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After shareholders approve Fertitta buyout, what is next for Caesars employees?
Caesars Entertainment shareholders have approved a $17.6 billion buyout by Fertitta Entertainment, a move that would take the gaming company private and place i
30-year-old sweet family business celebrates new Hilo home
Family and employees of Big Island Delights gathered on Monday for a traditional blessing of the new space.
Trump SBA to Extend Comment Period After Ranking Member Markey Leads Effort to Rescind SBA Policy that Reclassifies Billion-Dollar Businesses as “Small Businesses”
Trump admin policy would reclassify 114,000 larger businesses as “small” to access small business resources and win federal contracts meant for small businesses Letter (PDF) (Washington, September 23) – This week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced its plans to extend the deadline to submit comments on its controversial proposed rule regarding small business size standards until November 20. The Trump SBA’s announcement came shortly after Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), alongside 12 of his Senate colleagues, sent a letter to Administrator Kelly Loeffler demanding that the Trump SBA rescind a harmful policy that would dramatically redefine what a small business is. The Administration’s proposed policy would change the small business size standard to designate 114,000 larger companies some with annual revenue above $1 billion—as small businesses, giving these businesses access to small business resources and federal contracts typically set aside for actual small businesses. In the letter, Ranking Member Markey and the lawmakers emphasized that small businesses will be shut out of the federal contracting space as government agencies award contracts to larger businesses, causing small businesses to lose revenue, lay off workers, or close their businesses entirely. “For more than 70 years, SBA’s mission has been clear: promote and protect the interests and viability of small businesses. By proceeding with this proposed methodology and rule, SBA moves further away from its mission of facilitating healthy small business participation in the U.S. economy. We urge SBA to rescind these proposals, meet in earnest with small businesses across the country, and discuss the proposal and methodology with congressional committees of jurisdiction. SBA must be committed to developing measured increases to the size standards that do not reward large, billion-dollar companies but instead helps our small businesses survive, grow, and thrive.” The lawmakers highlighted the following points in their letter: Under the Trump SBA’s new size standards, the highest receipts-based standard would exceed $1 billion in annual revenue—more than 20 times the current $47 million maximum—and the highest employee-based standard would reach 3,600 employees—more than twice the current 1,500 employee maximum. Specific increases include an increase in size of nearly 492% for banks, 1,500% for law firms, and more than 2,051% for private equity firms. Of the 114,000 businesses that would be newly classified as small, more than 37,000 of these businesses have collectively won more than 100,000 federal contracts worth approximately $71 billion in Fiscal Year 2025 alone without a small business designation. If SBA included the awards won by these 37,000 businesses in its Fiscal Year 2025 analysis, small business contracts would have accounted for 38% of all federal contracts, instead of the 27% that SBA announced this summer. The letter was co-signed by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Christopher Coons (D-Dela.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). Ranking Member Markey is fighting to protect small businesses in Massachusetts and across the country from the Trump SBA’s harmful policies that put big businesses and billionaires over American small businesses, workers, and families. In August, Ranking Member Markey slammed the Trump SBA’s proposal to overhaul its small business size standards to benefit big businesses over small businesses. In July, Ranking Member Markey and House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY-7) introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to rescind the Trump administration’s policy that bans green card holders from accessing essential Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to start and grow their businesses. Also in July, Ranking Member Markey and Senator Hirono submitted a comment letter to the Small Business Administration (SBA) opposing a proposed rule change by Trump’s SBA to the 8(a) Business Development Program that would harm underserved small business owners and entrepreneurs. In June, Ranking Member Markey released a new report highlighting Trump’s drastic reduction in federal contracting dollars awarded to American small businesses. ###
State promotes employee ownership to protect Vermont small businesses from closures
Facing an upcoming wave of aging Vermonters retiring, state leaders are working to insulate small businesses.
Former employees suing now-closed Waterview Heights nursing home
The suit claims management did not give employees sufficient notice before announcing its closure.
McDonald’s to spend $8.5B on revamping restaurants, tech and franchise support
McDonald's plans to provide $8.5 billion in franchisee support through 2036 as part of its NEXT strategy to modernize restaurants and boost growth.
New Tax Credit Available For Small Businesses Offering Health Insurance
Eligible businesses, which include those with 50 or fewer employees, can receive a tax credit of up to $1,000 per employee per year when they offer an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) through Access Health CT.
Meet America’s Best Employers For Healthcare Professionals 2026
The top healthcare organizations ranked on this list offer clinicians and other hospital employees training, workplace support, flexibility and excellent benefits.
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Summit on economic opportunities for local arts; Verve workers reach tentative contract; voting underway for Lookout List
A Monterey Bay Economic Partnership summit focused on improving the economic health and quality of life of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties, a union deal for local Verve Coffee Roasters employees and how to show your favorite local businesses some love – it's all part of Jessica M. Pasko's weekly column.
Amazon leans into 'boomerang' hiring, recruiting former employees back
Amazon is courting former employees for open roles across the company, including some workers it laid off, recruiter emails show.
Stanford Health Care to lay off 95 employees
Terminated staff will continue to be paid until Nov. 2.
Dolly Parton’s estate accuses her nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy
Dolly Parton’s estate has accused the country music icon’s nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy and business empire and have asked a judge to keep him away from its employees and business dealings | KNX News 1070 AM
Dolly Parton’s estate accuses her nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy
Dolly Parton’s estate has accused the country music icon’s nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy and business empire and have asked a judge to keep him away from its employees and business dealings
Pasadena ISD employees speak out at board meeting after district scraps controversial healthcare proposal
Administrators strike down University Senate vote against health benefits plan
On Friday, Sept. 18, the University of Minnesota Senate voted 150-6 on a resolution calling for a pause on the implementation of this year’s healthcare benefits plan, which was announced July 22. Both the Faculty and University Senates met on Friday for special sessions, which included employee testimonies on how the changes to benefits will...
Alabama business closing, laying off 52 employees
The layoffs are scheduled to begin Nov. 30.
Microsoft lays off 300 employees in WA
Microsoft cuts 268 Xbox roles as new CEO Asha Sharma tries to revamp the gaming division.
Pasadena ISD cancels vote that would have quadrupled some employee healthcare premiums
After intense backlash from employees, Pasadena ISD Superintendent Toni Lopez removed the vote from the agenda just hours before the school board meeting and committed to keeping the current medical plan in place.
State Of Decay 3 Studio Announces It's Now Free From Xbox And Employee-Owned
The studio behind open-world zombie series State of Decay confirmed it has completed its separation from Microsoft
Pasadena ISD will not switch employee health insurance program after concerns
Pasadena ISD sent out an announcement to staff on Tuesday morning saying they will not switch the employee health insurance program after some raised concerns.
OPB’s First Look: Unionization in college sports
A group of women's basketball players at Oregon State argues athletes should be public employees. Here's your First Look at Tuesday's news.
Duke employee health insurance premiums to rise by 10% to 50% under new salary-based system
Duke Human Resources announced Tuesday morning that changes would be coming to employee health insurance next year. Mainly, a new five-tier, salary-based health insurance premium structure, which could cost some employees 50% more in monthly premiums.
Your employees have caregiving responsibilities. Is your small business prepared?
Rocket Lawyer reports that small businesses must prepare for employees with caregiving responsibilities by establishing clear policies to avoid confusion and legal issues.
Health Advocate Marks 25 Years of Improving Employee Health
/PRNewswire/ -- Health Advocate, a leading provider of whole-person health and well-being solutions, celebrates 25 years since introducing a member-first model...
Kenner business owner accused of secretly recording employees in bathroom, police say
Henry Rios, 57, arrested on three counts of video voyeurism
Comptroller fires dozens of employees in Don Huffines' first month
The Texas comptroller terminated 41 employees as Don Huffines campaigns on shrinking the size of the state’s government and ending unnecessary spending.
Look up 100 top-paid employees at nonprofit health systems in the Philadelphia region in 2024
Employee pay and benefits typically account for more than half of health system expenses and have contributed to rising healthcare costs for employers and governments.
Microsoft planning Xbox layoffs today.
Microsoft is due to announce another round of Xbox layoffs today, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans. The cuts will reportedly be part of a larger restructuring, with The Information reporting that Microsoft plans to “consolidate several of its game studios.” Today’s layoffs will reportedly affect hundreds of employees, and are part of the 3,200 Xbox layoffs that Microsoft is planning by the end of June 2027.
Exclusive: Xbox to Cut Hundreds of Jobs, Consolidate Game Studios
Xbox is planning to lay off hundreds of employees this week in its second major staff reduction this year, according to someone briefed on the plans. The Microsoft-owned firm also plans to consolidate several of its game studios, this person said. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma in July told staff she would eliminate 1,600 roles by the end of the year on top of 1,600 roles the company cut that month.
Podium Entertainment Acquired by Flexpoint Ford and Shamrock Capital
CHICAGO & LOS ANGELES — September 21, 2026, Sept. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- All Employees to Benefit with Future Ownership Stakes as Company...
Owens & Minor subsidiary to lay off 419 employees
Owens & Minor subsidiary Avid Medical plans to permanently close its operations at 9000 Westmont Drive in Toano, laying off 419 people.
Most Oklahoma mental health employees affected by privatization have employment offers
As the state’s mental health department works to privatize four mental health clinics, nearly all of the state employees affected have already been offered alternative employment.
Florida’s Minimum Wage is Rising Sept 30: Is Your Business Ready to Comply?
Florida employers need to prepare for a minimum wage hike to $15 an hour on September 30. And if you have tipped employees, you’ll need to pay them at least $11.98. This is the last of the annual increases voters approved in 2020. We’ll tell you what’s changing and the steps you should consider taking now to comply.
Dartmouth Health announces massive staff and program cuts - Monadnock Ledger-Transcript
Dartmouth Health announced layoffs of 124 employees and the elimination of 303 jobs to improve long-term sustainability.
Read Paramount CEO David Ellison's memo after settling WBD lawsuit
Paramount Skydance's CEO confirmed to employees that the company had settled the lawsuits that were holding up its deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.
Study links negative political news to more anxiety and less engagement at work
A Texas A&M University study found that consuming negative political media leads to increased employee anxiety and lower engagement in the short term, while positive political content fosters …
Ask The Expert: A modernized health plan: Supporting cost management and the employee experience
See how health care cost transparency can help employees compare care and costs while giving employers a different approach to managing benefits.
Research: The True Cost of Corporate Scandals? Talent.
New research tracking millions of career moves shows that corporate misconduct carries a significant hidden cost: voluntary employee departures. An analysis of 735 large public companies found that regulatory violations equal to 5% of annual revenue were associated with a 3.9% increase in departures. Turnover rises sharply when violations are geographically widespread, occur in rapid succession, or expand into new categories of misconduct. Employees who leave also tend to join companies with cleaner regulatory records, giving responsible competitors a recruiting advantage. Companies should treat compliance as a talent issue, monitor patterns of misconduct alongside attrition, and respond to violations with credible accountability to protect their workforce and reputation.
Rockford is latest West Michigan company to go 100% employee-owned
All 330 of Rockford’s employees are eligible to become owners of the construction firm under an employee stock ownership plan.
This USDA lab has studied threats to food and farms for decades. Now its scientists must relocate
Federal scientists are still scrambling to find new jobs or relocate across the country as Maryland’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center’s last days of operation approach. Even as their personal lives upend, employees are concerned that BARC’s legacy of impactful research will be left behind.
Crawford County Quorum Court expected to consider doing business with company owned by justice of the peace
VAN BUREN -- The Crawford County Quorum Court is set to discuss allowing the county to do business with companies owned by county officials and employees at its Monday meeting.
GW Dining provider told workers to stay silent on health, safety issues: former employees
Five former employees of GW Dining contractor Chartwells Higher Education said they were disciplined or terminated after speaking out about health and safety issues within GW Dining facilities.
Local Texas Roadhouse meat-cutters to compete in Knoxville
Three employees of Texas Roadhouse in Greeneville are among 31 professional meat cutters from across the region who will compete Sept. 22 in the first round of the Qualifier Meat
Choate workers’ union files lawsuit to block state from gutting mental health facility
ANNA — The labor union representing hundreds of employees at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center has filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s planned downsizing of the facility, arguing Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration failed to follow state laws governing reductions in healthcare services, the closure of state facilities and the preservation of psychiatric beds. ...
Nearly 1 in 3 Porsche Employees Could Go by 2035
Volkswagen Group reportedly wants Porsche to cut another 4,100 jobs, on top of 9,000 already planned.
Nearly 1 in 3 Porsche Employees Could Go by 2035
Volkswagen Group reportedly wants Porsche to cut another 4,100 jobs, on top of 9,000 already planned.
Former Intermountain Health employee sentenced after stealing prescriptions from Colorado patients
A former employee of Intermountain Health in Colorado has been sentenced after she stole more than 100 prescriptions from patients experiencing significant pain.
Porsche Faces Thousands More Job Cuts as Volkswagen Overhauls Its Business
Porsche could reportedly cut 4,100 jobs amid a profit warning. This comes amid Volkswagen’s larger plan to lay off 50,000 employees by 2030. Reuters quoted German outlet Handelsblatt, which stated that internal documents outlining Volkswagen’s newly approved restructuring plan, described…
Oracle CEO tells employees AI has not sped up product delivery
Oracle's chief reveals what the AI productivity boom is missing.
Oracle CEO tells employees AI has not sped up product delivery
Oracle's chief reveals what the AI productivity boom is missing.
Oracle CEO tells employees AI has not sped up product delivery
Oracle's chief reveals what the AI productivity boom is missing.
I'm a CEO and I hired a board member to argue with me
RiseGuide's CEO said he purposefully hired outspoken employees and a board member to challenge his decisions and provide the feedback leaders lack.
The Big Holes in Wearable Heart Rate Variability And Readiness Scores
On September 9th, Apple announced it was revamping its Apple Watch Health Sensing System, rolling out a Readiness score (0 to 10), and increasing the frequency of heart rate variability (HRV) outputs 24-fold. This can be viewed as upping its competition with various other consumer wearable sensors. These “readiness scores” as a composite of multiple metrics, with heart rate variability (HRV) being front and center for most. The majority of Americans are now using wearable sensors, which equates to well over 100 million adults. HRV and Readiness scores are increasingly being marketed as a measurement of autonomic nervous system health, a digital marker for future disease, a clock for biological age, and a holistic metric to promote healthspan and even longevity. (Apple also introduced a new longevity tab and “Health Age”.) None of this has been proven. In this edition of Ground Truths I am going to review what we know about heart rate variability and readiness scores. Heart Rate Variability HRV is the variation in normal heart cycle timing. The variability of the heart rate, the barely perceptible millisecond changes in time between consecutive heart beats (see R-R intervals in the Figure below, left panel), is due to interplay between the sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagal nerve) inputs. Distinct from heart rate, individuals with the same heart rate can have very different HRVs. It is a rough reflection of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, inadequate to say whether a person’s ANS function is abnormal. For more than three decades, heart rate variability (HRV) has been measured and several studies have found an association of low HRV and clinical outcomes, particularly a link with higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. There have also been less well established links of low HRV to risk of early cognitive impairment, dementia, mental illness, Type 2 diabetes and substance abuse. An important reminder is that HRV is a surrogate marker without any established cause-and-effect relationship. If you increase your HRV, that doesn’t mean it will improve health outcomes. In fact, there is no hard evidence for that. All that work linking to health outcomes was done with electrocardiogram (ECG) derived HRV. Now, in the era of consumer wearables, this is getting assessed differently, by optical pulse (yes, the lights you see) plethysmography (PPG) or what is called pulse rate variability (PRV). They are not the same, as shown below (right panel) and only concordant when the delay between the ECG and pulse is kept constant, which basically means at rest. I should mention there’s also what I will call MPV, a mattress mechanical movement sensor, a derived heart rate variability, that companies like Eight Sleep use, even further away from directly measuring HRV. HRV has not one uniform measurement but many different types of quantification, such as RMSSD, the magnitude of difference between successive R-R intervals of normal sinus beats (N-N) or SDNN, the standard deviation of NN intervals, both in milliseconds. SDNN is one of the so-called frequency domain HRVs (others are LF, HF, LF/HF). Different wearable sensors use different metics; Apple has relied on SDNN and nearly all of the others use RMSSD, which is generally considered the more accurate metric. There’s also the different length of time measured, such as for a matter of minutes, all day, or an overnight’s sleep. Short measurements are especially problematic since they don’t capture enough of respiratory modulation and other factors that influence HRV. Share Ground Truths How well does HRV correlate with PRV? There are very limited studies, especially independently done. One that is commonly cited was conducted by Air Force researchers in only 13 healthy adults assessing Oura ring 3 and 4, Whoop 4.0, and Garmin Fenix 6 and showed a correlation coefficient of 0.88 to 0.97 and a mean absolute percentage error from 6 to 10%. The correlation is not a perfect 1.0, but there’s at least a fairly high level of correlation. HRV is supposed to increase during the night due to takeover of the parasympathetic nervous system, and higher during deep sleep. A recent example of my 1 week, all day “HRV,” and one during sleep is shown below. As you can see, the N of 1 data are inconsistent for the same days from different sensors (Oura, AppleWatch, Fitbit Air, and Eight Sleep) by patterns, absolute numbers, and comparison with prior days and weeks. The largest study in over 8 million Fitbit users (the old version, not Google Fitbit Air, introduced in May 2026) gives you a sense of the effect of age, sex, and the 2 different main HRV (here PRV) metrics, with RMSSD on the left and SDRR (=SDNN) on the right below. That study, from data collected in 2018, is a major outlier, since all the more recent ones are tiny with respect to sample size. Many of the companies have not had independent evaluation of their HRV, such as Eight Sleep, but have published a low standard error on their website. There are some other published studies on the correlation between HRV and PRV, but they are all small and only in healthy adults. A scoping review emphasized the lack of study in underrepresented individuals, including the aged, people of color (which affects the PPG signal), and individuals who are underweight or obese. Add the typical adult age 60 plus with one or more chronic diseases. For example, one study in over 900 adults found poor correlation of HRV and PRV, non-uniformly underestimated across many chronic diseases (cardiovascular, endocrine, neurological, respiratory, and others), concluding PRV is “an invalid surrogate for HRV.” A recent systematic review of 43 studies comparing HRV and PRV found reasonable pooled absolute standardized error (HRV as gold standard) but only 10 of the studies provided quantitative synthesis in ideal conditions. Their main conclusion was similarly cautious: “PPG-derived HRV [PRV] should not be regarded as universally interchangeable with ECG-derived HRV across all devices, populations, and recording contexts.” Factors Affecting HRV and PRV That gets me to the long list of factors that affect HRV (and PRV) besides the device, the type of measurement (RMSSD, SDNN or others), the person’s signal, the sensor site, the duration of data capture, if weighting by sleep stage is used, how artifact is processed and corrected. And this list is not complete!: Oura puts out data from their community of users (who input data) on what affects their overnight HRV. The factors currently provided are: no alcohol (increase 8%), melatonin (increase 2%, float tank (increase 2%), wine (decrease 4%), and party (decrease 14%) in overnight HRV. Must be some big parties! Subscribe What is a PRV measurement good for? It has been falsely characterized as an index of “autonomic balance” and a specific indicator of stress. A 2018 review of the studies available for HRV and its relationship to stress, not using any of the current wearables, found that stress can lower HRV. But so can many other factors. The non-specificity of the signal, indexed to the table above, is striking. Evidence from a UK Biobank study of over 46,000 participants with actual HRV looked at genetically predicted HRV, a genetic risk score, that failed to show the expected HRV-mortality link, indicating that _HRV is likely not causa_l, but rather a reflection of person’s physiologic state. A review of consumer wearable HRV data from 5 longitudinal studies showed that nighttime PRV was not associated with perceived stress, and surprisingly higher HRV, in the largest cohort (N=717 participants), was correlated with higher stress. An Oura ring cohort of 525 first-year college students found a link between overnight PRV and perceived stress, but that was also seen with resting heart rate, sleep, and respiratory rate. Several very small studies have examined the relationship of HRV and athletic injuries or guiding training with mixed, and predominantly negative results. HRV biofeedback training with paced breathing had no significant effect on reducing stress or raising HRV, as demonstrated with sham controlled trials. When HRV for multiple days showed a decline in conjunction with body temperature, the Oura ring published data for prediction of Covid. The WHOOP company sponsored an observational study, published in 2026, of 30,000 users for 72 weeks, without a control group, that reported reduced alcohol intake (5.8 % points) by self-report. That doesn’t tell us much, and particularly about the merits of HRV for behavioral change. If you use the same device and conditions as longitudinal trends for multiple (at least 2-3) weeks that may be the one way to get something useful from the measurements. Data for overnight sleep with minimal motion and using RMSSD is the best proxy for real HRV. The reason to look at trends rather than any given night is that it more likely represents something, even though you won’t know with certainty what the “it” is. Keep in mind there are no data, no peer-reviewed evidence, to show that HRV fluctuation in-person has any correlation with health outcomes. Share Readiness Scores These are proprietary scores that integrate different metrics for each of the wearables: no algorithms have been disclosed. They are unvalidated against health outcomes. In a review of 14 composite health scores of readiness and recovery, HRV contributed 86% to the scores, followed by reading heart rate (79%), physical activity and sleep duration (both at 71%). That review noted the substantial variability in measurement protools and lack of standardization. Sleep staging is notoriously inconsistent and inaccurate by these sensors, which adds further to the HRV uncertainties for what the scores, which use sleep stage data, mean. Only resting heart rate has been shown consistently across devices to be extremely accurate. I’ve made a Table to summarize what we know about which metrics are included, the scores, any peer-reviewed studies that compared the readiness score with health outcomes, and the corresponding (if any, NA-not available) citation. You will note that some companies do not use the term “readiness," such as WHOOP for recovery, and Garmin, which has 2 different scores, one of which is Body Battery. Eight Sleep uses the term “Fitness Score.” They all include HRV; Apple includes a new metric they call “Recovery HRV” which among other components uses 7-days of sleep, but it is unclear what this means or how it is differentiated from other scores (there are clearly no data for outcomes). We have no knowledge of how the different components are weighted or whether any of these scores are better than resting heart rate, HRV alone, physical activity, or any other single metric. Since none of these are standardized, they are not interchangeable, so if you get a 90 for Oura that has no relationship to a 90 on a Google Fitbit Air. Notably, the company can update its algorithm for readiness score at any point without notification to device users. Without any useful evidence of actionability for these scores or established relationship with health outcomes, it is hard to make a case for their value. At the Apple recent announcement they showed their Readiness score (0-10) on the watch (Figure below) but there are no published data on this score, not even on their website. It’s available only on their new Watch Series 12 or Ultra 4 [of course, ;-)]. That exemplifies the problems with these scores, lack of data and evidence for being meaningful to promote health. Perhaps the best study (which isn’t saying much) is the WHOOP Recovery for golfer performance, because it did correlate with an objective outcome, even though there was no control group and the authors were all from the company. Among the 389 pro golfers, an absolute 10-per cent point increase in Recovery score was associated with about 0.5 fewer strokes per round. But that’s hardly a health outcome! WHOOP is also conducting a study in over 2,700 runners to see if their recovery score will be linked to less injuries and improved performance, but that is not yet published and has no control group or randomization. Putting This in Context For two decades I’ve been enthusiastic about the potential for digital health and particularly wearable biosensors. Over the years, we’ve seen some great progress for their ability to promote physical activity and accurately detect atrial fibrillation (the first FDA cleared deep learning AI for consumers). That work was the subject of rigorous research. But there are holes in the data and evidence for other metrics. One notable one is the “VO2 max” story that I wrote about earlier this year. At that time many subscribers asked me to cover heart rate variability, which I finally got to here. When I dived into the research and publication for HRV and readiness scores, I expected to find at least some that were of high quality and demonstrated their utility by linkage to health outcomes. To my surprise, I found none. The wearable sensor measurements for HRV (PRV) are, for the most part, accurate, but that validation work has only been done in small studies of healthy adults and does not take into account the long list of factors, from the device, software side, and the user side, that affect HRV measurements. Moreover, this metric chiefly relies on optical sensing and, as we have learned for heart rate PPG sensing, may be less accurate in people of color. Keep in mind that all of the health outcome association evidence comes from ECG-derived HRV; none are from wearable sensor data. I will repeat the key point: there's no peer-reviewed evidence to show that in-person HRV fluctuation—or efforts to raise your HRV— has any correlation with health outcomes. For those of you who look at your HRV on awakening, or even 2+ week trends of it being low, I hope this context helps to relieve any anxiety. Yes, low HRV (not PRV) has been shown to increase risk of some diseases as summarized above. But efforts to raise your HRV—a surrogate metric— has not been established for improving any health outcomes. HRV does not have any evidence of causality (the genetic evidence actually goes against this possibility). In this summary, I have not included data for other wearable sensors such as Polar, Samsung, Withings, Suunto, Amazfit, Coros, Ultrahuman, or additional mattress sensors. These are beyond my first-hand experience, and as far as I know from my in-depth review none have any peer-reviewed published data that differ from the 6 sensors I’ve reviewed here. From the points I’ve gone over above, we’re not ready for readiness scores. Besides being proprietary, they are predominantly based on metrics that have their own issues. It’s compounding the problem, like building a house without a solid foundation that has never undergone a rigorous inspection, and then selling it. Like I mentioned for PRV, you can look at trends over weeks rather than any single day, to get a handle, but even that may not be helpful. There’s simply no evidence that these scores meaningfully relate to health outcomes. I’d emphasize they might, but that requires doing prospective or randomized studies to prove it. None exist. There’s great promise for HRV/PRV utility_. For example**,**_ Prof Maiken Nedergaard, who discovered the brain glymphatics that are essential in eliminating metabolic waste products from the brain during sleep, has posited that HRV could be a non-invasive marker for neuromodulator oscillations, brain-body regulatory circuits, and brain clearance. That would be extremely useful, but like everything else on HRV and readiness scores it requires solid research and validation. The lay media isn’t helping much to get the story straight. Earlier this year The Economist published a piece entitled “The most useful indicator of your overall health” which ordained HRV as an “accumulated stress score.” That’s akin to the false assertion about VO2max: “V02 max is the singular most powerful marker for longevity.” As I’ve summarized here, that is not established. The fact is that so many things can lower HRV, including physical exercise (especially an intense workout), reduced sleep quality, stress, the list above, no less the device, signal, and software. Whatever fluctuations observed have not been correlated with any health outcome. Sadly, “datamaxxers” are widely using HRV and readiness scores that have never been validated to mean anything. We already know that for some people using the sensors for sleep metrics, it can induce “orthosomnia,” an obsession to get high sleep quality, with associated high levels of anxiety. In an experiment done by a company to promote sleep quality for its employees, “For those employees who did use the trackers, many reported feeling perfectly rested until their tracker told them they had had a terrible night. Others were told that they had slept like a baby when they had actually been lying awake worrying about the quality of their sleep. “ The same problem can result from preoccupation with HRV or readiness scores, with anxiety that would lead to further reduction in both. It you are using a wearable like >100 million American adults, it’s OK to look at these data, but contextualized with the major caveats reviewed here. If you are one to require evidence that HRV or readiness scores are linked to health outcomes, you may not even want to look. The companies make it hard to turn them off! Let me end with the companies that make and sell wearables. Apple’s doubling down on HRV (24-fold more reporting and heart rate very 5 seconds) and introduction of a Readiness score tells us that consumers have bought into these metrics and they are joining the club. However, all of this is occurring with a backdrop of tens millions of users, claims about the data that are not backed up by adequate evidence, marketing way out in front of whatever limited data exists, and not being transparent about their readiness score algorithms. The companies can well afford to do the research that is needed to connect these metrics with health outcomes show, once and for all, that increasing HRV or using readiness scores promotes our health. If they believed and invested in the products they are selling, we’d not be in this position of not knowing. That’s essentially where we are with HRV and readiness scores. Perhaps someday this will change and we’ll have good reason to embrace them. NB: I wrote this post. No AI. I have no conflicts of interest with any of its content. Loading... Ground Truths has 215,000 subscribers from every US state and 214 countries. There are over 300,000 followers of Ground Truths so more than 90,000 folks who can easily convert to be free subscribers. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. If you’re not a subscriber, please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths The proceeds from all voluntary paid subscriptions go to support our summer internship program. It enabled us to accept and support a record number of 62 summer interns that joined us in 2026! These are high school, college and medical students selected from thousands of applicants. We couldn’t do this expanded program without the funds coming in through Ground Truths. Thank you!
At 56, I'm a flight attendant. Being Gen X made me a perfect hire.
Craig Celek became a flight attendant in his mid-50s. He said being a Gen-Xer made him the perfect airline employee because of his life experience.
When your boss is your landlord: UVM Health Network job cuts put employee housing at risk
Employer-sponsored housing was pitched as a lifeline to draw workers to Vermont, but following hundreds of job cuts at the UVM Health Network, some healthcare workers say losing their job now means potentially losing their home, too.
When your boss is your landlord: UVM Health Network job cuts put employee housing at risk
Following hundreds of job cuts, some healthcare workers say losing their job now means potentially losing their home, too.
DHS may have violated state election law, Virginia's AG says after whistleblower report
Virginia's attorney general said Thursday that the Department of Homeland Security may have violated several state laws after a whistleblower accused its employees of misrepresenting themselves on voter lookup tools to hunt for noncitizen voters.
Come for the whimsy, stay for the science: Free All Science. No Fiction live show Saturday, Sept. 26, at OSU
Oregon State University employees and students can score free tickets to an All Science. No Fiction live show Saturday evening on the Corvallis campus, hosted by Jes Burns and Brandon Swanson from Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Novant Health drives $4.33B in regional economic impact, study says
Novant Health Coastal Region generates an annual overall economic impact of $4.33 billion in the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), according to a new report. Commissioned by Novant Health and conducted by Mouhcine Guettabi, associate professor of economics at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and the area’s regional economist, the report evaluates population growth in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties and whether the area’s healthcare infrastructure is positioned to meet the region’s demand. According to the study, while healthcare employment has kept pace with population growth in New Hanover and Pender counties, it has not kept up with the rapid population growth in Brunswick County, which is skewed toward an older population. “It points very clearly to Brunswick County being the bottleneck, or being the place where investment is most needed,” Guettabi said to the Business Journal Friday, “because the growth is the fastest, the composition of the growth is older (adults) and demand for healthcare is much higher for the subpopulation.” The Novant Health Coastal Region employs 8,295 full-time equivalent workers, according to the report, and is the region’s largest employer. Overall, through direct, indirect and induced impacts, the Novant Health Coastal Region supports 19,573 jobs, the report said. Using data collected from internal payroll, financial and capital reports, the report estimates that Novant Health Coastal Region pays approximately $1.15 billion in total compensation to its employees. According to the study, the provider’s annual operating expenditures, or direct economic impact, total $2.36 billion. That direct impact ripples through the regional economy through spending at its suppliers, or indirect impact, and household spending by staff and its suppliers’ workers, or induced impact. The report estimates the Novant Health Coastal Region’s indirect economic impact is $786 million, reflecting the multiplying effect of the provider’s operating expenses on expenditures like medical supplies, facilities, food, IT and professional services. Because 86.9% of Novant Health Coastal Region employees live within the tri-county region, the report estimates that wages paid by Novant circulate into the regional economy, creating an induced economic impact of $1.17 billion. “That money just doesn’t go into thin air,” Guettabi said of the wages paid to Novant Health Coastal Region employees. “Some of that money is being re-spent, and therefore it’s supporting grocery stores, hiring, restaurants and bars, and there are a lot of other companies or organizations whose employment, whose activity partially depends on that.” The combination of direct ($2.36 billion), indirect ($786 million), and induced ($1.17 billion) impacts totals an estimated $4.33 billion, according to the report. A study commissioned by Novant Health in 2024 and conducted by FTI Consulting’s Center for Healthcare Economics and Policy found that Novant Health generated nearly $2 billion of direct impact, with $628 million in indirect impact and $857 million in induced impact. Healthcare investments in the pipeline for Brunswick County Additionally, the study found that while healthcare employment has kept pace with population growth in New Hanover and Pender counties, it lags in Brunswick County. “Once you go below the metro level and you decompose the three counties that make up the Wilmington Metro,” Guettabi said, “it becomes fairly clear that Brunswick is the standout. And not only that, but clearly the growth there is fully domestic migration and largely retiree-driven migrants.” Using data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on per-capita healthcare spending among age groups, Guettabi estimates that adults aged 65 and older demand 2.44 times the healthcare of working-age adults. “The share of the population in Brunswick County that’s over the age of 65 is 33%,” Guettabi said, “which is so much higher than the average share of people over the age of 65 within the state or within the country.” The report emphasizes that Brunswick County is the “strongest candidate” for new healthcare investment, adding that patient discharge records show Brunswick residents rely heavily on facilities in New Hanover County for inpatient care. “Investments in Brunswick County would not only meet the demand for those residents, but it would also relieve pressure for New Hanover County residents,” Guettabi said. Laurie Whalin, president of the Novant Health Coastal Region, told the Business Journal Friday that the provider plans to expand services at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, in addition to other investments in the area. In April, the state granted conditional approval to both Novant Health and Columbus Regional Healthcare System to build new hospitals, just miles apart, on either side of the Columbus County and Brunswick County borders. Columbus Regional’s $214 million 30-bed hospital would be located at the former Acme-Delco Middle School in Delco, according to the application. The project’s approved timetable has construction slated to finish in May 2029, with the hospital open for service by October 2029. The Whiteville-based provider, which Atrium Health manages, broke ground on an Advanced Care facility in December 2025 and operates four specialty clinics in Leland. Meanwhile, Novant Health’s proposed $251 million 20-bed hospital would be built just miles from Columbus Regional’s proposed hospital, near the Compass Pointe community in Leland. The provider estimates the hospital will open by 2030. State officials also approved Novant Health in March to build a freestanding emergency department in Carolina Shores, near U.S. 17. The project is estimated to cost $24 million, according to the application, and will operate under the Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center license. Additionally, Novant Health’s 16,000-square-foot ambulatory surgery center is slated to open in Leland by year’s end, officials said.
Fred Payne: Poverty costs Indiana businesses millions of dollars
Research shows employees experiencing financial stress lose productive work time. When a workforce is financially fragile, productivity losses compound.
ABI names 2026 Legends in Manufacturing honorees
The Iowa Association of Business and Industry and Elevate Iowa Manufacturing have announced four recipients of the 2026 Legends in Manufacturing Awards. The honorees are Steve Anderson of Merrill Manufacturing in Storm Lake in the under 100 employees category; Lori Schaefer-Weaton of Agri-Industrial Plastics Co. in Fairfield in the 100-300 employees category; Pat Weiler of…
200 Bechtel jobs in Reston affected by TerraPower split
Bechtel notified Virginia officials that approximately 200 Reston employees could be affected by staffing reductions beginning in November.
Fraudulent business checks tied to Enid daycare lead to arrests of two employees
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Vidor City Council meeting on employee health insurance ends quickly amid cost concerns
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Why are state employees’ health insurance rates going up?
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DOL/EBSA Narrows Mental Health Parity Enforcement Focus to Three Priority Areas
On September 8, the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2026-03, outlining how it
Dartmouth Health lays off 124 in effort to ‘improve long-term sustainability’
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Employee health plans to remain unchanged for 2027, contributions to increase
When Penn State’s 2027 benefits open enrollment period begins on Nov. 2, benefits-eligible faculty and staff will continue to have access to the same high-quality health care coverage and programs. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, employees will see an increase in their payroll contributions to keep pace with rising health care costs.
Outcome of suit against Department of Labor could boost skimpy employer health plans
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MDI Health Celebrates Community at 2026 Annual Meeting
BAR HARBOR—MDI Health celebrated the people and partnerships strengthening local healthcare during its 2026 Annual Meeting and Community Celebration, held September 15 at the Bar Harbor Club. The gathering brought together patients, medical staff, employees, trustees, volunteers, supporters, and community partners to recognize the year’s accomplishments and honor those whose contributions make a meaningful difference across the organization and the communities it serves. “This celebration is an opportunity to recognize the extraordinary people who make our work possible,” said Chrissi Maguire, president and CEO of MDI Health. “Their compassion, dedication, and belief in strong local healthcare can be felt throughout our hospital, health centers, Birch Bay Village, and the communities we serve.” During the celebration, MDI Health presented its 2026 Impact Award to Mount Desert Nursing Association (MDNA), recognizing the organization as Community Partner of the Year for providing compassionate, skilled in-home nursing care across Mount Desert Island, Trenton, and Lamoine. “MDNA extends care beyond our walls, helping people remain safely at home, surrounded by the people and places they know and love,” Maguire said. “Its work lies at the intersection of healthcare and community and strengthens our entire healthcare system.” “For 77 years, MDNA has helped our neighbors recover and remain safely at home,” said Amy McVety, MDNA Executive Director. “Our longstanding partnership with MDI Health helps ensure a seamless transition from hospital to home and the continued care patients need. We are grateful for this recognition and especially proud of our talented, hardworking team.” The evening marked a transition in Board leadership. Martha Wagner, PhD, was recognized as she concluded her term as chair of the MDI Health Board of Trustees. Madeleine Braun, PhD, MBA, was introduced as incoming chair. “It is an honor to build on Martha’s leadership and serve an organization so deeply connected to this community,” Braun said. Individual honorees recognized during the evening’s program included Nancy D’Agostino, MDI Health Volunteer of the Year; George Rossi, Birch Bay Village Volunteer of the Year; Marc Woolfolk, Birch Bay Village Employee of the Year; and Beth Applebee, MDI Hospital Employee of the Year. “These honorees represent the very best of who we are,” Maguire said. The program also highlighted new initiatives and honors from the past year. MDI Health launched a free Screening Mammogram Scholarship Program to remove financial barriers to early detection, supported by a generous grant from the Maine Cancer Foundation. An in-hospital food pantry has been opened to meet rising community need and address the link between nutrition and health. MDI Health earned CMS five-star ratings for Patient Experience and Nurse Communication, top marks in the 2026–2027 Lown Institute Hospitals Index, recognition from the American Hospital Association and American Heart Association, and a third consecutive Best Places to Work in Maine designation. The hospital will open its new Main Entrance this fall, as work advances on the expanded Emergency Department and other patient-care spaces. The Building Our Future Campaign has raised more than $56 million in capital and programmatic support to date. “Everything we have accomplished reflects the strength of this community,” Maguire said. “We are grateful to everyone who has contributed their time, talent, leadership, and support to help MDI Health continue meeting the evolving needs of the region.” Subscribe Share Leave a comment
Finalists in the 23rd Stevie® Awards for Women in Business Announced
Finalists were announced today in the 23rd annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, the world's top honors for women entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and the organizations they run. Visit http://Women.StevieAwards.com for a complete list of Finalists by category.
Business Briefs: Sept. 18, 2026
Greenfield Cooperative Bank celebrates employees and milestone anniversaries at Employee Appreciation Dinner WHATELY — Greenfield Cooperative Bank recently gathered employees for its annual Employee Appreciation Dinner at Whately’s Quonquont Farm. The evening offered a way for employees to come together outside of the workplace to recognize the people who make the co-op what it is. […]
Real estate firm Goodwin & Thyne Properties closing business - Santa Barbara News-Press
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Allegheny County’s Board of Health weighs reshaped parental leave proposal
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Dartmouth Health CEO says patient care was focus in deciding layoffs
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CT announces AI regulations for state employee health plans
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UVM Health Union protests layoffs
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Dartmouth Health announces massive staff and program cuts
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In new State Health Plan program, a cluster of rural NC hospitals could cost patients more
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Workiva ties AI-native workflows to business outcomes- SiliconANGLE
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MindsEye studio Build a Rocket Boy may be closing down, according to reports
An HR employee says he is looking for work but “will be seeing BARB through till the very end”…
The Studio Behind MindsEye Is Closing Following Latest Layoffs
Multiple Build a Rocket Boy employees have stated that their time at the MindsEye maker has come to an end, and sources have confirmed to Kotaku that the company is winding down for good
Dartmouth Health announces massive staff and program cuts
Dartmouth Health announced layoffs of 124 employees and the elimination of 303 jobs to improve long-term sustainability.
Is Volunteering Good for Your Health? New Research From The Cigna Group Finds a Strong Connection
New research from The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) finds that volunteering is associated with better health, stronger workplace engagement, and greater connection to community. According to the company's fifth annual Vitality in America report, people who volunteer are nearly twice as likely to report high vitality, a measure of how healthy, connected, and capable a person feels. The research also found that employees who participate in employer-supported volunteer activities are significantly more li
Why companies are rethinking the way employees access business data
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Dartmouth Health announces over 100 layoffs, elimination of 300 open positions
Dartmouth Health announced Tuesday that over 100 employees are getting laid off, and they are eliminating over 300 open positions.
Pay to ghost your boss: Japan’s resignation business
Resignation agencies in Japan help employees leave their jobs seamlessly in just 15 minutes. Young people are especially eager to use their services.
Dartmouth Health announces staff reductions
Dartmouth Health (DH) notified 124 employees today that their positions have been eliminated in addition to the cancellation of 303 open positions from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinics Southern Region.
River City Science Academy employee on leave after video echoing antisemitic tropes
A River City Science Academy employee has been placed on administrative leave after posting a social media video containing comments that many people have described as antisemitic.
Dr. Oz visits Atlanta to promote Georgia's new employee health insurance tool
Georgia is launching a new way for businesses to provide employee health insurance, with the Trump Administration pushing this initiative while premiums are set to rise again.
Dr. Oz visits Atlanta to promote Georgia's new employee health insurance tool
Georgia is launching a new way for businesses to provide employee health insurance, with the Trump Administration pushing this initiative while premiums are set to rise again.
Wausau city employees face 76% deductible hike under 2027 health plan
Wausau city employees' health insurance deductibles would jump 76% in 2027 under a plan committees approved to hold the premium increase to 9.6%.
How Philly-area businesses use employee bonuses to reward performance
Companies like Chickie's and Pete's and Werner Bus Lines use extra pay to incentivize employees to help the business do well, Gene Marks writes.
Nationwide Survey: Businesses Are Using AI Faster Than They Are Managing Its Risks
Six in 10 business owners say employees use public AI tools for work, but only about a third have written policies or responsible-use training. Nearly one-third say their company has been targeted by a generative-AI scam or fraud attempt in the past year. Only about a third of small and mid-market businesses have an up-to-date incident respons...
Dr. Oz helps Georgia’s John King promote health insurance tool for businesses
The tool is aimed at helping businesses provide more health insurance options for their employees.
Outcome of employment lawsuit could promote use of skimpy health plans
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NASA rushed engineers out of their labs. They say it risks future space missions
NASA employees say they've lost vital equipment and staff needed to make sophisticated spacecraft amid the agency's abrupt relocations over the past several months.
Some AI leaders want more safeguards. Is there political will to make that happen?
In recent days, warnings and risks surrounding AI have taken an existential turn. A former Anthropic employee stated that "the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade." And Anthropic's CEO urged AI companies to "pace the frontier" in developing new technologies.But is there political will to make that happen?This episode was produced by Sophia Paliza-Carre and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Tiffany Vera Castro. Our director is Jonas Adams.It was edited by Kara Platoni, Brett Neely, Rebekah Metzler, Sarah Handel and Tinbete Ermyas.Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.