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November 21, 2025 Portland, OR — In response to seven worker deaths caused by heat-related illnesses in the state over a recent 11-year period, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences has issued a hazard alert.   The alert cites National Safety Council data showing that, in the United States, 442 workers died from heat-related illnesses between 2013 and 2023. It also details three of the worker deaths in the state over that span.   The institute recommends employers use heat monitoring wearable devices that track core body temperature, heart rate and other vital signs to help detect early symptoms of heat-related illness and alert both workers and supervisors.   The alert also states that workers should remain aware of their personal risk factors, including: Diabetes, high blood pressure and other health conditions Medications such as antihistamines and diuretics Drug and/or alcohol use and lower water consumption Physical traits – such as being 60 or older, having a lower level of physical fitness, pregnancy, and a history of heat illness – also can be risk factors.   The institute encourages employers to allow workers who are new to a job or the local climate/conditions to acclimatize – “gradually build up a tolerance to heat by working shorter periods over one or two weeks before transitioning to longer shifts. This allows the body to safely adjust to hot working conditions and should also be followed when temperatures rise suddenly, such as during heat waves.”   Other tips: Educate workers on heat hazards, heat illness prevention, the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses and dehydration, and how to respond to a heat-related emergency.

November 20, 2025 Bay Lake, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – A fight on a construction site at Florida’s Walt Disney World resort left one employee hospitalized and another in handcuffs, officials at the park said.   On Nov. 17, police said a fight at the future location of Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge, the next Disney Vacation Club Resort broke out between the two employees. According to the report, deputies responded to reports of an unconscious man at the Disney-owned site of the future Lakeshore Lodge.   According to police reports, Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded around 12:39 p.m. and found an unconscious male worker. The injured worker was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment.   Officers also found multiple construction workers  restraining the alleged attacker, identified by police as Gerardo Ariel Caballero Velasquez. The suspect was seated on a golf cart with a deputy on one side and another worker on the other to prevent him from leaving.   Officers said Velasquez was a construction worker assigned to the 7th floor of the building under construction. He indicated that he and another worker, Yosef, had gotten into an argument. When Yosef reached for a hammer, Velasquez said he tried to wrestle it away and that he had punched Yosef multiple times while trying to get the hammer away from him.   He indicated he’d cut his right finger during the struggle, but he refused medical treatment and said he’d left the area to get away from Yosef.   However, deputies said video surveillance showed that Velasquez was the instigator. The video showed Velasquez pushing Yosef who did not retaliate. Instead, Velasquez continued to attack Yosef, kicking him in the leg, putting him in a chokehold and throwing him to the ground and punching him several times in the head and back.   The video also showed that Velasquez forced Yosef’s head against the floor until Yosef eventually stood up and tried to push Velasquez away, but Velasquez continued to shove Yosef until he got tired of the interaction and walked away from Yosef. Deputies said they found no evidence of a hammer in the area.   Velasquez was arrested for felony battery and transported to the Orange County Booking Center. Disney security issued Velasquez a trespass warning, barring him for the theme park.   A November 2024 report from  allears.net , a Disney fan news site, said the theme parks reported incident rate is 7.66 employees injured per every 100 full-time equivalent workers. With over 38,500 workers, that amounts to nearly 3,000 injured workers per year.   Disney’s injury rate has risen from 6.5 per 100 employees in 2018 to 7.7 in 2023. Its incident rate is high compared to smaller parks, it is still lower compared to some major competitors, the report said.   Dollywood’s HeartSong Resort in Tennessee has an injury rate of 9.86 per 100 employees, while WonderWorks Orlando’s rate was 16.8 per 100 employees in 2023.   In contrast, Universal Orlando Resort’s rate is 5.1 per 100 employees, while LEGOLAND Florida Resort is even lower at 2.97 incidents per 100 employees.   The majority of injuries come from mechanical risks, crowd management and environmental exposures.   According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it doesn’t keep statistics for theme parks but includes those injuries within the broader “entertainment and recreation” industry. For that industry, the BLS said there is an injury rate of 4.3 injuries per 100 full-time workers. BLS bases its reports on workplace injuries and illnesses, and not guest injuries.   Entertainment and recreation is second on the BLS’ list of the most dangerous professions.   The first, with an injury rate of 4.5 injuries per every 100 employees, was transportation and warehousing. Most of those injuries involved heavy machinery, long hours and unpredictable conditions.   “The world of entertainment and recreation is - somewhat surprisingly - the second most hazardous industry, with an incidence rate of 4.3 injuries per 100,” said a report in HR Dive. “The risks, especially in amusement parks and physical performances, help explain why it’s second on the list.”   The next most dangerous jobs included agriculture at 4.2 injuries, then healthcare and social assistance at 3.6 injuries, and the retail sector at 3.1 injuries.   Rounding out the top 10 most dangerous jobs was manufacturing at 2.8 injuries per 100 workers; accommodation and food services at 2.7 injuries; construction with a rate of 2.3 injuries; wholesale trades with an injury rate of 2.3, and real estate and rental industry with a rate of 2.

November 20, 20205 Employers often assume liability for wage-and-hour violations rests solely with the company. But under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), managers, supervisors, HR professionals, and even executives can face personal liability for unpaid wages, overtime violations, and recordkeeping failures. Unlike many other employment statutes, the FLSA’s definition of “employer” is expansive; it’s broad enough to capture individuals who exercise control over pay practices and working conditions. The critical information for those affected is the ability to recognize when personal liability arises, understand how courts evaluate the issue, and use that knowledge to minimize risk.   1. The FLSA’s Expansive Reach The FLSA defines an “employer” as “any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee.” This definition goes well beyond the typical corporate entity. Courts have repeatedly held that individuals who control day-to-day operations that affect employees’ pay and hours can also qualify as “employers.”   This means a court could hold any manager or supervisor who makes decisions about work schedules, pay, or classification personally responsible for violations, regardless of whether the company indemnifies or defends those supervisors from that exposure.   2. The Test for Supervisor Liability Courts evaluate personal liability under the “economic reality” test, and they generally ask whether the individual: Has the power to hire or fire employees Supervises and controls work schedules or conditions of employment Determines the rate or method of payment Maintains employment records Has operational control over significant aspects of the business   While titles are not the sole factor to determine liability, authority bestowed by those titles does matter. Individuals frequently found personally liable include: Plant managers and operations managers HR directors and payroll managers Executive leadership (CEOs, CFOs, managing members) Owners of small/mid-size companies Front-line supervisors who direct daily work and approve overtime   Even if an individual did not know the violations occurred or have any intent to violate the law, careless misclassification decisions, failure to pay overtime, or blindness to off-the-clock work can trigger liability.   3. Damages Under the FLSA Personal liability under the FLSA is joint and several. This means individuals can be responsible for the full amount owed, or liability may be apportioned among responsible individuals.   Potential personal exposure includes:  Unpaid minimum wages Unpaid overtime Liquidated damages (typically doubling the back pay award) Attorney’s fees and costs Civil money penalties for repeat or willful violations Importantly, bankruptcy does not necessarily discharge FLSA wage liabilities, and D&O insurance may not cover intentional or willful wage-and-hour violations. It is difficult to insure against this exposure, even for the company itself.   4. The Risk Analysis Some common situations tend to increase the likelihood that plaintiff’s lawyers name individual managers in wage-and-hour lawsuits:   A. Misclassification of employees Someone decides that employees are exempt or not. These decisions are critical and, when they are not, which is especially common with “working supervisors,” administrative staff, and leads, the individuals responsible for those mistaken classifications are exposed. B. Off-the-clock work A supervisor who allows or encourages employees to work before or after their shifts without pay, or during meal breaks, is particularly at risk. C. Unauthorized overtime Companies often refuse to pay overtime because it was “not approved.” Under the FLSA, overtime worked must be paid, even if it violated policy. The proper course is to pay the time and then discipline for the policy violation. Any approach that fails to pay the employee creates exposure for the individual who made the decision. D. Time-clock edits A common practice employers often use is to “correct” time entries without verification that the time was accurate or and without any notice or acknowledgement from the employee. This practice creates exposure even when the supervisor believed the process to be merely administrative. E. Retaliation claims Some leaders become frustrated and take disciplinary action after an employee raises a wage concern. Retaliation claims can create personal liability, and they are among the riskiest because the damage claims have no real limit. 5. Recent Trends Recent enforcement trends indicate an increased willingness by plaintiffs and the Department of Labor to pursue individuals:  More lawsuits name HR managers and operations leaders personally DOL scrutiny increased for “working supervisors” in industries like manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, and distribution Intentional and aggressive pursuit of liquidated damages Expansion of joint-employer theories – these often capture managers in multi-entity organizations Because FLSA claims often arise in collective actions, individuals can become involved in large-scale litigation with massive exposure amounts.   6. Compliance Steps for Managers and Supervisors To minimize personal exposure (and company exposure), leaders should consider some best practices: A. Understand classification rules  Ensure exempt vs. non-exempt classifications align with actual job duties—not titles or salary alone. B.  Never allow “off-the-clock” work If employees perform work, it must be paid. Address policy violations through discipline—not by withholding pay. C. Follow clean timekeeping practices Require employees to record all hours worked and never alter time entries without verification and documentation. D. Pay overtime correctly Avoid blanket prohibitions on overtime; instead, require pre-approval but pay for all overtime actually worked. E. Maintain accurate records Courts often interpret poor documentation as evidence of wrongdoing. F. Escalate wage concerns When in doubt, supervisors should elevate issues to HR or payroll rather than making independent decisions that could create liability. G. Ensure no retaliation occurs Employees must be free to raise wage concerns without fear of negative consequences.   7. Practical Takeaways Personal liability for managers and supervisors exists under the FLSA. Operational control, not job title, determines exposure. Individuals can be liable for unpaid wages, doubled damages, and legal fees. Good timekeeping practices and prompt escalation of wage concerns reduce risk. Companies that train supervisory personnel and treat wage-and-hour compliance as a shared responsibility significantly reduce both corporate and personal liabilities.

November 19, 2025 Bill 59, the Act to modernize the occupational health and safety regime (the "AMOHSR"), received assent on October 6, 2021. This legislation represents a major reform of the occupational health and safety regime, resulting in significant changes to the Act respecting occupational health and safety (the "AOHS") and the Act respecting industrial accidents and occupational diseases (the "AIAOD").   Among these changes was the implementation of an interim regime of prevention and participation mechanisms with regard to occupational health and safety, with the objective of identifying, preventing, and controlling risks in all workplaces. The provisions of the AMOHSR relating to this interim regime came into force on April 6, 2022. However, the AMOHSR provided that a regulation would be adopted no later than October 6, 2025, to establish a permanent regime for prevention and participation mechanisms. We invite you to listen to our podcasts published in April 2022 and check out our blog post published in 2022 on this topic.   The Regulation respecting prevention and participation mechanisms in an establishment (the "Regulation") finally came into force on October 1, 2025. The Regulation sets out the rules applicable to prevention and participation mechanisms in workplaces.   At first glance, the obligations under the Regulation may seem significant for employers. However, since the mechanisms established by the interim regime should already be in place in your organization, the Regulation should not bring about any major changes. In fact, the Regulation generally replicates the same mechanisms provided for in the interim regime, with a few variations.   The notable difference between the two regimes lies in the criteria used to determine which mechanisms to apply. The interim regime provided for the determination of applicable mechanisms on the basis of two components: the classification of the establishment into priority groups, depending on its activities, and the number of workers in the establishment. The permanent regime, on the other hand, is based solely on the number of workers in the establishment, regardless of the priority group.   It should be noted that employers have one year from October 1, 2025, to comply with and implement the obligations set out in the Regulation. That said, employers who were already required to develop a Prevention Program under the AOHS before October 1, 2025, must implement and apply the Action Plan without delay.   Summary of the Obligations In order to identify the prevention and participation mechanisms applicable to each establishment, the employer must first determine the number of workers in its establishment. The obligations vary depending on the number of workers in the establishment, i.e., 19 workers or fewer, or 20 workers or more.   To help you better understand your obligations as an employer, we provide below a table that summarizes the applicable mechanisms based on the number of employees per establishment. Read More

November 18, 2025 Florida’s insurance commissioner has approved a 6.9% average decrease in workers’ compensation rates for the voluntary market for 2026, marking the ninth straight year of rate cuts in the state.   The average rate reduction will be for new and renewal workers’ comp policies, starting Jan. 1. Like most states, Florida has seen a steady drop in experience, or worker injury rates, in the last decade in most job classifications. Florida also has seen a decline in workers’ compensation medical costs.   “This rate decrease directly translates to reduced operating costs for businesses, encouraging investment and growth throughout Florida’s economy,” Commissioner Michael Yaworsky said in a statement.   The approval follows a September filing by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, which recommends rates or loss-cost changes for 38 states. The NCCI based its recommendation on 2022 and 2023 data.   Not everyone in Florida is pleased with the decline in rates. A public hearing was held Oct. 21 and the only commenter was Mark Askins, CEO of BrightFund, the workers’ comp program offered by the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association. He warned that the continued rate cuts have discouraged most insurers from writing workers’ comp for high-risk professions, such as roofing. “The underwriters don’t feel that they are able to get the necessary premium to pay for the loss costs over time,” Askins said at the hearing. “It’s because of this that we’ve seen in the past five to 10 years that carriers are determining the viability of making money in a particular class code has driven them out of the state.”   Only a handful of carriers now write high-risk classifications in Florida, he said. He predicted that the lower rates will mean those carriers will increase their minimum premium per employer to at least $25,000 — a level that will prove costly for some small businesses. That leaves professional employer organizations (PEOs) and the assigned risk market as the only viable options for some roofers in Florida, Askins said. Assigned risk policies carry a “scarlet letter” stigma for employers who may want to return to the voluntary market someday, and paperwork for the assigned risk market is a difficult process for agents and employers alike, he added.   “We’re hoping to avoid that and be able to continue to offer, as we have for the past 70 years, well-priced, well-serviced,” policies for loyal customers in the roofing industry, Askins said.   Regulators at the hearing did not comment on Askins’ concerns.   Florida regulators had previously approved a 1% average decrease for 2025 – the smallest cut in years. That followed decreases of 15.1% in 2024 and 8.4 % in 2023. Since 2003, when Florida lawmakers made historic changes to the state’s workers’ compensation system, overall rates have fallen by about 85%.   This year, Florida ranked as one of the lowest-cost states – it ranked 30th, or 10th from the bottom, on the cost of workers’ comp insurance for employers, according to the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ bi-annual survey.

November 14, 2025 Four Co-Defendants Previously Pleaded Guilty for Their Roles in Compelling the Labor of H-2A Visa Recipients Throughout the Southeastern United States Alexander Villatoro Moreno, also known as “Quichi,” 53, made his first appearance in federal court today after the Mexican government recently apprehended and extradited him to the United States. Villatoro Moreno faces four charges, including conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, conspiracy to commit forced labor, conspiracy to obstruct proceedings before agencies, and one count of forced labor for conduct alleged to have occurred between September 2015 and December 2017.    According to the indictment, Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants fraudulently recruited Mexican nationals to lawfully enter the United States to perform seasonal agricultural work, often lying to the victims about how much they would be paid, the hours they would work, the working conditions, and the reimbursement they would receive for paying recruitment fees and other expenses. Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants then misled the United States to secure valid H-2A visas for the victims. Once in the United States, Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants compelled the labor and services of the victims by, among other actions, having the victims engage in long hours of physically demanding agricultural work while paying them far less money for their work than they were entitled to under the law. Villatoro Moreno and his co-defendants also took the victims’ passports to prevent them from leaving, warned the victims that family members back in Mexico could get harmed if they did not comply with their demands, and threatened them with arrest and deportation. When officials began investigating, Villatoro Moreno distributed fake reimbursement receipts to the victims to make it appear that Los Villatoros Harvesting (LVH), the Farm Labor Contractor that Moreno helped manage, was reimbursing the workers for their travel-related expenses. Villatoro Moreno’s four co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with their roles in the scheme. Bladimir Moreno, Alexander Moreno’s brother, owned LVH and pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Efrain Cabrera Rodas and Christina Gamez, LVH supervisors, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the RICO Act while Guadalupe Mendes Mendoza, another LVH supervisor, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct a federal investigation.  In 2022, Bladimir Moreno was sentenced to 118 months in prison and ordered to pay over $175,000 in restitution to the victims while Rodas and Gamez were sentenced to 41 months and 37 months in prison, respectively. Mendoza was also sentenced in 2022 to serve eight months of home detention and a $5,500 fine to be paid over 24 months of supervised release. If convicted, Villatoro Moreno faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Task Force received assistance from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Colorado Legal Services Migrant Farm Worker Division, Legal Aid Services of Oregon Farmworker Program and Indiana Legal Services Worker Rights and Protection Project. The Government of Mexico, including the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), provided significant assistance in the extradition of Villatoro Moreno to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Villatoro Moreno. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilyssa Spergel for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case. Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit  www.humantraffickinghotline.org . Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at  www.justice.gov/humantrafficking . An indictment is merely an allegation, and Villatoro Moreno is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

November 14, 2025 Montreal — A  recent study  of apprentice welders revealed a “significant increase” in metal levels in urine, nail and hair samples taken over the duration of their three-module training program. A team from the Canadian research organization IRSST and the University of Montreal followed 116 apprentice welders to examine their exposure levels to welding fumes and their metallic components. “ Heavy metal poisoning  (toxicity) is the result of exposure to heavy metals like lead, mercury and arsenic,” the Cleveland Clinic says. “Heavy metals bind to parts of your cells that prevent your organs from doing their job. Symptoms of heavy metal poisoning can be life-threatening, and they can cause irreversible damage.” Researchers determined that concentrations of iron, manganese, nickel and chromium “increased steadily over time.” Other findings: Arsenic levels increased in fingernails and hair (but not in toenails). Cobalt concentrations increased in fingernails and toenails (but not in hair). Levels of iron, manganese and nickel in urine increased in the first module of the apprentice program but not in the final two modules. Manganese concentrations exceed American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists guidelines – “a concerning factor for neurological health.” “This study highlights the importance of better regulating the prevention of exposure to welding fumes,” study co-author Michèle Bouchard, of the University of Montreal, said in a press release. “It is essential to optimize ventilation practices and personal protective equipment to protect the health of workers.”

November 14, 2025 Starting on February 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, employers must provide each current and new employee with a stand-alone written Workplace Know Your Rights Act Notice via regular communication methods (e.g., in person, email, or text). This notice requirement (imposed by  Senate Bill 294 ) is in addition to any existing required Labor Code notices. The Labor Commissioner will release a template notice by January 1, 2026, update it yearly, and will publish educational videos by July 1, 2026. Required Notice Content The notice must clearly explain workers’ rights related to: Workers’ compensation benefits, including disability pay and medical care for work-related injuries or illness, and contact information for the Division of Workers’ Compensation. A summary of employee’s rights to immigration inspection notices and protections against unfair immigration-related practices. Union organizing and concerted activity. Constitutional rights during interactions with law enforcement at the workplace, including Fourth and Fifth Amendment protections. The notice must also include: New legal developments under laws enforced by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, as identified by the Labor Commissioner. A list of enforcement agencies responsible for those rights. Language Requirements Employers must provide the notice in the language typically used for work-related communications and that the employee understands, as long as that version is available on the Labor Commissioner’s website. If not available, employers may provide it in English. The Labor Commissioner’s template will be offered in Chinese, English, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese, with additional languages possible. Additional Employer Duties Employers must keep records for three years, documenting when each notice was sent. Employers cannot retaliate against any employee who exercises their rights, files a complaint, cooperates in an investigation, or assists in enforcement under this law. Employers may share the Labor Commissioner’s informational video to supplement notice delivery. Emergency Contact Designation By March 30, 2026, employers must allow employees to designate an emergency contact or collect this information from new hires going forward. If an employee is arrested or detained at work—or offsite during work hours or while performing job duties (if known to the employer)—employers are required to notify the designated contact. Penalties The new law authorizes enforcement by the Labor Commissioner or a public prosecutor. Violations may incur penalties for up to $500 per employee, or up to $10,000 per employee for ongoing emergency contact violations. Given the effective date of February 1, 2026, employers should start preparing compliant notices and updating onboarding/new-hire processes as soon as possible.

November 13, 20205 Skills-first hiring should be treated as a companywide transformation rather than just an HR project, researchers said. Employers may risk falling behind if they still prioritize the traditional credentials of job candidates over their capabilities and skills, according to a Nov. 6 report from The Conference Board and OneTen, a nonprofit organization focused on helping talent without four-year degrees.   As artificial intelligence tools continue to transform work and workforce skills change rapidly, employers need to take a skills-first approach that prioritizes candidates’ abilities, the report found. To do it successfully, though, this focus should be a companywide approach rather than “just an HR project,” researchers said.   “Roughly 62% of Americans lack a four-year degree. By focusing on skills rather than credentials, organizations can gain a competitive edge, all while opening the door to a far broader range of capable talent,” Allan Schweyer, principal researcher of human capital at The Conference Board, said in a statement.   Skills-first hiring is already transforming talent pipelines from recruitment to advancement, according to a Coursera report. By focusing on competencies, employers can more effectively find job-ready talent, reduce turnover and streamline career pathways, the report found.   In a recent roundtable, led by executives from The Conference Board and OneTen, HR leaders focused on embedding skills-first practices across their organizations. They noted the importance of securing visible CEO sponsorship and cross-functional alignment on skills-first goals and measures, as well as anchoring the approach in leadership, culture and governance as part of overall business and talent strategy — not as an HR program or a parallel initiative.   Starting small is also important, the roundtable found. Leaders can pilot one to three roles where hiring is slow or quality is low, first by mapping the roles to specific and measurable skills and outcomes and then rewriting job descriptions with those skills at the forefront. After demonstrating early wins, such as faster hiring and better onboarding, leaders can build momentum across the organization.   As part of the companywide approach, leaders can train managers to conduct skills-based interviews and coach workers based on defined capabilities. To further build momentum, executives can highlight quick wins and recognize managers who drive results, including measurements such as time to hire, quality of hire, early productivity, retention at 6-12 months, engagement and internal mobility. Despite an increasing focus on skills-based hiring,  few companies feel effective at skill validation , according to a report from Hirevue and Aptitude Research. Rather than relying on inferred skills from resumes, talent leaders can confirm competency through structured evaluations, simulations and assessments driven by AI tools, the report found. In addition,  hiring employees who show promise can help close skills gaps , according to a Gartner report. Talent management and learning and development leaders can work together to boost internal mobility when they don’t require workers to show proficiency in every skill before shifting them to new roles, the firm said.

November 13, 2025 New report shows candidate engagement declining amid stagnant hiring times HR leaders are being urged to underscore the importance of hiring speed as a new report indicates that stagnant hiring times are bringing down candidate engagement.   The latest iCIMS Workforce Insights report revealed that applications dropped by seven per cent between September and October as the time to fill vacancies remained unchanged at 39 days in the US labor market.   It noted that while applicants per opening are up year-over-year, recent months have seen a dip in application activity as employers remain cautious in their decision-making.   "Competition for open roles is up, but steady hiring pace and employer caution may be cooling candidate momentum," the report read. It underscored the need for chief human resources officers (CHROs) to help hiring managers understand that speed in hiring is important.   "If the slow hiring is the result of business direction, reassess the openings and priorities to help your teams focus on quality hiring," the report read.   "Labor market demographics are shifting, changing not just how but where you recruit. Make sure your hiring teams are ready to adapt their approach."   Stagnant hiring times The unchanged time-to-fill days indicate that employers are remaining "cautious and deliberate" when it comes to their hiring decisions, according to the report.   In the manufacturing sector, time-to-fill went up from 40 to 42 days.   The slower hiring times come despite job openings going up 14% year-over-year, and applications per opening increasing to 47 year-over-year.   Trent Cotton, Head of Talent Acquisition Insights & Analyst Relations, iCIMS, said the data indicates that the problem is process friction and not pipeline scarcity.   "Candidates are applying, but few are moving through efficiently," Cotton said in a statement.   The impact is felt in the gradual decline in monthly applications per opening, which went down to 47 in October from the peak in March.   "For manufacturing recruiters, the edge will go to those who treat hiring like production: measure throughput, eliminate bottlenecks, and keep talent moving," Cotton said.