#policy

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/19/politics/trump-h1b-visa-fee

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/trump-mulls-adding-new-100000-fee-h-1b-visas-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-09-19/

At Chevron, the HSE department is less of a safety net and more of a loosely tied hammock made of red tape and bad decisions. If common sense were PPE, they'd be working barefoot on a rig made of matches. Their idea of a safety meeting is a coffee break where they discuss near-misses like ghost stories, fun to hear, but no one learns a damn thing. Policies are either outdated, ignored, or written in a language only ancient bureaucrats understand. Honestly, the only thing they excel at is creating PowerPoints that could lull a fire into extinguishing itself.

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/trump-mulls-adding-new-100000-fee-h-1b-visas-bloomberg-news-reports-2025-09-19/

This is a step in the right direction, it should be more like $250,000

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/trump-h1b-visa-bill-100000-fee/

Trump to sign proclamation imposing $100K fee for H-1B visa applications, White House official says.
Not sure how to post links, but here’s the site:
https://apnews.com/article/h1b-visa-trump-immigration-8d39699d0b2de3d90936f8076357254e
Lots more found by using your favorite search engine.
If it comes to be, it’ll sure slowdown Elevance’s march to move work offshore.

Trump administration to add $100,000 fee for H-1B visas

President Donald Trump is preparing to sign a proclamation today that would impose a new $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, in one of the most sweeping overhauls yet of the program central to the US technology industry, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The proclamation would also eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which will affect 1.5 million people, and replace the current lottery-based selection process with a highest-bidder system.

bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-19/trump-to-add-new-100-000-fee-for-h-1b-visas-in-latest-crackdown

https://www.newsweek.com/h1-b-visa-program-fee-trump-requirements-2132718

Sept 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to impose a new $100,000 application fee for H-1B worker visas, a White House official said, potentially dealing a big blow to the technology sector that relies heavily on skilled workers from India and China.

Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, has stated that AI could probably bring 4 day work weeks. "We're at the beginning of the AI revolution... and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across industries could probably bring a transition to four-day work weeks."

This comes as the CEO of JP Morgan (Jamie Dimon), the CEO of Zoom (Eric Yuan), and Bill Gates said similar things.

JP Morgan CEO: "AI will lead to people working “3 and a half days a week"

Zoom CEO: “I feel like if A.I. can make all of our lives better, why do we need to work for five days a week? Every company will support three days, four days a week. I think this ultimately frees up everyone’s time.”

Bill Gates: "What will jobs be like? Should we just work like 2 or 3 days a week? If you zoom out, the purpose of life is not just to do jobs."

I have heard rumors of an MD meeting that took place recently, need to be in the office minimum 7 hours. Abusing thing will lead to being on the naughty list.

The Connected Vehicle all hands ended in the most disappointing way imaginable.

"No-one agrees with what has happened" - Really, now? Then why has it been mandated so sloppily, before anyone was ready for it, and completely ignoring the business needs of a multinational corporation when it comes to collaboration across timezones?

"We can't change it" - Perhaps that is a sign of bad leadership. Was there not an opportunity to challenge the RTO policy? Perhaps involving employees in a cross-company collaborative exercise to investigate ways office time could work.

"That's all the questions answered" - It wasn't. It was a flippant dismissal of employees' very real concerns around incorrect emails harassing employees, threatening termination, and the very real economic penalties this now applies to many people working for this company.

And sure, Ford Land are going to be inundated with complaints at the moment - justifiably - but it's not just their fault. The blame for this lies squarely at the feet of leadership and their reckless rush towards "Time in Office" as a measure of productivity.

see less

https://www.financialexpress.com/business/investing-abroad-h-1b-visa-bill-proposed-to-replace-lottery-system-end-opt-program-for-foreign-workers-3981921/#

Hello,

I joined the bank in July. On the HR website, it says that “new hires are eligible for a base salary adjustment if hired before September 30.”

At the same time, it seems like I will automatically receive a “Too New to Rate” rating.

Will I still be eligible for a base salary adjustment?

Any other lines of business that are going in 4 days besides Corp Risk?

I was just told by my manager they are enforcing and requiring everyone in the company regardless of title to be in office 3 days a week starting November. I believe the announcement will be this Monday.

It's the employees, HR, and middle management. To save this company, I propose mandatory reading classes. We also need to give reading and literacy tests. I propose we don't have this constant stigma around logical conversations. I believe there is an issue where others mistake emotionally charged or conversations that trigger emotions as being emotional. We need to make thinking great again and rid ourselves of the insecure employees through a trickle-down framework where over-time those part-time reading arm-chair insecure psychologists are laughed out this company.

Here is the proposal:

Mandatory Reading and Literacy Development

Literacy is foundational to clear communication, comprehension of business materials, and professional development.

• Implement mandatory reading programs for employees and middle management.
• Choose material focused on critical thinking, professional communication, and company-relevant content.
• Host regular discussion sessions to reinforce understanding and application.

Reading and Literacy Assessments

• Introduce non-punitive literacy assessments.
• Use results to inform individual development plans.
• Ensure assessments focus on reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and effective written communication.

It's essential to know the current literacy level across the company to tailor interventions appropriately.

Encourage Logic-Based Dialogue Over Emotionally Reactive Exchanges

Workplace discussions are often dismissed as “emotional” when they are merely emotionally resonant or challenging.

Emotionally triggering topics aren’t inherently emotional—they may still be logical, data-driven, or policy-based.

• Train teams on critical thinking and how to separate the emotional impact of a message from its logical structure.
• Promote a culture where difficult conversations are seen as necessary, not threatening.

Destigmatize Logical Conversations

Some employees may feel that using logic or questioning decisions is confrontational.

• Create guidelines and safe spaces for respectful disagreement.
• Encourage middle managers to model logical discourse without defensiveness.
• Reinforce that challenging ideas is not the same as disrespecting individuals.

Psychological Safety & Respectful Disagreement Framework

To protect the culture of respectful, logic-based communication, we must address the rising tendency to deflect or pathologize others during challenging conversations.

Some employees may feel discomfort when confronted with logic or perspectives that challenge their assumptions. This discomfort should not result in labeling others with derogatory or psychological terms such as “manic”, “schizo” or worse.

Such labels, especially when used during disagreements, do not align with a culture of respect, and are a form of intellectual dismissal.

• All employees must refrain from attributing mental or emotional states to others during discourse.
• Dismissive labeling during logical conversation will be treated as a communication issue and addressed via coaching or performance review.
• Conflict resolution training will include modules on “how to disagree without personalizing” and “recognizing defensiveness in yourself and others".

This company will now practice intellectually honest engagement, even when outcomes don’t favor them. We will now encourage a norm where admitting when one is mistaken is seen as a strength. Feigning ignorance or redirecting blame when presented with clear evidence is counterproductive to team learning and you will be removed from this company in front of all your peers as an act of public shame.

All employees are expected to maintain respectful discourse. Dismissing others’ ideas through derogatory labels, including unfounded psychological or personal attributions, is inconsistent with our values and will be addressed through coaching or corrective action.

Upholding Integrity in the Use of Policies, Procedures, and Authority

A high-trust workplace depends on the honest and consistent application of company policies, procedures, and standards, not selective enforcement or misuse.

• Misrepresenting rules, citing nonexistent procedures, or selectively applying policies for personal gain erodes organizational integrity. All employees, regardless of role, are expected to engage with policies in good faith.
• When challenged, HR must not default to vague or inaccessible procedures to shut down dialogue. Transparency and clarity should be the norm, not the exception.
  = Leaders and middle managers are expected to model fair, honest decision-making, not power retention. Authority should never be used to silence logic, discourage feedback, or override valid concerns without explanation.
• Encourage teams to fact-check interpretations of policies in a non-confrontational way. Build systems where clarification is welcomed, not punished.
• Deliberate misrepresentation of facts, whether to avoid accountability or manipulate outcomes, will be addressed as a performance and integrity issue, not as a matter of disagreement. Any intention gaslight or manipulate reality, even for the companies sake, will result in a 30 minute public shaming session at Rotunda for employees and non-employees alike to attend for a laugh.

“Read It, Pizza Pan!” Rewards Program

Employees earn rewards (like a free pizza, gift card, or lunch with leadership) for completing and reflecting on reading assignments.

• How it works*
• Employees log books or articles they’ve read from an approved list (can include both professional development and broader literature that supports critical thinking or empathy).
• After completing a reading, employees submit a short reflection or participate in a discussion session.
• Upon reaching milestones (e.g., 3 books in a quarter), they receive a “Read It, Pizza Pan” reward (e.g., a voucher, team pizza party, or badge of recognition).

From what I understand, there's a significant issue at Oracle regarding internal promotions and lateral career mobility. It appears that while many companies facilitate and even encourage employees to move to different roles or departments, Oracle's policies seem to create considerable obstacles. This situation is particularly challenging for highly skilled professionals, including those with strong technical or leadership abilities, who may find themselves stalled in their career progression due to difficult managers or internal politics. Their most viable path for advancement would be to transition to a new position within the company, but that option is reportedly quite restricted.

Just got word from my manager. Ekene is going to start tracking us on days we are in office. One of the things I enjoyed about WF was the flexibility. I went my 3 days, sometimes I went 4, sometimes 5 depending on what was going on. Sometimes 8 hrs, sometimes less. Sometimes I'd take a long lunch, sometimes I wouldn't eat lunch. I got my work done and didn't have to be treated like a child.

I saw that a new “business address” was added to my outlook contact card. I will not share what it says but I will say it is an office about 100 miles away from me. My location code still ends in “950” which designated telecommuter but I don’t like this new addition. Wonder what it means. If you type in your location code into sparq or the business address location. it will bring up that office address…

Hospitals no longer accept Humana Medicare Advantage plans in 2025

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8gvJTbIru-Q&pp=0gcJCRsBo7VqN5tD

I plan on quitting in November but I have 3 weeks of earned vacation left. Should I use it all before I quit? Will Ford pay me for the unused portion? What is the best way to handle this?

Notice how empty the office is now? Rules are changing. The whole RTO experiment has run its course. The truth is simple: the office is there if you want it, and home is there if that’s where you do your best work. That’s how it always should have been.

If you thrive around people, head to the office. If you’re more productive and less stressed at home, then stay there. Neither option will be punished. Results matter, not zip codes or badge swipes.

The future isn’t about forcing one size fits all rules, it’s about trusting employees to know where they perform best. No more fear, no more micromanagement. Just do your job well, wherever that may be.

Haven’t been to office since September; received 3 noncompliance emails already.
I guess I’ve made it to their slayer list. Ki$$ my A$$..

So just out of curiosity, if one jumps a PSG will that take into effect in May? Or are you looking at another three years as your current PSG?

And if one jumps from a 20 to a 21 what is used to determine the pay increase?

My apologies I’m still green

Will all RAN National employees need to move to Dallas?

And why aare all Local RAN design teams still heavy in remote locations?

I'm new in the UK org
What is this obsession with days in the big office it seems such a waste of time
Pointless big office and meetings

There seems to be no rhyme or reason in policy and procedure changes in this company. Does anyone have an idea of what departments/how much of Optum's work has been farmed out to private equity firms? Because I feel like that would explain a lot.

The data is reported by VP/SVP, so it’s not entirely anonymous if reporting lines are thin. I’m hoping not to get too candid, and nothing changes anyway, so what’s the point? Suggestions?

Seeing the note that we no longer get to expense our internet and the mobile phone stipend is lowered to $50 a month [for both in all].

What else will be lowered or cut?

Be prepared, “ we are a in-person” company !!!!!!!

I know there's a policy where you are not allowed to work outside of the US. Has anyone tried to do this with like a VPN router + travel router?

I don't know about you but I would be willing to pay for WFH days.

Anyone else?

Not ideal, especially since they already took a week of vacation away from 20+ year managers; but it would be worth it some days.

Perhaps it's a new revenue stream?

It's complete bullsh-t that so many people are still working remote without any monitoring at all. I don't understand why they have been protected.

On Sparq, it looks like the Incentive Program page was updated mid/late August & now there's no mention of merit, only RRP. The downloadable PDF is also new, talks about base salary, incentive opportunities & benefits--and having to exceed established goals. Nothing official has been communicated in team calls, although maybe it was in the latest town halls?

Look out everyone, orgs are now monitoring everyone's AI usage to fit with our glorious leadership's new decrees that we are now an AI-first company. If you aren't shoehorning AI into every part of your daily workflow, you are considered a bad employee and will soon be replaced by someone who is better at kissing a-s and BS'ing about how much they've multiplied their productivity by using the custom cr-p tools from the Copilot suite. Dadlani's posts asking everyone about how AI has improved their work experience are always met by shameless a--kissing from offshore managers about how their team is 3x faster than before and getting head pats for it while level headed managers who are pointing out how AI is not a magic one-size-fits-all panacea to this company's tech debt and other core issues are being completely ignored.

You've been warned, this company's headless leadership pivoting towards AI and making it a priority is not an idle threat. They genuinely believe that if everyone, even the janitors, are not using AI, then they are replaceable. Absolutely clueless and out of touch people forcing managers to choose who to fire based on unrelated criteria to their work.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/home-still-normal-corporate-america-130000068.html

Corporate leaders now openly admit that RTO was about culling staff sans severance. The new trend is ending hybrid to accelerate this. Given what we have experienced in the last year with "performance culture" aka stacked ranking, would anyone be surprised if this was the shoe to drop this fall?

I heard that this is being cut in terms of the discounted rate. Is going to be 5% with some other shenanigans… also heard that PTO can’t be carried over going into 2026… anyone heard the same?

How shady, on one hand they are laying people off and at the same time they are posting Labor Condition Applications for hiring H1B's on the homepage.
Wage offered 121,118 to 175k a year to someone living at blue bird street out in Normal IL

SHAMEFUL,