, it also won't be a snap back to the way it was before."

The news comes following word from Google and Facebook that they are likely to continue telework through the end of the year for most employees.

Twitter said Tuesday it is unlikely to open its offices before September, and that many of its employees will be permitted to work from home permanently even after the end of the coronavirus lockdowns.

Twitter said Tuesday it is unlikely to open its offices before September, and that many of its employees will be permitted to work from home permanently even after the end of the coronavirus lockdowns. Also read: Radio Pakistan copies Indian broadcasters; gets trolled on Twitter The San Francisco-based company said it was among the first to move to telework in March as a result of the health crisis and that it will continue that policy indefinitely as part of a move towards a "distributed workforce." "We were uniquely positioned to respond quickly and allow folks to work from home given our emphasis on decentralization and supporting a distributed workforce capable of working from anywhere," a Twitter spokesperson said. "The past few months have proven we can make that work. So if our employees are in a role and situation that enables them to work from home and they want to continue to do so forever, we will make that happen." Twitter said any reopening of its offices will be "careful, intentional, office by office and gradual" when conditions permit. "Opening offices will be our decision, when and if our employees come back, will be theirs," the spokesperson said. "With very few exceptions, offices won't open before September. When we do decide to open offices, it also won't be a snap back to the way it was before." The news comes following word from Google and Facebook that they are likely to continue telework through the end of the year for most employees.

Twitter just told employees they can work from home permanently

350 employees working under the tech giant Amazon spoke out against the company's toxic climate practices, despite being warned that they could be fired for violating the e-commerce giant’s communications policy.

The quotes in question were published by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, a group of workers concerned about the company’s business with the oil and gas industry as well as its carbon footprint.&nbsp;

Spokesman Drew Herdener issued a statement saying that Amazon encourages workers to advocate for causes they believe in but wants them to pursue those convictions when related to the company’s business internally.

Employees can join internal interest groups, submit questions to executives during all-hands meetings, and attend lunch sessions with Amazon leaders to discuss the issues as long as they are willing to keep matters raised in those sessions confidential.

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1/ Hundreds of us decided to stand up to our employer, Amazon. We are scared. But we decided we couldn’t live with ourselves if we let a policy silence us in the face of an issue of such moral gravity like the climate crisis. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AMZNSpeakOut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AMZNSpeakOut</a> <a href="https://t.co/zWIKku4LF6">pic.twitter.com/zWIKku4LF6</a>
— Amazon Employees For Climate Justice (@AMZNforClimate) <a href="https://twitter.com/AMZNforClimate/status/1221842637168074752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“While all employees are welcome to engage constructively with any of the many teams inside Amazon that work on sustainability and other topics, we do enforce our external communications policy and will not allow employees to publicly disparage or misrepresent the company or the hard work of their colleagues who are developing solutions to these hard problems,” Herdener added.

The employee group claims credit for pushing Amazon to take those steps, but it wants the company to go further. The group demands Amazon to become carbon neutral by 2030, to stop funding politicians and lobbyists who deny climate change and to end cloud-computing contracts that help energy companies accelerate oil and gas extraction.

Margaret O’Mara, a history professor at the University of Washington and the author of 'The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America,' stated that concerted effort is rare among white-collar workers, and even rarer among the coders, testers and engineers who work for tech titans. O’Mara said, “These high-skilled workers are among these tech companies’ most valuable assets.”

Criticism from employees crossed boundaries when it condemned Amazon’s cloud-computing business for its work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which many have blamed for separating parents from their children at border facilities. Amazon's treatment of its warehouse staff has also been brought into question due to complaints about unsafe working conditions.

At the centre of Amazon's culture are 14 administration norms, proposed to direct basic leadership at the organization, including “Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit.”

350 employees working under the tech giant Amazon spoke out against the company's toxic climate practices, despite being warned that they could be fired for violating the e-commerce giant’s communications policy.

350 employees working under the tech giant Amazon spoke out against the company's toxic climate practices, despite being warned that they could be fired for violating the e-commerce giant’s communications policy. The quotes in question were published by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, a group of workers concerned about the company’s business with the oil and gas industry as well as its carbon footprint. Spokesman Drew Herdener issued a statement saying that Amazon encourages workers to advocate for causes they believe in but wants them to pursue those convictions when related to the company’s business internally. Employees can join internal interest groups, submit questions to executives during all-hands meetings, and attend lunch sessions with Amazon leaders to discuss the issues as long as they are willing to keep matters raised in those sessions confidential. 1/ Hundreds of us decided to stand up to our employer, Amazon. We are scared. But we decided we couldn’t live with ourselves if we let a policy silence us in the face of an issue of such moral gravity like the climate crisis. #AMZNSpeakOut pic.twitter.com/zWIKku4LF6 — Amazon Employees For Climate Justice (@AMZNforClimate) January 27, 2020 × “While all employees are welcome to engage constructively with any of the many teams inside Amazon that work on sustainability and other topics, we do enforce our external communications policy and will not allow employees to publicly disparage or misrepresent the company or the hard work of their colleagues who are developing solutions to these hard problems,” Herdener added. The employee group claims credit for pushing Amazon to take those steps, but it wants the company to go further. The group demands Amazon to become carbon neutral by 2030, to stop funding politicians and lobbyists who deny climate change and to end cloud-computing contracts that help energy companies accelerate oil and gas extraction. Margaret O’Mara, a history professor at the University of Washington and the author of 'The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America,' stated that concerted effort is rare among white-collar workers, and even rarer among the coders, testers and engineers who work for tech titans. O’Mara said, “These high-skilled workers are among these tech companies’ most valuable assets.” Criticism from employees crossed boundaries when it condemned Amazon’s cloud-computing business for its work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which many have blamed for separating parents from their children at border facilities. Amazon's treatment of its warehouse staff has also been brought into question due to complaints about unsafe working conditions. At the centre of Amazon's culture are 14 administration norms, proposed to direct basic leadership at the organization, including “Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit.”

Amazon's slow climate action: Defying company policy, over 300 employees speak out

Microsoft Japan's 4 Day week resulted in an increase in Employee's productivity.

Microsoft Japan's 4 Day week, A Success

Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc said on Monday it laid off 400 people globally from its marketing team.

As of December&nbsp;31, Uber had 22,263 employees, with 1,951 employees in sales and marketing team, according to the company's filing&nbsp;

Uber debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on May 10 at an IPO price of $45. The stock is currently trading nearly 2% below the IPO price.

The $75 billion platform connects drivers and passengers in 100 European cities.

Hamburg is the sixth German city in which&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;Technologies Inc has rolled out its full range of services, following a pledge last year by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to make a fresh in Europe's largest economy and seek responsible growth.

Hamburg is the sixth German city in which&nbsp;Uber&nbsp;Technologies Inc has rolled out its full range of services, following a pledge last year by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to make a fresh in Europe's largest economy and seek responsible growth.

Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc said on Monday it laid off 400 people globally from its marketing team. As of December 31, Uber had 22,263 employees, with 1,951 employees in sales and marketing team, according to the company's filing Uber debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on May 10 at an IPO price of $45.

Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc said on Monday it laid off 400 people globally from its marketing team. As of December 31, Uber had 22,263 employees, with 1,951 employees in sales and marketing team, according to the company's filing Uber debuted on the New York Stock Exchange on May 10 at an IPO price of $45. The stock is currently trading nearly 2% below the IPO price. The $75 billion platform connects drivers and passengers in 100 European cities. Hamburg is the sixth German city in which Uber Technologies Inc has rolled out its full range of services, following a pledge last year by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to make a fresh in Europe's largest economy and seek responsible growth. Hamburg is the sixth German city in which Uber Technologies Inc has rolled out its full range of services, following a pledge last year by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to make a fresh in Europe's largest economy and seek responsible growth.

Uber lays off 400 employees in marketing team

Amazon said Monday it was offering employees $10,000 to quit their jobs and become independent package delivery entrepreneurs for the online retail colossus.

An Amazon statement said the latest incentive would also include three months of wages for employees who want to start their own delivery enterprise, and that they would be assured "consistent delivery volume" from the company.

The move comes with Amazon seeking to reduce its dependence on services in the US Postal Service and FedEx. Amazon first launched the "delivery service partner" program in 2018, requiring employees to invest in their own start and estimating revenues for up to $300,000.

Since last year, some 200 people have begun Amazon delivery startups, and the company said it expects "hundreds" more with the added incentives, available in the United States, Britain and Spain.

"We received overwhelming interest from tens of thousands of individuals who applied to be part of the delivery service partner program, including many employees," said Dave Clark, senior vice president of worldwide operations.

"We've heard from associates that they want to participate in the program but struggled with the transition. Now we have a path for those associates with an appetite for opportunities to own their own businesses."

Amazon said it would offer access to the company's delivery technology, training, and discounts on assets and services, including Amazon-branded vans and uniforms.

Amazon said Monday it was offering employees $10,000 to quit their jobs and become independent package delivery entrepreneurs for the online retail colossus. An Amazon statement said the latest incentive would also include three months of wages for employees who want to start their own delivery enterprise, and that they would be assured "consistent delivery volume" from the company.

Amazon said Monday it was offering employees $10,000 to quit their jobs and become independent package delivery entrepreneurs for the online retail colossus. An Amazon statement said the latest incentive would also include three months of wages for employees who want to start their own delivery enterprise, and that they would be assured "consistent delivery volume" from the company. The move comes with Amazon seeking to reduce its dependence on services in the US Postal Service and FedEx. Amazon first launched the "delivery service partner" program in 2018, requiring employees to invest in their own start and estimating revenues for up to $300,000. Since last year, some 200 people have begun Amazon delivery startups, and the company said it expects "hundreds" more with the added incentives, available in the United States, Britain and Spain. "We received overwhelming interest from tens of thousands of individuals who applied to be part of the delivery service partner program, including many employees," said Dave Clark, senior vice president of worldwide operations. "We've heard from associates that they want to participate in the program but struggled with the transition. Now we have a path for those associates with an appetite for opportunities to own their own businesses." Amazon said it would offer access to the company's delivery technology, training, and discounts on assets and services, including Amazon-branded vans and uniforms.

Amazon offers employees $10,000 to quit, launch delivery business

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/after-twitter-chief-parliamentary-panel-urged-to-summon-global-heads-of-facebook-other-tech-giants-197004">Facebook gathers intelligence</a> from its platform to identify people who threaten the firm or its workers, the social network said Thursday in response to media reports of the security tactic.

CNBC reported that it interviewed more than a dozen former Facebook security employees, some of whom questioned the ethics of what was portrayed as an unclearly defined practice at the leading social network.

Facebook spokesman Anthony Harrison told AFP that the company's physical security team exists to keep workers safe and that strict processes are in place to protect people's privacy.

"Any suggestion our on-site physical security team has overstepped is absolutely false," Harrison said.

"They use industry-standard measures to assess and address credible threats of violence against our employees and our company, and refer these threats to law enforcement when necessary."

Facebook keeps a routinely updated list of people that members of its security team should "be on lookout" for due to threatening statements, according to CNBC.

The so-called "BOLO" list purportedly includes former employees whose actions at the social network came under scrutiny.

Facebook mines the social network for threats against the company or its workers, and its watch list can even feature photos of people, CNBC reported.

For cases in which threats against Facebook or its workers seem credible, the security team was said to be capable of tracking those behind them using location data from the social network's apps or websites.

Facebook is adamant that its security processes are designed to protect people's privacy and adhere to data privacy laws, as well as the social network's terms of service.

In cases of credible threats of violence against an employee, Facebook uses publicly available data and industry practices to determine how close someone behind a threat is to the worker or company offices, according to the social network.

Facebook gathers intelligence from its platform to identify people who threaten the firm or its workers, the social network said Thursday in response to media reports of the security tactic.

Facebook gathers intelligence from its platform to identify people who threaten the firm or its workers, the social network said Thursday in response to media reports of the security tactic. CNBC reported that it interviewed more than a dozen former Facebook security employees, some of whom questioned the ethics of what was portrayed as an unclearly defined practice at the leading social network. Facebook spokesman Anthony Harrison told AFP that the company's physical security team exists to keep workers safe and that strict processes are in place to protect people's privacy. "Any suggestion our on-site physical security team has overstepped is absolutely false," Harrison said. "They use industry-standard measures to assess and address credible threats of violence against our employees and our company, and refer these threats to law enforcement when necessary." Facebook keeps a routinely updated list of people that members of its security team should "be on lookout" for due to threatening statements, according to CNBC. The so-called "BOLO" list purportedly includes former employees whose actions at the social network came under scrutiny. Facebook mines the social network for threats against the company or its workers, and its watch list can even feature photos of people, CNBC reported. For cases in which threats against Facebook or its workers seem credible, the security team was said to be capable of tracking those behind them using location data from the social network's apps or websites. Facebook is adamant that its security processes are designed to protect people's privacy and adhere to data privacy laws, as well as the social network's terms of service. In cases of credible threats of violence against an employee, Facebook uses publicly available data and industry practices to determine how close someone behind a threat is to the worker or company offices, according to the social network.

Facebook taps user data to defend workers from threat

The longest<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-hopes-for-imminent-end-to-us-government-shutdown-190082&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj_uPef5_HfAhULq48KHQVpCXoQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0sv2mLJznc4v3IkEgQluTW"> US government shutdown</a> in history reached its 25th day on Tuesday, with most of the 800,000 employees who have been furloughed or are working without pay having missed their first paychecks last week.

The White House and congressional Democrats remain divided over Republican <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-stops-short-of-emergency-declaration-in-border-wall-fight-189699&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwijhu2-5_HfAhUPSY8KHa9TARsQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2RncalnvrSrpTlEI4KO3sE">President Donald Trump</a>'s demand for money for a border wall.

The shutdown, which began on December 22, is the 19th since the mid-1970s, although most have been brief. A 1995-1996 shutdown over a funding battle between Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republican House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich lasted 21 days. The current one has not affected three-quarters of the government, including the Department of Defense and the Postal Service, which have secure funding.&nbsp;

But some 800,000 employees from the departments of Homeland Security and Transportation, among others, have been furloughed or are working without pay. Private contractors working for many government agencies are also without pay and private companies that rely on business from federal workers or other consumers - such as national park visitors - are affected across the country.&nbsp;

The following is what is happening around the federal government:

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE&nbsp;

Nearly 70,000 IRS employees, or about 88 per cent of the workforce, have been furloughed, raising concerns about American taxpayer filings and refunds and the ability of the agency to manage government revenues ahead of the April 15 income tax filing deadline.&nbsp;

The US Internal Revenue Service said on Tuesday it intended to bring back more than 46,000 furloughed workers to process annual tax returns and refunds and other tasks.

HOMELAND SECURITY

The department that oversees Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service are affected.

Of 245,000 agency employees, nearly 213,000 have been deemed "essential," according to the department`s contingency plan, so they are working without pay until a funding bill is passed.&nbsp;

More than 50,000 TSA officers are working without pay, but Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern about some transportation employees failing to show up for work or calling in sick.&nbsp;

HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD)

Most of the department's 7,500 employees are "non-essential" and only about 340 are working. Nearly 1,000 others may be called in for specific tasks, without pay.

The shutdown has left administration officials scrambling to prevent the eviction of thousands of people covered by a HUD program that expired on January 1 and now cannot be renewed, according to the Washington Post. 
&nbsp; 
Public housing authorities and Native American tribal housing entities are not part of the federal government and so are not required to shut down. But the federal government provides some of their funding, so some have reduced services or changed operating hours.

HUD, which oversees some housing loan and low-income housing payment programs, warned that a protracted shutdown could result in a decline in home sales.&nbsp;

INTERIOR

The Interior Department intends to temporarily recall some furloughed workers to prepare an upcoming Gulf of Mexico oil lease sale, using funds left over from last year, according to a department document.

The National Park Service, under the umbrella of the Interior Department, is operating with a skeleton staff. Under its contingency plan, some parks may be accessible, with others closed completely. The park service is providing no visitor services such as restrooms, facility and road maintenance and trash collection.

&nbsp;Some volunteers have worked to clean up sites, according to media reports, and some states and other localities have also pitched in funding to keep parks operating. There has been damage to fragile lands by unmonitored visitors. Some campgrounds have closed because of sanitation issues.

The parks are losing about $400,000 a day in fees because no rangers are staffing the entrances, according to Senate appropriators. The park service has authorized using previously collected entrance fees to bring in additional staff to clean up trash and other tasks in a move some critics have said are illegal, the Washington Post reported.&nbsp;

The Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo in Washington, which receive US government funding, are also closed.

COMMERCE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Commerce`s Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau is not publishing economic data, including figures on a gross domestic product, inflation, personal income, spending, trade, and new home sales, during the shutdown.

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

The agency that oversees the federal workforce has given advice to workers on dealing with landlords, mortgage lenders and other creditors, including sample letters explaining severe income loss because of the lack of federal funding. Some federal workers are applying for unemployment benefits, according to media reports.&nbsp;

JUDICIARY

The US court system said on Tuesday it could operate until January 25 and that most proceedings would continue as scheduled. Cases involving furloughed lawyers from the executive branch of government may be delayed. Initially, the courts had estimated funding would be exhausted on January 18, but "aggressive efforts to reduce expenditures" bought extra time.

Immigration judges are among those furloughed, leading to thousands of long-delayed deportation cases being rescheduled.

HEALTH

The Food and Drug Administration and other agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services are partially affected by the shutdown. Some food and drug inspections are on hold, but the FDA says it is still able to respond to emergencies, such as foodborne illness outbreaks. The Indian Health Service is not able to provide most of its funds to Tribes and Urban Indian Health programs. Some scientific research projects also cannot continue in full.&nbsp;

AGRICULTURE

The Department of Agriculture has said that US farmers could have more time to apply for aid aimed at mitigating any harm during ongoing trade disputes with China, among others, adding that farmers who had already applied would continue to receive payments.

USDA has also delayed several key reports on major domestic and world crops that were due to be released on January 11.&nbsp;

Funding for food aid for low-income Americans, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, will continue in February, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said last week, but he warned the outlook for March was uncertain if there was no end to the shutdown.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION&nbsp;

The FCC, which regulates radio and television broadcast and cable systems, has suspended most operations. Work for "the protection of life and property" will continue as well operations at the agency`s Office of Inspector General, the FCC`s internal watchdog.&nbsp;

TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT

Of its 55,000 employees, 20,400 have been put on leave. That excludes most of the Federal Aviation Administration, where 24,200 are working and the Federal Highway Administration, where all 2,700 employees are funded through other sources.

The FAA said on Tuesday it was calling back 1,700 aviation safety inspectors "to perform duties to ensure continuous operational safety of the entire national airspace."

Air traffic control, hazardous material safety inspections and accident investigations continue, but some rule-making, inspections, and audits have been paused.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has furloughed nearly 60 per cent of its staff, halting auto safety investigations and new vehicle recall notices. The agency said it would recall furloughed employees if it "becomes aware of an imminent threat to the safety of human life."

Air traffic controllers and other aviation industry workers protested on the Capitol grounds last week.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

An estimated 1,100 of the office's 1,800 employees are on leave. That includes most of the Office of Management and Budget, which helps implement budget and policy goals.

NASA

Most employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are on furlough. The small percentage who remain are working without pay. Work on any satellite mission that has not yet launched will be suspended until the agency receives funding, according to its contingency plan.

The longest US government shutdown in history reached its 25th day on Tuesday, with most of the 800,000 employees who have been furloughed or are working without pay having missed their first paychecks last week.

The longest US government shutdown in history reached its 25th day on Tuesday, with most of the 800,000 employees who have been furloughed or are working without pay having missed their first paychecks last week. The White House and congressional Democrats remain divided over Republican President Donald Trump's demand for money for a border wall. The shutdown, which began on December 22, is the 19th since the mid-1970s, although most have been brief. A 1995-1996 shutdown over a funding battle between Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republican House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich lasted 21 days. The current one has not affected three-quarters of the government, including the Department of Defense and the Postal Service, which have secure funding. But some 800,000 employees from the departments of Homeland Security and Transportation, among others, have been furloughed or are working without pay. Private contractors working for many government agencies are also without pay and private companies that rely on business from federal workers or other consumers - such as national park visitors - are affected across the country. The following is what is happening around the federal government: INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE Nearly 70,000 IRS employees, or about 88 per cent of the workforce, have been furloughed, raising concerns about American taxpayer filings and refunds and the ability of the agency to manage government revenues ahead of the April 15 income tax filing deadline. The US Internal Revenue Service said on Tuesday it intended to bring back more than 46,000 furloughed workers to process annual tax returns and refunds and other tasks. HOMELAND SECURITY The department that oversees Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service are affected. Of 245,000 agency employees, nearly 213,000 have been deemed "essential," according to the department`s contingency plan, so they are working without pay until a funding bill is passed. More than 50,000 TSA officers are working without pay, but Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern about some transportation employees failing to show up for work or calling in sick. HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) Most of the department's 7,500 employees are "non-essential" and only about 340 are working. Nearly 1,000 others may be called in for specific tasks, without pay. The shutdown has left administration officials scrambling to prevent the eviction of thousands of people covered by a HUD program that expired on January 1 and now cannot be renewed, according to the Washington Post. Public housing authorities and Native American tribal housing entities are not part of the federal government and so are not required to shut down. But the federal government provides some of their funding, so some have reduced services or changed operating hours. HUD, which oversees some housing loan and low-income housing payment programs, warned that a protracted shutdown could result in a decline in home sales. INTERIOR The Interior Department intends to temporarily recall some furloughed workers to prepare an upcoming Gulf of Mexico oil lease sale, using funds left over from last year, according to a department document. The National Park Service, under the umbrella of the Interior Department, is operating with a skeleton staff. Under its contingency plan, some parks may be accessible, with others closed completely. The park service is providing no visitor services such as restrooms, facility and road maintenance and trash collection. Some volunteers have worked to clean up sites, according to media reports, and some states and other localities have also pitched in funding to keep parks operating. There has been damage to fragile lands by unmonitored visitors. Some campgrounds have closed because of sanitation issues. The parks are losing about $400,000 a day in fees because no rangers are staffing the entrances, according to Senate appropriators. The park service has authorized using previously collected entrance fees to bring in additional staff to clean up trash and other tasks in a move some critics have said are illegal, the Washington Post reported. The Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo in Washington, which receive US government funding, are also closed. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT The Department of Commerce`s Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau is not publishing economic data, including figures on a gross domestic product, inflation, personal income, spending, trade, and new home sales, during the shutdown. OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT The agency that oversees the federal workforce has given advice to workers on dealing with landlords, mortgage lenders and other creditors, including sample letters explaining severe income loss because of the lack of federal funding. Some federal workers are applying for unemployment benefits, according to media reports. JUDICIARY The US court system said on Tuesday it could operate until January 25 and that most proceedings would continue as scheduled. Cases involving furloughed lawyers from the executive branch of government may be delayed. Initially, the courts had estimated funding would be exhausted on January 18, but "aggressive efforts to reduce expenditures" bought extra time. Immigration judges are among those furloughed, leading to thousands of long-delayed deportation cases being rescheduled. HEALTH The Food and Drug Administration and other agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services are partially affected by the shutdown. Some food and drug inspections are on hold, but the FDA says it is still able to respond to emergencies, such as foodborne illness outbreaks. The Indian Health Service is not able to provide most of its funds to Tribes and Urban Indian Health programs. Some scientific research projects also cannot continue in full. AGRICULTURE The Department of Agriculture has said that US farmers could have more time to apply for aid aimed at mitigating any harm during ongoing trade disputes with China, among others, adding that farmers who had already applied would continue to receive payments. USDA has also delayed several key reports on major domestic and world crops that were due to be released on January 11. Funding for food aid for low-income Americans, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, will continue in February, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said last week, but he warned the outlook for March was uncertain if there was no end to the shutdown. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION The FCC, which regulates radio and television broadcast and cable systems, has suspended most operations. Work for "the protection of life and property" will continue as well operations at the agency`s Office of Inspector General, the FCC`s internal watchdog. TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT Of its 55,000 employees, 20,400 have been put on leave. That excludes most of the Federal Aviation Administration, where 24,200 are working and the Federal Highway Administration, where all 2,700 employees are funded through other sources. The FAA said on Tuesday it was calling back 1,700 aviation safety inspectors "to perform duties to ensure continuous operational safety of the entire national airspace." Air traffic control, hazardous material safety inspections and accident investigations continue, but some rule-making, inspections, and audits have been paused. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has furloughed nearly 60 per cent of its staff, halting auto safety investigations and new vehicle recall notices. The agency said it would recall furloughed employees if it "becomes aware of an imminent threat to the safety of human life." Air traffic controllers and other aviation industry workers protested on the Capitol grounds last week. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT An estimated 1,100 of the office's 1,800 employees are on leave. That includes most of the Office of Management and Budget, which helps implement budget and policy goals. NASA Most employees at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are on furlough. The small percentage who remain are working without pay. Work on any satellite mission that has not yet launched will be suspended until the agency receives funding, according to its contingency plan.

Impact on US government widens on 25th day of shutdown

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-launches-first-us-national-security-space-mission-186034">Elon Musk's SpaceX</a> will lay off about 10 per cent of its more than 6,000 employees, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The company did not comment on the number of layoffs but said in emailed comments that it needs to become a "leaner" organization for which it would "part ways" with some of its workforce.

"To continue delivering for our customers and to succeed in developing interplanetary spacecraft and a global space-based Internet, SpaceX must become a leaner company", a SpaceX spokesman said.

The layoffs were reported earlier by the LA Times.

Elon Musk's SpaceX will lay off about 10 per cent of its more than 6,000 employees, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. The company did not comment on the number of layoffs but said in emailed comments that it needs to become a "leaner" organization for which it would "part ways" with some of its workforce.

Elon Musk's SpaceX will lay off about 10 per cent of its more than 6,000 employees, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. The company did not comment on the number of layoffs but said in emailed comments that it needs to become a "leaner" organization for which it would "part ways" with some of its workforce. "To continue delivering for our customers and to succeed in developing interplanetary spacecraft and a global space-based Internet, SpaceX must become a leaner company", a SpaceX spokesman said. The layoffs were reported earlier by the LA Times.

SpaceX to lay off about 10% of its workforce: Report

Global auditor KPMG said on Monday it will lay off up to 400 people in South Africa, in its latest shake-up following a corruption scandal that saw it lose several major clients.

The auditor has taken a number of steps since last September to help restore its reputation, including changes to corporate governance and management and measures to improve risk management.

KPMG plans to have just four business hubs in South Africa in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth and close other regional offices, it said in a statement.

"These hard decisions were necessary to put the firm on a more sustainable footing, while ensuring we continue to offer our clients the best service and support," Nhlamulo Dlomu, chief executive of KPMG South Africa, said in a statement.

The auditor's South African unit has been under close scrutiny since 2017 over work done for a company owned by the Gupta family - who have been accused of using their links to former president Jacob Zuma to influence government decisions and the awarding of tenders - and more recently for failing to disclose loans from small lender VBS Mutual Bank.

The Guptas and Zuma have denied any wrongdoing.

South Africa's auditor general said in April that he would terminate all government contracts with KPMG following the scandals, prompting Barclays Africa, one of KPMG's biggest clients, to stop doing business with the company.

More than 12 other clients have cut ties with KPMG since 2017 and last month South African micro lender Finbond became the latest firm to drop the auditor.

As part of plans to refocus the business, KPMG will appoint a number of senior KPMG partners from across its international network to the board and executive positions at its South African unit as well as to senior client service roles, it said.

"Today's announcement to embed additional senior international partners into the South African leadership team is evidence of the significant investment KPMG International is providing to help ensure KPMG South Africa can continue to focus on trust, quality and integrity," KPMG International Chairman Bill Thomas said.

KPMG in South Africa will have more than 130 partners and 2,200 employees, the company said, adding that it would continue to offer a wide range of the core services that its global, regional and local clients require.

KPMG plans to have just four business hubs in South Africa in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth and close other regional offices, it said in a statement

Global auditor KPMG said on Monday it will lay off up to 400 people in South Africa, in its latest shake-up following a corruption scandal that saw it lose several major clients. The auditor has taken a number of steps since last September to help restore its reputation, including changes to corporate governance and management and measures to improve risk management. KPMG plans to have just four business hubs in South Africa in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth and close other regional offices, it said in a statement. "These hard decisions were necessary to put the firm on a more sustainable footing, while ensuring we continue to offer our clients the best service and support," Nhlamulo Dlomu, chief executive of KPMG South Africa, said in a statement. The auditor's South African unit has been under close scrutiny since 2017 over work done for a company owned by the Gupta family - who have been accused of using their links to former president Jacob Zuma to influence government decisions and the awarding of tenders - and more recently for failing to disclose loans from small lender VBS Mutual Bank. The Guptas and Zuma have denied any wrongdoing. South Africa's auditor general said in April that he would terminate all government contracts with KPMG following the scandals, prompting Barclays Africa, one of KPMG's biggest clients, to stop doing business with the company. More than 12 other clients have cut ties with KPMG since 2017 and last month South African micro lender Finbond became the latest firm to drop the auditor. As part of plans to refocus the business, KPMG will appoint a number of senior KPMG partners from across its international network to the board and executive positions at its South African unit as well as to senior client service roles, it said. "Today's announcement to embed additional senior international partners into the South African leadership team is evidence of the significant investment KPMG International is providing to help ensure KPMG South Africa can continue to focus on trust, quality and integrity," KPMG International Chairman Bill Thomas said. KPMG in South Africa will have more than 130 partners and 2,200 employees, the company said, adding that it would continue to offer a wide range of the core services that its global, regional and local clients require.

KPMG to lay off 400 employees in South Africa in latest shake-up

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