A rule in development with the US Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will mandate vaccinations or weekly COVID-19 testing in companies with 100 or more employees. President Joe Biden also signed an executive order Thursday requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for all federal employees and contract workers and expressed frustration at those who are unvaccinated, saying "our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us."

Ninety percent of supply chain managers and leaders want to hire more workers to satisfy holiday demand and 47% are increasing wages or salaries to get and keep workers, according to a GlobalTranz and Edelman survey involving companies with at least 500 employees. "Issues around workforce availability and material shortages are likely to persist well into 2022 as companies make moves to address them in the coming months," GlobalTranz said.

In states that did not expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act, the prevalence of employer-sponsored insurance declined 0.32 percentage points per week and overall insured rates dropped by 0.23 percentage points per week in the spring and summer last year, even as the unemployment rate declined, according to a study published in JAMA Health Forum. The decline in employer-sponsored health insurance coverage continued at a slower rate in the fall and winter, and the findings suggest that not everyone who returned to work regained employer-sponsored coverage, or insurance coverage declines lagged job losses, the researchers said.

Michele Meyer-Shipp was hired as chief people and culture officer at Major League Baseball during the pandemic and says she learned quickly that every decision -- even closing the office -- is public knowledge. "Simple things that I have done in other organizations have suddenly become newsworthy," Meyer-Shipp says.

US women's national team forward Christen Press is stepping away from soccer to focus on her mental health and spiritual growth. Press, 32, will miss several upcoming games, but she said she hopes to come back "stronger than ever."

Worker mental health is in the spotlight again following US WNT soccer star Christen Press’ announcement yesterday that she is stepping away from the national team and her new club team, Angel City FC, to focus on her “mental health, spiritual growth, and processing grief.” Tennis star Naomi Osaka and gymnast Simone Biles made similar moves in recent months.

That's brave.

The professional world -- sports, business and other markets -- is demanding. Staying at the top of your game means paying close attention to your physical and mental health. Taking a break isn’t a sign of weakness -- it’s a sign of wisdom. It’s maturity. It’s how you build mental toughness that endures over the long term.

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