Howdy HR friends!👋

What's up, HR world! 🙌

Tuesday we covered the how the 4 day work week operating model is showing up in 2026. We looked at why 2026 is shaping up to be a turning point for the 4-day model, what’s actually working (and what’s falling apart), and how HR can lead this shift.

Today's edition covers everything from DOJ criminal probes to Super Bowl sick days, with a side of "federal workers wondering if their jobs still exist." But hey, at least those furloughed employees are getting back pay... eventually. 💰

Today’s edition is presented by SelectSoftware Reviews

👇️ Coming up

In today’s edition

🕵️ Corporate espionage allegations land HR startup in hot water

🏈 Bad Bunny hangover hits 26 million workers

💰 Shutdown survivors get their paychecks back

🔥 Trump makes 50k federal jobs way less secure

🚨 Your ICE raid survival guide

💭The Friday Five

From workplace spies to Super Bowl lies, the news got me like..

🕵️ DOJ opens criminal investigation into Deel's alleged corporate espionage. The HR tech unicorn allegedly recruited a mole inside competitor Rippling, with grand jury subpoenas now seeking details on the $6,000 spy payment scheme that CEO Alex Bouaziz allegedly orchestrated.

🔗 Read more [MSN]

🏈 26 million workers will ghost their jobs after the Super Bowl. UKG projects record-breaking Monday absences post-Bad Bunny's halftime show, though more employees are planning ahead with PTO requests rather than calling in "sick" — potentially costing businesses $5 billion in lost productivity.

🔗 Read more [HR Dive]

💰 Federal workers will get back pay after the 2026 shutdown. The four-day government closure left 1.4 million employees in limbo, but the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act guarantees retroactive pay for all furloughed and excepted workers once agencies reopen.

🔗 Read more [The HR Digest]

🔥 Trump strips job protections from 50,000 senior federal employees. A new rule resurrects the Schedule F concept, moving policy-facing civil servants closer to at-will employment and raising concerns about politically motivated terminations disguised as performance management.

🔗 Read more [HCA Mag]

🚨 What to do when ICE shows up at your workplace. CNN breaks down employer rights during immigration raids — from understanding warrant requirements to marking non-public areas and keeping staff informed with emergency contact cards.

🔗 Read more [CNN]

For easy reading

You are Invited To: Future-Proof Your Workforce

That’s it for today.

Thanks for reading to the end and we hope today’s edition helped saved you a few hours in scouring the web for the latest news! 🧠

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Have a great weekend!