On October 5, 2017, the New York Times published a story that shifted the entertainment industry and the country: Harvey Weinstein, one of the industry’s most prolific and influential producers for the better part of the previous four decades, allegedly sexually assaulted multiple women, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd, and Angelina Jolie.

The story set off a firestorm in Hollywood and reverberated around the world. People began sharing their own stories of assault and exploitation in the industry. It quickly spread to other industries, as women said, #MeToo. Alleged victims exposed people like actor Kevin Spacey and filmmaker James Toback, and studios were accused of protecting predators.

Nearly eight years later, the effects of the #MeToo movement are still being felt in the world of entertainment and elsewhere, as laws and policies, including the Speak Out Act, have changed and HR has a more active role in production. Despite the progress, experts tell HR Brew that victims of harassment are still afraid to speak out, and employers can do more to create safe workspaces.

For more on the hurdles to progress in Hollywood and how HR is trying to resolve them, keep reading here.—KP

Companies in the UK are holding back on hiring new workers or replacing employees as the country faces an unstable economy, rising costs, and tariffs, the BBC reported.

In May, job vacancies in the UK fell by 63,000 to the lowest rate since March 2021. Meanwhile, unemployment ticked up to 4.6%, and is expected to continue rising. Businesses are trying to offset expenses as they navigate increased taxes, and an uncertain tariff situation with the US, according to the Guardian.

“There continues to be a weakening in the labor market,” said Liz McKeown, director of economic statistics at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in a statement. “Feedback from our vacancies survey suggests some firms may be holding back from recruiting new workers or replacing people when they move on.”

For more on the hiring slowdown in the UK, keep reading here.

When you’re moderating a panel at a conference and the room isn’t even half full, most people would ignore it and proceed as if it were standing room only. But Kimberly Lee Minor, CEO of the Women of Color Retail Alliance, isn’t most people.

“Thank you for joining us today,” began Lee Minor, who was leading a panel about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for the third consecutive year at The Lead Summit in New York recently. “I’m going to just jump in to acknowledge the open seats. So last year we had this conversation, there were maybe five open seats; the year before, people were lined up against the back wall; and as we sit here today, there are more open seats than not.”

Lee Minor promised “a great conversation, whether there’s one person in the room or 100” and urged attendees to share their takeaways with friends and colleagues.

For more on the marked shift with DEI and how it’s affecting one industry, keep reading on Retail Brew.—AAN