WO Digest: U.S. restricts green-card pathway for major tech firms; AI data center boom drives skilled trades pay; Workday, Eightfold lawsuits test vendor liability

The WO Digest: Tuesday, October 13, 2026

• The U.S. suspended PERM green-card processing for Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL, and Capgemini, citing fraud. Labor Secretary Sonderling said the seven companies sought nearly 3 million foreign workers since 2009. NASSCOM shrugged it off; Microsoft denied abuse.
• Data center expansion is intensifying the shortage of skilled construction workers, with electricians on some projects earning up to $200,000 annually. Meanwhile, software provider Esker’s AI token costs ran four times over budget, highlighting the need for companies to account for rising AI usage in expense planning.
• Two major lawsuits test whether companies that sell AI hiring tools can be held liable for discrimination. In Mobley v. Workday, a federal court allowed age discrimination claims to proceed, rejecting Workday's argument that clients bear sole responsibility. In Kistler v. Eightfold, applicants allege the platform secretly scored them without required FCRA disclosures. Both cases are ongoing, but the message for HR buyers is clear: vendor liability is no longer theoretical.
• H-1B fee uncertainty complicates workforce planning. The $100,000 fee for certain new H-1B workers was extended through September 2027 but is blocked by a court order; USCIS is not collecting it. A separate DHS proposal for a ~$103,000 fee adds another layer of uncertainty for employers hiring skilled international talent.
• Tech job postings have rebounded, and demand for AI skills is climbing. But many candidates still don't feel the recovery: only about one in seven tech professionals said they felt good about the job market. Drawing on the company's job-posting analysis and original research among U.S. tech professionals, Dice's report explores the gap between hiring demand and candidate experience, how AI is reshaping qualifications, and what it means for employers and staffing firms.
• HR Tech funding hit $565 million across 19 disclosed deals in September, with more than half coming from three rounds: HiBob's $166 million investment (led by Salesforce), Thatch's $108 million Series C at a $1 billion valuation, and Metaview's $60 million Series C. September follows a second quarter in which HR tech funding dropped to $657 million, down from $1.3 billion in Q1. Common thread: AI is moving deeper into the stack.
• Leading analyst firms point to modest staffing growth in 2027, alongside rising compliance demands. SIA forecasts U.S. staffing revenue growth of 2.4% in 2026 and 2.2% in 2027. Industrial staffing is leading, while healthcare shows signs of stabilization. AI adoption, hiring regulations, worker classification and pay transparency add to agencies’ challenges. Explore our full newsfeed at workforceobserver.com and share with your team! It's fact-filled, focused and free! WO Digest is a free, weekly newsletter, delivering a round up of top stories and covering important insights into the world of work.