Following major shakeups at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), September’s labor market data had many on their toes.

President Donald Trump fired BLS commissioner Erika McEnterfar on Aug. 1, following a disappointing jobs report that estimated employers added only 73,000 jobs in July and revised job growth down by 258,000 in May and June.

“She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes,” Trump wrote on his social media platform. There has been zero evidence of “rigged” data on her part.

McEnterfar’s removal raised concerns among experts including former BLS commissioners (appointed by both Democratic and Republic presidents), who warned it could undermine trust in the agency. Then, on Aug. 11, Trump nominated a replacement: E.J. Antoni, chief economist of the Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank that published Project 2025.

Antoni’s nomination, which is expected to go in front of the Senate HELP Committee this month, has been met with outcry from many economists, who’ve said he is “completely unqualified” to lead the BLS and fear he would use the agency and its data to further the Trump administration’s political agenda, rather than report objective statistics.

For more on what these changes mean for HR leaders who rely on BLS data, keep reading here.—PM

There’s an old adage that health is wealth, but it can also be costly—particularly for employers that cover health insurance for their workers.

Companies expect healthcare to become even costlier next year, according to a recent survey of 121 employers covering 7.4 million US lives conducted by the Business Group on Health (BGOH).

The firms surveyed expect their costs to rise by a median of 9% next year, up from 8% this year, according to the report. Employers saw their actual costs surpass projected costs in 2023 and 2024 by less than one percentage point.

For more on how HR teams are responding to rising health costs, keep reading here.—CV

Like the agent of a one-hit wonder pop star, many employers around the nation are pushing their employees to make a comeback…except this one is back to the office.

The big return-to-office (RTO) push appears here to stay for an increasing number of employers. According to a Resume Templates survey querying 849 US managers in January, 27% of companies expect to enforce a five-day in-office workweek by the end of 2025.

But this trend requires more than just free food and other perks to coax employees into making a return.

Ivanti CSO Daniel Spicer told IT Brew that IT professionals have a key role to play in ensuring a good employee experience in a company’s RTO strategy. He said friction in the employee experience post-return can lead to employees using shadow IT.

For more on the cybersecurity challenges associated with an RTO, keep reading on IT Brew.—BM

From shifting employee expectations to AI-driven workflows, the workplace is transforming faster than ever. On September 15, join HR Brew and industry experts to explore how leaders are predicting change, building agile infrastructures, and driving proactive transformation that keeps organizations ready for whatever comes next. Register now for our virtual event.