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It’s the day after Super Bowl Sunday, otherwise known as National Hangover Day. Because, let’s face iteven if you have zero interest in football and can’t even remember who won the game, if you’re like many Americans, you probably at least went to a watch party. (If for nothing else than for the joy-bringing halftime show led by the one and only Bad Bunny.) But if you’re feeling a little, er, off today. . .you’re far from alone. According to UKG’s annual Super Bowl Absenteeism Survey, an estimated 26.2 million U.S. employees were anticipated to stay home today. That means, that no matter who wins or loses the Super Bowl, the big loser on Super Sick Monday is the workplace. According to Amanda Augustine, resident career expert for TopResume and a Certified Professional Career Coach, per a press release, employers should adjust to the anticipated lower attendance. For many Americans, the Monday after the Super Bowl comes with a real post-game hangover, and I dont just mean from the snacks and cocktails. Its a mix of late nights, disrupted routines, and for some, a case of the post-game blues. Augustine continues, “Instead of forcing employees to power through, employers can get ahead of it by offering simple, creative support, like reminding staff about floating holidays, encouraging half-days for die-hard fans, or even providing small perks like breakfast or coffee to help people ease back into the work week.” When it comes to who rallies and who stays home, there’s a gender divide. New data from TopResume found the men are far more likely to call in “sick” than women. In fact, 9.11% of men said they were already planning to stay home after this years Super Bowl. Only 3.37% of women said they’d take the day to rest.Some age groups are more likely to suck it up and head to the office no matter how many Bud Heavies they housed while screaming at the TV and inhaling chicken wings. Only 13.08% of Gen X and 6.82% of Boomer workers say they have ever called in sick after Super Bowl celebrations. Likewise, only 3.49% of Gen Xers said they planned to do so this year and 1% of Boomer professionals said the same.But when it comes to millennials, the group seems to take more liberties at work, at least when football is involved. More than one-fifth (21.17%) have called in sick after Super Bowl celebrations and 8.64% were planning to take the day off this year. Still, no one is more keen to call out than Gen Z, according to the data. More than one in four Gen Z workers (27.45%) say they have called in sick after Super Bowl Sunday. And 12.42% admit that theyve done so more than once. This year, only 6.54% said they were already planning to stay home in advance. However, 18.3% said their decision would come down to how the night goes, according to the TopResume data. We’re gonna go out on a limb and say there are a lot of people who are lowkey zonked today, working from the couch, or straight up not working. With all of the inevitable Hangover Monday absences happening today from coast to coast, the real question is really: why isn’t today a national holiday already?
Category:
E-Commerce
It’s been a confusing time for people with student loans. Collections restarted, then were put on hold. At the same time, borrowers had to stay on top of changes to key forgiveness plans. Last year, the long-contested SAVE plan introduced by the Biden administration ended with a settlement agreement. President Donald Trumps Big Beautiful Bill introduced new borrowing limits for graduates and raised challenges to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. While several changes for student loan borrowers will take effect this summer, other key questions remain unresolved. More than 5 million Americans were in default on their federal student loans as of September, according to the Education Department. Millions are behind on loan payments and at risk of default this year. Borrowers “genuinely struggle to afford their loans and then to hear that the administration is making it more expensive and taking away some of the tools and resources that help folks afford their loans is really, its panic-inducing, said Winston Berkman-Breen, legal director at Protect Borrowers. Last month, the Education Department announced that it would delay involuntary collections for student loan borrowers in default until the department finalizes its new loan repayment plans. The date for this is still unclear. If youre a student loan borrower, here are some key things to know: If you were enrolled in the SAVE plan The SAVE plan was a repayment plan with some of the most lenient terms ever. Soon after its launch it was challenged in court, leaving millions of student loan borrowers in limbo. Last December, the Education Department announced a settlement agreement to end the SAVE plan. What is next for borrowers who were enrolled in this repayment plan is yet to be determined. Seven and a half million borrowers who are currently enrolled in SAVE need to be moved to another plan, Berkman-Breen said. As part of the agreement, the Education Department says it will not enroll new borrowers, deny pending applications, and will move all current SAVE borrowers into other repayment plans. The Education Department is expected to develop a plan for borrowers to transition from the SAVE plan, yet borrowers should be proactive about enrolling in other repayment plans, said Kate Wood, a lending expert at NerdWallet. If you are looking to enroll in an income-driven repayment plan Borrowers can apply for the following income-driven plans: the Income-Based Repayment Plan, the Pay as You Earn plan, and the Income-Contingent Repayment plan. They all have similar criteria, and they function similarly. Your payment is set as a percentage of your income, not how much you owe, so its usually a lower payment, Berkman-Breen said. The payment amount under income-driven plans is a percentage of your discretionary income, and the percentage varies depending on the plan. Since many people are looking to switch plans, some applications to income-driven repayment plans might take longer to process, said Jill Desjean, director of policy analysis at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. You can find out which repayment plan might work best for you by logging on to the Education Departments loan simulator. If youre working toward your Public Service Loan Forgiveness There are no changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program yet. Last year, the Trump administration announced plans to change the eligibility requirements for participating nonprofits. The policy seeks to disqualify nonprofit workers if their work is deemed to have substantial illegal purpose. The Trump administration said its necessary to block taxpayer money from lawbreakers, while critics say it turns the program into a tool of political retribution. The proposal says illegal activity includes the trafficking or chemical castration of children, illegal immigration, and supporting foreign terrorist organizations. This move could cut off some teachers, doctors, and other public workers from federal loan cancellation. This is something that obviously is very stressful, very nerve-wracking for a lot of people, but given that we dont know exactly how this is going to be enforced, how these terms are going to be defined, its not really something that you can try to plan ahead for now, Wood said. While this policy is currently being challenged by 20 Democrat-led states, its expected to take effect in July. In the meantime, Wood recommends that borrowers enrolled in the PSLF program continue making payments. If your student loans are in default Involuntary collections on federal student loans will remain on hold. The Trump administration announced earlier this month that it is delaying plans to withhold pay from student loan borrowers who default on their payments. Federal student loan borrowers can have their wages garnished and their federal tax refunds withheld if they default on their loans. Borrowers are considered in default when they are at least 270 days behind on payments. If your student loans are in default, you can contact your loan holder to apply for a loan rehabilitation program. They essentially come up with a payment plan where youre making a reduced payment,” Woods. After five successful payments on that rehabilitation plan, wage garnishment will cease. If youre planning to attend graduate school Trumps Big Beautiful Bill has changed the amount graduate students can borrow from federal student loans. Graduate students could previously borrow loans up to the cost of their degree; the new rules cap the amount depending on whether the degree is considered a graduate or a professional program. Wood said that if you’re starting a new program and taking out a loan after July 1, you will be subject to the new loan limits. Under the new plan, students in professional programs would be able to borrow up to $50,000 per year and up to $200,000 in total. Other graduate students, such as those pursuing nursing nd physical therapy, would be limited to $20,500 a year and up to $100,000 total. The Education Department is defining the following fields as professional programs: pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry and theology. If you want to consolidate your loan The online application for loan consolidation is available at studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation. If you have multiple federal student loans, you can combine them into a single loan with a fixed interest rate and a single monthly payment. The consolidation process typically takes around 60 days to complete. You can only consolidate your loans once. ___ The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. Adriana Morga, Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
Whoopi Goldberg has been a household name since she starred in The Color Purple in 1985. Fast forward over 50 years, and she’s still as driven as ever. Goldberg, 70, cohosts daytime talk show The View. In 2024, she founded AWSN, the All Women’s Sports Network. Shes also an author, activist, mother, and grandmother. And, shes also doing it all solo. Goldberg is happily single and has been for decades. She says that will never change. In a recent interview with Interview magazine, Goldberg opened up about her solo life, which she happens to genuinely love. So much, in fact, that she says she plans to stay single because, as she put it, “in the last 25 years, I recognized that not everybody’s cut out to be in a relationship.” She continued, revealing that she doesn’t ever “want to live with anybody,” echoing her 2016 statement to The New York Times when she famously said “I don’t want somebody in my house!” A growing trend While we don’t hear women talking about how glad they are to be single all that often, the tide seems to be turning. More women are deciding to stay single, and studies suggest that trend will continue. A 2019 Morgan Stanley study, based on Census Bureau historical data and Morgan Stanley forecasts, found that 45% of prime working-age women (ages 25-44) will be single by 2030. That’s the largest share in history. That’s why hearing Goldberg’s perspective, and witnessing her joy and continued drive, is refreshing. It’s also more relevant than ever as some women feel unbothered by not being in a relationship, regardless of the fact that society has long pushed women toward marriage and motherhood. Are single women more ambitious? Surely there are plenty of ambitious people in long-term relationships that manage to balance both. However, Goldberg’s view that that doesn’t work for her, is important to hear. Because, quite simply, no matter what lens you’re looking from, relationships are work, tooand sometimes, they can steal your energy and your ambition. Likewise, some research has shown that those single women are powerful forces at work. A 2023 Wells Fargo study found that women who aren’t married are becoming an increasingly influential part of the workforce.Despite not living with a partner, Goldberg isn’t lonely, she says. Perhaps because she keeps astoundingly busy. “Im not good at [romantic] relationships because you have to think about other people, and I have enough to think about with my daughter and her husband and my grandkids and my great-grandkids and all the people at work.” Some might call it selfish. But, as Goldberg put it way back in 2016, she’s simply “a woman who knows what she wants.” What she wants just happens to be “a home all to her damn self.”
Category:
E-Commerce
Valentine’s Day is known as the day to celebrate all things loveand also a day for expensive dates. However, a new offering from one of your favorite fast food chains may have you skipping the white table cloths and snagging something from McDonald’s instead. McDonald’s is serving up caviar this Valentine’s Day. But there’s a catch. In a Feb. 2 announcement, the chain explained what the latest offering entails. “To be known is to be loved, and we know our fans love pairing our crispy Chicken McNuggets with their favorite caviar,” it said. “Inspired by this perfect match, were dropping our first-ever McNugget Caviar kits featuring premium Baerii Sturgeon caviar on Feb. 10 After all, nothing says ILY quite like a limited drop from McDonalds just in time for your Valentines Day plans.” [Photo: McDonald’s] McDonald’s has partnered with Paramount Caviar to bring customers the offering free of charge. “Each kit includes everything you need for an upscale yet effortless celebration: a 1oz tin of McNugget Caviar, $25 Arch Card for plenty of Chicken McNuggets, plus crme fraīche and a Mother of Pearl caviar spoon to top it all off,” it said. It’s been a tough time for fast food joints, but McDonald’s has managed to stay ahead of competitors, in part, due to meal deals, budget offerings, and nostalgic throwbacks. Plus, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen McDonald’s test out an offbeat partnership. The chain previously linked up with Krispy Kreme donuts, but dissolved the collaboration last year, citing profitability issues. While it would be nice to grab the offering at your local McDonald’s restaurant, unfortunately, you won’t be able to snack on caviar at the Golden Arches. The offering is only available online at McNuggetCaviar.com. The deal starts Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. EST, so if you’re hoping to get your caviar kit for Valentine’s Day, you better hurry up and place your order. According to the announcement, kits are limited. If caviar isn’t exactly your jam, that’s okay. McDonald’s says they’ll be providing customers with plenty of other ways to celebrate the day of love, but you’ll have to follow along on their socials to keep up.
Category:
E-Commerce
A trial focused on the dangers of child sexual exploitation on social media and whether Meta misrepresented the safety of its platforms is set to start in New Mexico with opening statements Monday.It’s the first stand-alone trial from state prosecutors in a stream of lawsuits against major social media companies, including Meta, over harm to children, and one that is likely to highlight explicit online content and its effects.New Mexico Attorney General Raśl Torrez sued Meta in 2023. His team built the case by posing as kids through social media accounts, then documenting the arrival of sexual solicitations as well as the response by Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.Prosecutors say they’ll provide evidence and testimony that Meta’s algorithms and account features enticed and addicted young people to social media, while also creating a “breeding ground” for predators who target children for sexual exploitation. Prosecutors allege Meta failed to disclose what it knew about those harmful effects, in violation of state consumer protection laws. Meta also is accused of creating a public nuisance.“Meta knowingly exposes children to the twin dangers of sexual exploitation and mental health harm,” the lawsuit states. “Meta’s motive for doing so is profit.”Meta denies any legal violations and says prosecutors are cherry-picking evidence to make sensationalist arguments. On Sunday, Meta called the state’s investigation “ethically compromised” in its use of child photos on proxy accounts, delays in reporting child sexual abuse material and the disposal of data from devices used in the investigation, in social media posts on X by company spokesperson Andy Stone.The company says lawsuits are attempting to place the blame for teen mental health struggles on social media companies in a way that oversimplifies matters. Meta says it has a longstanding commitment to supporting young people, highlighting a steady addition of account settings and tools including safety features that give teens more information about the person they’re chatting with and content restrictions based on PG-13 movie ratings.“For over a decade, we’ve listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted in-depth research to understand the issues that matter most,” the company said in a statement. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made.”It’s unclear whether Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify at trial. New Mexico limits the ability to compel out-of-state witnesses to testify in person, while prosecutors can present testimony by Zuckerberg from a deposition.Personal opinions of Zuckerberg and evolving attitudes toward social media loomed over jury selection from a pool of more than 200 residents of Santa Fe County, including several educators, young adults who grew up with social media and others who never signed up.“Quite frankly, he’s the tech bro making money off of all of us,” one person said of Zuckerberg.An attorney for the state warned that there would be “very sensitive and very explicit material discussed in terms of safety to children” during the trial.More than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, claiming it is deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms. The majority filed their lawsuits in federal court, and New Mexico’s case against Meta is the first to reach trial.Opening statements have been postponed in a bellwether trial underway in California against social video companies, including Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube, that focuses on a 19-year-old who claims her use of social media from an early age addicted her to technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. TikTok and Snapchat parent company Snap Inc. settled claims in the case.Torrez, a Democrat seeking reelection this year to a second term, has urged Meta to implement more effective age verification and remove bad actors from its platform. He’s also seeking changes to algorithms that can serve up harmful material and criticizing end-to-end privacy encryption that can prevent the monitoring of communications with children for safety. Morgan Lee, Associated Press
Category:
E-Commerce
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