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California Hikes Penalties for Repeat Pay Data Report Nonfilers to Up to $1,000 per Employee

Quick Hits California’s SB 1237 raises the maximum civil penalty for a second or later failure to file a required pay data report from $200 per employee to $1,000 per employee. The penalty for the first failure to file stays at up to $100 per employee. The amended statute takes effect January 1, 2027, and this year’s pay filing deadline is May 12, 2027. Covered Employers Covered employers include private…

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Different Salaries for the Same Employee? What Employers Need to Know About Salary in Mexico

Quick Hits Knowing which type of salary to use for employees in Mexico is crucial for terminations, calculation of social security contributions, and the calculation of statutory benefits. Using the wrong salary base may lead to employee claims, fines from labor, social security, and tax authorities, and disgruntled employees. The Three Main Purposes of Salary in Mexico Mexican law uses salary for three main purposes: (1) paying salary and benefits,…

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The compliance judges’ scorecard: OSC RIE Division 2026 Annual Report

Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, fee practices and the quality of regulatory filings feature prominently in the Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC) latest account of its registration and examination work. OSC Staff Notice 33-762, released on October 7, 2026, reports on the Registration, Inspections and Examinations Division’s (RIE) activities for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 (Staff Notice). For Ontario dealers, advisers and investment fund managers, the publication offers both a retrospective…

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What is on display for fund managers: OSC Investment Management Division Annual Summary Report

The Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC) Investment Management Division released OSC Staff Notice 81-741 on September 15, 2026 (IM Staff Notice), summarizing its fiscal 2025–2026 work. The publication draws together trends from prospectus and exemptive relief files, continuous disclosure reviews, ownership change notices under sections 11.9 and 11.10 of National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations (NI 31-103), and the Division’s current policy agenda. Product development remains brisk.…

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Autumn Budget 2026: savings take another hit

The Budget increased tax on interest again – but what will two percentage points mean for your savings and tax planning?  “Labour will not increase taxes on working people, which is why we will not increase National Insurance, the basic, higher, or additional rates of Income Tax, or VAT.”  So said the Labour manifesto in 2024. When national insurance (NI) rates were raised by Rachel Reeves in 2024, the explanation…

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Q5 launches its first Youth Panel in Australia

We’re excited to announce the launch of the Q5 Australia Youth Panel, bringing our Youth Panel programme to Australia for the very first time in 2027.  The new programme will bring together a small group of Year 11 students from across Sydney, giving them the opportunity to develop new skills, explore the world of work and, importantly, share their own perspectives on what the workplace of the future should look…

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Oregon Court of Appeals Upholds Payroll Deductions to Repay Wage Advances

Quick Hits On October 21, 2026, the Court of Appeals of Oregon held in Ayala v. Culbertsons LLC, held that the state’s wage law permits payroll deductions to repay employee-requested wage advances when the arrangement benefits both the employee and employer. The court upheld deductions totaling $1,000 because the employee received requested, interest-free advances before earning the wages and agreed in writing to specific repayment deductions. Oregon employers may want…

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The 2026 federal budget: Great expectations

The Canadian business community awaits the 2026 federal budget with heightened expectations. In The Globe & Mail, I described the Productivity Mega Deduction announced on Sept. 15 as “the most consequential Canadian tax policy initiatives of the 21st century”, and it is, both for the impact of the tax change itself and for what it represents. In the government’s own words, this measure constitutes “a sea change in how Canada…

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Rethinking Strategic Analysis for a Multipolar World: From Nation-State to Civilization-State

Strategic analysis, as most of our institutions still teach and practice it, rests on premises inherited from the Westphalian and Cartesian moment of European modernity. They suited a world of nation-states competing inside one normative order. They do not suit a multipolar order whose main poles increasingly define themselves as state-civilizations, Lorenzo Maria Pacini writes. Many of the great strategic misjudgments of the last thirty years began as analytical successes.…

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DOL Inspector General Launches Audit of OSHA’s Workplace Violence Prevention Efforts

Quick Hits On November 4, 2026, the DOL OIG announced an audit of the effectiveness of OSHA’s actions to address workplace violence. It is the OIG’s first review of the issue since a September 2001 report found OSHA could do more on guidance, outreach, and recordkeeping. OSHA still has no workplace violence standard and relies on the General Duty Clause, so the audit’s findings could shape future enforcement and rulemaking.…

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The Stablecoin Era: Canada Proposes Stablecoin Regulations and Expands the Payment Regulatory Framework

In a development likely to attract significant interest across the stablecoin and payments sectors, on October 24, 2026, the Department of Finance released proposed Stablecoin Regulations (Regulations) under the Stablecoin Act (SCA), together with related amendments to the Retail Payment Activities Regulations (RPAR). The Regulations operationalize the SCA by establishing detailed requirements for stablecoin issuers, while the related RPAR amendments would bring certain payment service providers (PSPs) that perform payment…

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Healthcare After the Midterms, the Fragility of the AI Boom, and the Lessons from Two Failed Drug Trials

Howie and Harlan discuss the prospects for expanding health coverage, lowering drug prices, and reforming surprise billing legislation in the wake of the midterm elections, and consider whether the precarious economics of the AI industry could jeopardize its promise for medicine. They also discuss the potential dangers of an early flu season coinciding with a resurgence of bird flu and what two failed cardiovascular drug trials reveal about the limitations…

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Robotic technology helps unlock the hidden microbial world of the deep sea

Scientists have developed a robotic system that can recreate the extreme conditions of the deep ocean in the laboratory, opening up access to some microorganisms for the first time.The deep sea is the largest microbial habitat on Earth and is home to a huge diversity of microorganisms. Many have evolved to survive extreme conditions, including intense pressure and near-freezing temperatures, developing unusual enzymes and other molecules that could have useful…

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Manchester wins three major European grants for pioneering research

The six-year projects will explore tiny programmable devices that could one day find and destroy precancerous cells before ovarian cancer develops; investigate how collagens acquire their correct chemical structure in the body and what happens when this process is disrupted; and develop faster, more energy-efficient ways of carrying out the complex calculations needed for science and AI.The awards are among 48 ERC Synergy Grants worth €500 million announced through the…

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Reading the Contract as a Whole: Ontario Court Applies Baker to Uphold an Executive’s Termination Clause

Quick Hits The  Ontario Superior Court of Justice read a “for cause” confidentiality provision together with a CEO’s termination clause and found that the parties objectively intended to comply with the Canada Labour Code, rather than isolating individual words. The court distinguished Ghazvini v. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Henderson v. Slavkin, finding that the clauses in those cases permitted termination without notice where the statute prohibits it, and…

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Bill S-8: Proposed Changes to Canada’s Financial Crime Framework

Bill S-8, the Combatting Financial Crimes and Drug Trafficking Act (Bill S-8) marks the latest step in Canada’s push to strengthen its financial crime framework. Introduced on November 3, 2026, Bill S-8 would impose new obligations and restrictions on money services businesses (MSBs), crypto ATM operators and businesses handling certain cash transactions. Bill S-8 comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of Canada’s response to money laundering and other financial…

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Reading the room: what Reddit tells us about retail investor sentiment

12 November 2026By Fabian Wagner and Julian MetzlerRetail investors are increasingly becoming speculative traders, and many are using Reddit as a platform for discussions that reveal how sentiment evolves over time and across market conditions. Our AI-based indicator turns these discussions into a short-term market signal. The digital revolution has attracted many new retail investors to financial markets. Among them is a new type of investor: younger, more speculative and…

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How AI value disappears

Why AI adoption is far more than a technology problem Q5 has partnered with the Pracademic Lab  at the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science (PBS), London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), to host a dissertation project exploring the human experience of AI adoption. The research was conducted by Devon Litherland, a recent graduate from the LSE MSc in Organisational and Social Psychology, with Q5 participating at key…

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Thou Shalt Not Discriminate: Fourth Circuit Panel Majority Narrows Title VII’s Religious Organization Exemption

Quick Hits The Fourth Circuit held that Title VII’s Section 702 religious employer exemption is limited to religious discrimination and accommodation claims and does not shield a religious organization from sex, race, or national origin discrimination claims, even when the employment decision is motivated by sincerely held religious beliefs. For lay employees who do not perform spiritual functions and are therefore not covered by the exemption for ministerial employees, the…

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BC’s restricted insurance agency regime: Preparing for licensing

British Columbia’s Restricted Insurance Agent Licence Regulation comes into force on Jan. 1, 2027, introducing a restricted insurance agency (RIA) licensing regime for specified businesses that sell insurance incidental to their ordinary business. Affected businesses should begin preparing their licensing information, compliance arrangements and representative training now. Applications open Jan. 4, 2027 The Insurance Council of British Columbia (the council) administers RIA licensing. Applications open on Jan. 4, 2027, through…

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The Soulless Corporation Is a Choice We Make

This commentary is adapted from a post in Todd Cort’s Substack newsletter The Real Price of Risk. The views expressed are the author’s own.Every year, somewhere in the first few weeks of the semester, a student asks me a version of the same question. It usually comes after we have worked through a case in which a company did something that was legal, profitable, and plainly wrong: dumped a cost…

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Budget 2026: Forgetting to file tax forms could cost up to eight times more

On Nov. 5, 2026, the Canadian Federal Government released the 2026 Federal Budget with the aspirational title “Masters of our Destiny”, introducing a medley of new tax measures (Budget 2026). Read BLG’s comprehensive analysis for a broader overview of the 2026 federal budget measures. Budget 2026 features some positive headline ideas but also quietly introduces a significant increase in administrative penalties. What you need to know Standard administrative penalties are increasing…

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How the sovereign debt crisis shaped wealth inequality in the euro area

11 November 2026By Danilo Bianco, Jiri Slacalek and Oreste TristaniThe sovereign debt crisis led to a marked increase in wealth inequality in the euro area. Since then, inequality has slowly returned to pre-crisis conditions. Yet, its effects are still felt and visible today in the countries most severely affected by the crisis.In its short life, the euro area has already had its fair share of macroeconomic shocks, from the sovereign…

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Is your leadership team ready to be AI Amplified?

AI will not make every leadership team better. It will turn up the volume on what already exists. AI won’t automatically improve leadership teams; it will amplify the capabilities and behaviours already present. As AI makes intelligence and analysis more abundant, strong judgement, imagination and courage become increasingly valuable. Leadership teams must use AI deliberately, making clear choices, challenging assumptions and acting confidently amid greater information and possibility. Reading time:…

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Federal Budget 2026: Sovereignty, strategic investment and tax simplification

On Nov. 5, 2026 (Budget Day), the Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance, tabled the federal budget, titled "Masters of Our Destiny" (Budget 2026). As foreshadowed, Budget 2026 focuses on cultural and economic sovereignty, economic growth and affordability measures for Canadians. In addition to significant investments in defence and economic development, Budget 2026 includes allocations to build more homes, with a commitment to end homelessness in 10 years. On Sept.…

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Why Donald Trump keeps threatening Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain – and why it is so hard to destroy

Iran has become a test of Donald Trump’s credibility at home as well as his power abroad.The war and rising fuel prices contributed to the Republican defeat in the recent congressional elections. That gives the president a stronger political reason to find an ending to the conflict that he can present as a success.On November 9, President Trump said he wanted to keep the war at “status quo”, but warned…

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When Unlimited PTO Goes Global: 3 Critical Issues to Watch

Quick Hits Unlimited PTO outside the United States does not eliminate the need to track minimum statutory leave, carryover, and payout-on-termination; rather, it adds a layer of complexity to it. In jurisdictions with already generous statutory leave regimes, unlimited PTO may create productivity and coverage challenges. Replacing a more generous contractual PTO entitlement with unlimited PTO is generally considered a detrimental change requiring employee consent. In some countries, employers looking…

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British Columbia Insurance Update: Insurer and Agent Licensing Exemptions for Motor Vehicle Manufacturers and Dealers

Insurer exemptions are changing for motor vehicle manufacturers and dealers British Columbia’s Restricted Insurance Agent Licence Regulation (RIA Regulation) comes into force Jan. 1, 2027. The RIA Regulation will change how dealers’ market and sell vehicle warranty insurance and other ancillary insurance products. In addition, related amendments to the Insurer Exemption Regulation narrow the current exemption under section 75 of the Financial Institutions Act for motor vehicle manufacturers and dealers…

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Abandoning net zero could backfire on Labour, new research warns

The electoral risk of abandoning net zeroThe UK was previously considered a world leader in climate policy, reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 per cent since 1990. This progress was supported by a relatively stable consensus between Labour and the Conservatives, with competition between the parties focused largely on how best to deliver climate action rather than whether it should be a priority.But the researchers argue that…

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2027 Diversity Visa Lottery Remains on Hold After Ninth Circuit Stay

Quick Hits DV-2026 visa processing and DV-2027 lottery registration have faced separate disruptions. DV-2027 registration remains closed, with no confirmed opening date. Diversity Visa Lottery Background Each year, the Diversity Visa program offers up to 55,000 immigrant visas to eligible individuals from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States. The process begins when individuals enter the lottery, and the State Department randomly selects entrants. Those selected…

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Online newspapers can rely on Ontario’s defamation limitation period, but conditions apply

Ontario’s Libel and Slander Act, RSO 1990, c L.12 (LSA) came into existence long before courts needed to grapple with defamation on the internet. The Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Massoudi v. Vice Media LLC, 2026 ONCA 771 confirms that online newspapers can benefit from the 3-month limitation period in the LSA, as long as the other statutory requirements are met. Under ss. 5(1) and 6 of the…

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How Retailers Respond When Competitors Move in Next Door

In 2014, Washington State launched one of the nation’s first legal recreational marijuana markets, helping to usher in a wave of legalization that has since spread to 23 states and the District of Columbia. As Washington prepared to launch its pioneering market, it found that far more people wanted to sell cannabis than the state was willing to allow. In jurisdictions where applications outnumbered the available licenses, the state didn’t…

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US Midterm Elections: A Controlled Shake-Up

On November 6, a discussion on the topic “US Midterm Elections: What They Mean for Russian-American Relations” was held at the Moscow venue of the Valdai Club. Participants discussed the reasons for the Democrats' victory, its consequences for the American political system, and possible changes in Washington's foreign policy course. The moderator of the discussion, Ivan Timofeev, suggested not to overestimate the media noise surrounding a possible confrontation between the…

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Pennsylvania Court Confirms Workers Must Sue Within Three Years to Recover Unpaid Wages

Quick Hits In Commonwealth Department of Labor and Industry v. Accuserv Pharmacy, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania reversed a trial court’s ruling in favor of twenty employees who sued for unpaid overtime wages. The appellate court found the trial court erred in determining that a six-year statute of limitations applied to the employees’ claims. The three-year statute of limitations had been commonly accepted by practitioners and judges throughout Pennsylvania. In…

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An update on the US mid-term elections and market reactions

The US mid-term elections have been front of mind for many UK investors over recent weeks. Charlie Lloyd, Head of Investments, and Wayne Nutland, Senior Investment Manager share an update on events, their market impact and how the investment team has been positioning the VT Shackleton funds. Key take-aways: US mid-term elections resulted in a stronger-than-expected Democratic victory, creating a divided US government. This was initially viewed positively by markets…

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Family Offices Are Becoming a Force in Capital Markets

What happens when the focus of the family business becomes … other businesses?  After building wealth through their primary enterprise, a growing number of family offices are now looking to invest directly in other businesses. Kellogg’s Matt Allen and Jose Liberti have labeled this approach “legacy equity”—an investment model that resembles private equity but with important differences. Family offices—essentially, private entities set up to manage the assets of one or more…

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Are Attitudes Toward Others Taking a U-Turn?

If you’d looked at surveys of Americans’ attitudes five years ago, you would have seen a hopeful story.  Biases against people based on their race, sexual orientation, and disability were consistently dropping across the country, says Tessa Charlesworth, an assistant professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School. This included both explicitly stated bias as well as implicit bias—broadly defined as people’s less-conscious and less-controllable automatic reactions.  Then in 2021,…

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What’s the Cost of an NFL Injury?

When NFL quarterback Jalen Hurts was ruled out for the season due to dangerous blood clots, fans of the Philadelphia Eagles were quick to write off the team’s chances.   It’s a common refrain among football fans: we could’ve been contenders if it weren’t for the injuries. But the impact of injuries on NFL teams is a question that has never been fully quantified, says Joel Shapiro, a clinical associate professor of…

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How foreign investment can strengthen African governments’ control over land

How investment can extend state powerThe researchers analysed 24 cases across 14 countries, combining fieldwork conducted between 2018 and 2024 in Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya with a review of existing research and policy documents.They identify two connected strategies. The first, which they call “widening”, involves extending government authority into areas where control has traditionally been limited or shared with local communities. Governments can do this by attracting…

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Global Compensation Plans: How to Spot Potential Issues in Bonuses, Equity, and Commissions

Quick Hits  Courts and labor authorities outside of the United States often look at how compensation is paid in practice, and local statutory entitlements can override the plan terms entirely. Bonus terms that are consistently applied year after year can become contractual entitlements that are difficult to change or withdraw. In some countries, such as China, offering actual equity can be impractical or restricted, and companies often use phantom equity…

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