Even if we don’t agree on a political candidate, we can certainly agree that over the years — and the last months especially — things have become increasingly divisive, polarized, and sometimes even combative in political discussions. We’ve experienced this with friends, family, and colleagues. A new Gartner survey of U.S. workers found 6 in 10 were distracted by the election. In addition, 22% reported the election has had a big impact on their ability to do their jobs, and 43% have found it challenging to work with a colleague who holds different political opinions. In a study by Zety, 83.3% of people reported they have talked about politics at work. In addition, 22.1% have felt disrespected by co-workers due to their political beliefs and 37.5% felt uncomfortable at work because of political discussions. Clearly, a significant proportion of people are experiencing some spillover from politics into their work. Forbes
Voters have approved ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana in Arizona and New Jersey, and both recreational and medical use in South Dakota, CNN projects. South Dakota will be the first state ever to approve medical and recreational marijuana measures at the same time. Results have not yet been determined for Montana’s ballot questions on recreational marijuana and Mississippi’s medical marijuana measures. After voters approve the measures, he said, the state legislatures normally would need to set up regulatory structures within each state. Currently, 11 states have legalized full, adult marijuana use. CNN
Uber, Lyft, and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services spent $200 million in a winning bet to circumvent California lawmakers and the courts to preserve their business model by keeping drivers from becoming employees eligible for benefits and job protections. The titans of the so-called gig economy bankrolled the most expensive ballot measure in state history, which was decided Tuesday with 58% of more than 11 million voters choosing to keep drivers classified as independent contractors able to set their own hours, according to an Associated Press election tally. The outcome was a defeat for labor unions that had pushed for a state law aimed directly at Uber and Lyft, mandating that they provide drivers with protections like minimum wage, overtime, health insurance, and reimbursement for expenses. CBS News
Since 2014, the state of Colorado has tried repeatedly — and unsuccessfully — to pass paid family leave legislation. Amid the pandemic, advocates pushed to get it on the ballot instead, to give voters a chance to weigh in. On Tuesday, Colorado residents cast their vote for Proposition 118, securing one of the most expansive paid family leave programs in the country. Under the new program, Colorado residents will be entitled to 12 weeks of paid leave if they need to take care of a sick loved one, recover from an illness, or tend to a new child. Family members of active-duty military personnel and victims of domestic violence or sexual assault are also covered by the program. Those who are pregnant or face childbirth complications will be eligible for an additional four weeks of paid leave. When the program fully takes effect in 2024, workers could receive up to 90% of their weekly pay, albeit no more than $1,100 per week. Fast Company
Florida voters approved an amendment Tuesday to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour over the coming years. The state’s voters approved the minimum wage ballot initiative, Amendment 2, by just over 61%, according to the Associated Press. The initiative will amend the state’s constitution to enshrine minimum wage increases that will scale up to $15 by 2026, up from $8.56 an hour now. Florida joins just seven other states in the process of raising their minimum wages to $15 an hour. And it’s the first state to raise the minimum wage to as high as $15 an hour via ballot measure. The federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 an hour. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden also supports a $15 minimum wage, while President Trump has said he believed the issue should be left up to states to decide. Washington Post
