Paid sick leave has been used by 30% of white-collar employees this year, up from 2019's 21%, and workers ages 25-34 most often use their sick days, according to Gusto research. Workers, managers and experts discuss the causes in the rise, with some blaming changing work ethics while other say it's a positive reflection of increased emphasis on good physical and mental health.

A new law bars employers in New York from asking applicants for log-ins to check their private social media accounts or access their personal email. Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz, who sponsored the law, said it counteracts certain businesses that "go to great lengths beyond publicly shared data when making hiring and disciplinary determinations."

The US retirement system ranked 22 on the latest Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index out of 47, falling slightly lower than the year before. The report said Americans rely mostly on Social Security, savings in 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts, a setup that presents blue-collar and gig workers with difficulties, the report said.

Chippewa Valley Technical College in Wisconsin and PMI, a local metal fabrication business, have introduced a state-of-the-art training facility and mobile welding lab to provide collaborative learning spaces for manufacturing students. These new facilities aim to address the labor shortage in the manufacturing industry, offer training at rural high schools, and enhance outreach to underserved communities in Chippewa County.

Leaders can create a knowledgeable and engaged workforce by encouraging employee development -- and the training of potential employees -- through broad exposure to topics and areas of interest and self-directed learning, Larry Robertson, founder of Lighthouse Consulting, writes. Robertson shares the story of a college student who spent time in high school learning about emergency health care through training, observation and endless questions, helping her clarify specific career goals.

I did a career day presentation once for a teacher friend. She taught AVID classes. These classes are designed to help high-school students get on a track for college and a solid career. Most of these students are from low-income families and do not have anyone in their homes who has gone to college. I can relate to some of the struggles these young people face so my friend wanted to me to tell them about my work as a B2B editor.

I outlined the basics of what editors and reporters do - using an issue of People magazine as a learning prop - and then walked them through a typical week on the job, which at the time included a lot of travel and covering conferences. "I fly out Monday morning and get into Washington DC around 4 pm ET," I said. "I check into my hotel, order room service and check emails for about an hour. Tuesday and Wednesday, I'm in meetings and sessions, listening to teachers talk about you guys. Thursday, I interview sources and write. I fly back to LA on Friday afternoon and get back in time to make my nephew's game at 7. That's my week. Questions?"

The questions came slow at first. "How often do you travel? Who pays for your flight and food? What hotels do you stay at? Who pays for that?" Then, as they loosened up, their curiosity kicked in.

"What do you write about? Why did you pick that?"

"I thought editors only checked for grammar and stuff. How come you write? Which do you like more?"

"What's B2B? Who reads that stuff?"

At the end of the class, one of the girls thanked me and told me she was planning to go to UC Santa Barbara. "I was going to study marine biology, but everything you talked about here has me thinking again," she said. She was bright, had a curious mind and asked smart questions. We chatted a few minutes and then she hustled to her next class.

I thought of that young lady as I read today's HR Leader story about workplace and job curiosity. I agree with what Larry Robertson says about the power of questions to help people gain exposure and move up the ladder. The right questions signal curiosity and a desire to grow.

So how do we foster that type of environment? How do we encourage our team members to ask questions and seek opportunities? Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.