A former Paramount Global employee is suing the company for not giving the state-mandated 90-day notice for layoffs affecting more than 300 workers in September. Paramount said the company followed the law and gave employees proper notice. The ongoing staff reductions are set to continue, with additional layoffs projected through February 2025.

Before issuing a return-to-office mandate, leaders should reflect on how not offering flexible working arrangements will impact their employees, especially female team members who may be forced to choose between personal responsibilities and their careers, writes Gleb Tsipursky, the CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts. "Hybrid and remote work models not only support women but also enhance overall productivity and employee satisfaction," Tsipursky notes.

Striking East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers and port employers called a tentative truce on Thursday, with union members returning to work until Jan. 15 while the parties discuss a long-term agreement. The return-to-work deal provides relief for banks that guarantee contracts in the import-export sector and therefore could have been severely affected by a protracted deadlock.

Leaders need guidance on how to prioritize their initiatives during an ever-changing business climate, says Olesea Azevedo, chief administrative officer at AdventHealth. "An HR leader's role includes assisting the organization in identifying the most impactful objectives and helping employees internalize this understanding, fostering enduring outcomes and meaningful achievements," says Azevedo, who adds leaders should build trusting relationships, be passionate about continuous learning and listen to others carefully before offering insight.

More than 90% of the times captive bottlenose dolphins made open-mouthed expressions were during social play, 89% were when another dolphin was in sight, and dolphins quickly "smiled" back 33% of the time, researchers reported in iScience. It's unclear whether the facial expression reflects an emotion, signals safety or both, says lead researcher Elisabetta Palagi.

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