Last week, the Department of Justice issued a release describing efforts to increase diversity in law enforcement.  The release states that “Underlying this work is a recognition that while greater workforce diversity alone cannot ensure fair and effective policing, there is a significant body of research suggesting that diversity can make policing more effective, more safe and more just.” Also last week, the EEOC published regulations that explain the obligation of federal agencies to engage in affirmative action and act as “model employers” for individuals with disabilities. The new rule requires agencies of the federal government to adopt employment goals for individuals with disabilities and meet other requirements designed to improve the recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of individuals with disabilities in the federal workplace. The regulations do not apply to private employers or state and local governments. The EEOC also published a question and answer document on the new rules.

• A federal judge dismissed a preliminary injunction against the EEOC’s wellness rules, which allow employers to incentivize workers to divulge health information relating to workplace wellness programs.
• IMDb appears to be ignoring California’s new age discrimination law that bars it from publishing the birth dates of actors.
• SHRM covered the rare reverse sexual orientation discrimination case that the California Court of Appeals recently allowed to go to trial.

• IBM is preparing for an automated future by encouraging development of a new class of jobs it calls “new collar jobs.”
• HR Dive highlighted the doppel, a wearable wristband for the workplace that is said to keep employees alert and calm, reducing stress and increasing focus.
• A new ransomware campaign is targeting HR departments with fake job applications.
• Tech companies in New York are supporting legislation that would allow “portable” benefits plans for gig economy workers.
• Talent Culture studied how Americans use work email.

• The Department of Labor began an administrative action against Google to obtain compensation data the company refused to provide in a routine but mandatory equal opportunity compliance evaluation.
• A federal judge held that McDonald’s Corporation is not a joint employer of employees of its franchisors because the corporation does not have direct or indirect control over the franchisor’s employees.
• CNBC covered the move away from the traditional 9-to-5 workday toward flexible working arrangements for employees.
• The New York Times examined why men don’t enter female-dominated fields.
• BuzzFeed rounded up all of the places getting minimum wage increases in 2017.
• Inc. identified six HR mistakes that cause employees to leave.