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Walmart requests its pharmacists to voluntarily reduce their working hours and take pay cuts to decrease costs, mainly targeting those in higher wage brackets. This move comes as Walmart pharmacies face pressures from low-profit margins on weight-loss medications and the company’s $3.1 billion legal settlement related to opioids. This year, Walmart’s shares have risen significantly as it becomes a favored choice for bargain shoppers during inflation.

Company representatives have confirmed the reduced hours, citing decreased drug demand during the summer and requests for work-life balance from pharmacists. However, industry experts argue that the underlying reason for the reduction of hours lies in the shortage of pharmacy technicians rather than demand fluctuations. The shortage of technicians, coupled with increased workloads due to the popularity of certain medications, has prompted the scaling back of pharmacists’ hours.

Danish toymaker Lego has reported a 1% increase in revenue during the first half of 2023, reaching 27.4 billion Danish krone ($4 billion), while its publicly traded competitors, including Mattel and Hasbro, have experienced double-digit declines. Despite macroeconomic pressures such as higher material and shipping costs, Lego’s diverse range of products and strong brand appeal have allowed it to maintain market share and offset expenses. The company remains optimistic about its future growth and expects to outpace the market by offering fresh and relevant sets and expanding into new markets, notably China.

The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report from the Labor Department reveals that U.S. job openings have dropped to their lowest level since March 2021. This decline suggests a gradual slowdown in the labor market, leading to expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain interest rates unchanged in the coming month. The report also highlights a decrease in the number of people quitting their jobs, indicating decreased confidence in the labor market among Americans.

Despite the tightening labor market conditions, with 1.51 job openings for every unemployed person, economists believe that the excess demand decline is mainly due to companies reducing vacancies rather than increasing layoffs and unemployment. The decrease in job openings was primarily seen in professional and business services, healthcare and social assistance, and state and local government sectors.

In contrast, the transportation sector saw an increase in open positions. The report suggests declining job openings could result in slower growth in August. As a result, industry experts anticipate that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged in September.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has told employees during a Q&A session that it is time to “disagree and commit” to the company’s return-to-office policy, which requires corporate employees to be in the office three days a week. This comes after months of pushback from employees against the policy. Jassy stated that it was unfair for some employees to be in the office while others refused. The new policy, announced in February, was enacted in May and reflects Amazon’s belief that in-person engagement leads to better collaboration.

Twitch has made changes to its Partner Plus program, which allows streamers to take home a higher percentage of their earnings. Previously, streamers needed to maintain a minimum of 350 paid subscribers for three consecutive months to qualify. However, Twitch has now announced that higher subscription tiers will count for extra towards meeting this requirement. Tier 1 subs count as 1 point, Tier 2 subs count as 2 points, and Tier 3 subs count as 6 points. Despite this change, many streamers are still urging Twitch to include gifted subs in the count. The new revenue share system under the Partner Plus program will commence on October 1.

New Zealand intends to introduce legislation for a digital services tax on large multinational companies starting in 2025. This decision came after talks for a global rollout at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) failed to reach a consensus. The proposed tax will specifically target multinational businesses earning income from New Zealand users of social media platforms, search engines, and online marketplaces.

Companies making over 750 million euros ($812 million) annually from global digital services and over NZ$3.5 million annually from services provided to New Zealand users will be liable for the tax. The tax rate will be set at 3% on gross taxable New Zealand digital services revenue, following the lead of comparable countries such as France and the United Kingdom. The legislation is expected to yield NZ$222 million over four years. The bill will be introduced to the parliament on Thursday.

German Bionic has introduced a new exosuit called Apogee+ that aims to support healthcare workers who face physical strain in their jobs. The suit is designed to assist with walking and lifting payloads up to 66 pounds, benefiting professionals who often spend long hours standing, walking, and bending over.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the strain on healthcare workers, making equipment like this crucial for attracting and retaining qualified and motivated personnel. The company plans to showcase the exosuit at an upcoming medical conference, offering flexible procurement options for interested facilities. While adopting such technology may be a gradual process, the suit’s design and features demonstrate its potential to help alleviate physical strain in healthcare settings.