employees

The venture capital secondary market has grown beyond expectations this year, with deal volume estimated at around $152 billion annually according to analysts at Jefferies and Evercore. Forecasts from William Blair and Preqin suggest the market could reach as much as $250 billion in the coming years, reflecting strong demand for liquidity among startup investors and employees.

Thailand's government has declared a two-day holiday for civil servants as severe flooding disrupts large parts of the country. The measure is intended to allow public employees to stay safe and help their families as flood conditions continue, and underscores the scale of the disruption to daily life and government operations.

Indian bank employees are reported to be preparing for a three-day strike, prompting widespread concern about whether salaries, UPI payments and ATM withdrawals could be disrupted. Commentators and educators are walking the public through what services may stay functional and which could be hit, with many wage earners asking whether pay credits will be delayed if branches shut.

Employers worldwide are intensifying calls for staff to return to the office, even as many workers and companies settle into hybrid arrangements that mix home and workplace days. The debate over productivity, company culture and flexibility continues to divide management and employees, with hybrid schedules emerging as a common compromise between full remote work and a full-time office presence.

Reports say central government employees in India will receive their salaries by September 25 this month, earlier than the usual end-of-month payout. The news is spreading widely among staff tracking their pay dates, though the reason for the early release has not been detailed in the circulating reports.

Tourism is rapidly adopting artificial intelligence across booking, customer service and operations, and industry commentators argue that workers must be consulted in the transition. Writing in PhocusWire, the case is made that ignoring employees' perspectives risks poor implementation, job insecurity and resistance, and that successful AI adoption in travel depends on engaging the people whose jobs it changes.

Baltimore city government has approved more than $1.5 million in employee travel expenses this year, with trips ranging from Las Vegas to Hong Kong. The spending, reported by the Baltimore Sun, covers official travel by city staff and has drawn attention as residents weigh the cost against local budget priorities.

A local restaurant has paid back $81,000 to its workers following a federal investigation, KSAT reports. The repayment follows a US Department of Labor probe into the restaurant's pay practices. Little detail is available yet on how many employees were affected or what specific violations investigators found.

A survey reported by Korean media finds that about 70% of startup officials support an overhaul of the workweek toward a flexible system. The finding puts the startup sector among the voices pushing for changes to rigid working-hour rules, a debate that has been active in South Korea over how to balance productivity, overtime limits and employee choice. Startup leaders appear broadly aligned with reform proposals.

Sudanese government units have instructed their employees to return to work by the end of October. The directive affects public sector staff across government institutions, which have been disrupted amid the country's ongoing conflict. No further details about enforcement or which departments are covered were available in the report.

BP workers locked out of their jobs are picketing outside the company's refinery in Indiana amid a dispute over a new labor contract. The standoff between the oil major and its unionized workforce has halted normal operations for the affected employees, who are demanding better terms. The action adds to scrutiny of labor relations in the US energy sector.

A fashion retailer founded 17 years ago is shutting down all of its stores, according to a report by TheStreet. The closure marks the end of a young brand that had built its business around physical retail locations. Details on the number of stores affected, the reasons behind the decision, and the impact on employees have not yet been disclosed.