The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released its annual State of the Workplace report on Feb. 4, and while some numbers signal some DEI rollbacks, it seems LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts remain widespread.

HRC released its first Corporate Equality Index (CEI) in 2002 to provide a framework for how businesses can build more inclusive workplaces. While 1,450 businesses participated in the latest index, roughly the same as the previous report, there was a 65% decrease in participation from Fortune 500 companies.

Regardless, 108 Fortune 500 businesses still achieved a score of 100 on the 2026 index. The report cautioned that the decrease in participation does not necessarily mean that employers have eliminated LGBTQ+-inclusive policies. Instead, it may indicate that companies have bent to pressure from the far right to abandon some DEI programming, including external benchmarking programs.

For more on HRC’s findings, keep reading here.—KP

The Department of Labor (DOL) recently released a guide intended for employers and educators who are engaged in AI training with workers and students.

The framework, which was published on Feb. 13, is meant to “help accelerate effective AI skill development across the country,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement. The DOL said it considered input from stakeholders including employers to develop the framework, and would continue to develop it as AI capabilities improve and the labor market evolves.

There are five areas of AI literacy the DOL considers to be “foundational,” including using the technology responsibly, exploring AI use cases, and assessing AI outputs for accuracy and relevance. Additionally, the DOL suggested employers and educators consider seven principles when addressing AI literacy at their organizations.

For more on the Trump administration’s approach to AI literacy, keep reading here.—CV

An ongoing University of California, Berkeley study embedded researchers in a US tech company to look at their AI use. Yesterday, they announced a striking finding: AI didn't lighten workloads—it "intensified" them, making people work faster, take on more tasks, and blur the line between work and everything else.

It's a pattern we’ve seen before: When technology makes effort cheaper, we don't do less of it—we end up doing more.

For more on why AI isn’t reducing workloads, keep reading on Tech Brew.—WK

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