Return-To-Office Mandates Are Costing Workers $55 A Day
A 2025 analysis found that return-to-office mandates effectively reduce workers' take-home pay.
Returning to the office is costing millions of workers time and money.
A new commentary published by The Hill and featured on The Washington Post’s Ripple platform argues that return-to-office (RTO) mandates force employees to take an indirect pay cut because they must pay for commuting, parking, meals, and other office-related expenses.
According to the analysis by workplace expert Gleb Tsipursky, “Office days now cost the average worker about $55 in out-of-pocket spending on commuting, parking, coffee and lunch,” he said, citing recent Owl Labs research. The report also found the average one-way commute now takes 31 minutes, adding both financial strain and time costs to employees’ workdays. As a result, he argues that requiring employees to return to the office without additional compensation amounts to a reduction in the overall value of their jobs.
“Tell a salaried employee to come back three or four days a week, and you have quietly lowered his or her take-home value,” he wrote.
Based on Owl Labs’ findings, a typical day in the office costs roughly $15 for commuting, $9 for parking, $13 for breakfast or coffee, and $18 for lunch. Meanwhile, IRS and AAA estimates suggest driving costs have continued to climb, making in-person work even more expensive for employees.
Parents and caregivers, however, may feel the impact even more. Sixty-eight percent of working parents surveyed by Owl Labs said caregiving responsibilities can affect their job performance, whereas flexible work arrangements help them better manage those demands.
The data also suggests that many workers view workplace flexibility as part of their overall compensation package. As more employers scale back remote work options, some employees say they would begin searching for new jobs or expect higher salaries to offset the added costs of commuting. According to Tsipursky, employers who want workers back in the office should recognize the financial burden that comes with those policies.
“Return-to-office is a compensation decision that hits wallets first and morale soon after,” he wrote. “If leaders want people in seats, the fair move is simple: cover the costs or raise the pay.”
Alma Mater Secures Star-Studded Athlete Investor Group Ahead of New Funding Round
Pros from the NFL, MLB, NHL, and golf back the footwear brand's proprietary 3PE Technology to disrupt the golf shoe market.
Alma Mater, a golf footwear startup, announced a new group of high-profile athlete investors on July 6, highlighting its growth as it prepares for its next fundraising round. The company plans to raise $8 million, backed by several athlete investors, and is in talks with lead investment firms.
The investor group includes NFL players Jordan Poyer and Levi Wallace, MLB veterans Kevin Millar and Jackie Bradley Jr., NHL legends Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin, and professional golfers Taylor Montgomery and Natasha Oon. Additional investors are TV host and Olympic gold medalist Victoria Arlen, former MLB players Jed Lowrie and Chris Young, and NBA broadcaster Mike Smith.
Founded by industry veterans Nathan Brown and Laura Chen, who held leadership roles at Nike and FootJoy, the company draws on over 25 years of combined experience at major footwear brands. Brown was director of Product at Nike Golf, and Chen was senior design Lead at FootJoy. Together, they aim to transform the golf shoe market, traditionally divided between performance cleats and casual spikeless designs. This shapes the brand’s strategy.
“We build with the people who got us here,” said Nathan Brown, CEO of Alma Mater, in a statement. “This group didn’t sign on for a check. They invested because they’ve worn the shoe, they know what we’re doing differently, and they want to be part of building something that gives golf what it deserves.”
The brand’s flagship product, the Beta, features a proprietary three-piece platform called “3PE Technology.” Rather than adapting traditional cleat designs, the team used a nitrogen-infused foam midsole common in ultra-marathon running and combined it with a perimeter exoskeleton for lateral stability during the golf swing. The outsole lugs were developed with a gravel bike tire manufacturer to maximize traction without spikes.
This strategy is gaining recognition in the golf industry. The Beta model was included in Golf Digest’s advanced list for Best Men’s Golf Shoes of 2026, an early-preview feature spotlighting promising products based on initial performance feedback and sector insights. The selection process draws on prototypes and early-access reviews by the publication’s gear-testing panel. MyGolfSpy also recognized the Beta at the PGA Merchandise Show.
For athlete-investors such as Montgomery, a PGA Tour professional, the product tackles golf’s long-standing footwear challenge: balancing rotational grip on the tee box with comfort during an 18-hole walk. This harmony is central to its appeal.
This announcement arrives as Alma Mater prepares to launch its next fundraising round to scale production. The company offers its Beta Longwing and Beta Lite models through select retailers and its e-commerce site. In the past 12 months, Alma Mater sold more than 25,000 pairs across the United States and Europe, with retail partnerships including Golf Galaxy and Trendy Golf. Online sales grew 60% quarter over quarter, signaling strong demand and expanding market reach.
Dr. Maxine Bennett-Marsh, a clinician, CEO, community advocate, and visionary leader, is also now the founder of Orion Medical Network LLC, the newest Black-owned medical staffing agency in Maryland. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held earlier this month at the new location, 11302 Crossroad Trail, Brandywine, Maryland, marking a significant milestone for Southern Prince George’s County and the greater Maryland healthcare community.
A Staffing Agency That Covers All Bases
Orion Medical Network LLC is committed to empowering care through exceptional staffing and specializes in the placement of Registered Nurses and Allied Health Professionals at hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. As an NLC-affiliated organization, Orion Medical Network is uniquely positioned to deploy qualified healthcare professionals across more than 40 states, offering healthcare facilities the flexibility and reliability they need to maintain excellent patient outcomes.
“We are excited to open our doors and begin serving the healthcare facilities and professionals in our region and beyond,” said Dr. Bennett-Marsh. “Our goal is to be a trusted partner — connecting exceptional healthcare talent with the organizations that need them most, and doing so with excellence in every shift.”
Community leaders, healthcare partners, and members of the public attended the grand opening celebration and helped to make it a huge success.
Who is Dr. Maxine Bennett-Marsh?
Dr. Maxine Bennett-Marsh, DNP, built her career on a commitment to improving healthcare and serving underserved communities. After earning recognition for academic excellence through induction into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, she organized community health fairs in Baltimore, Maryland, and received multiple Maryland State Proclamations for expanding access to healthcare and mental health resources. Her work has also been featured in CEO Weekly, New York Weekly, and on a Times Square billboard promoting her upcoming book on hypertension management.
In 2019, she received the Champion of Health Award for her leadership and advocacy. She later founded Orion Medical Network, LLC, a Maryland-based healthcare staffing and workforce development company focused on strengthening healthcare systems and supporting clinicians. The company officially launched with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in June 2026 and now serves multiple states, reflecting its ongoing mission to improve access to high-quality care.
Learn more about Orion Medical Network
Orion Medical Network LLC is a Maryland-based medical staffing agency specializing in the placement of Registered Nurses and Allied Health Professionals with hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities. As an NLC-affiliated agency, it deploys qualified professionals across 40+ states. Guided by the mission of Excellence in Every Shift, the agency is committed to connecting exceptional healthcare talent with the organizations that need them most. Learn more at OrionMedicalPros.net.
Jalen Hurts And Arik Armstead Redefine Wealth For Black America
NFL stars avoid lifestyle inflation, demonstrating that disciplined saving can create financial empowerment.
In an era when professional sports culture glorifies immediate spending on mansions and exotic cars, elite athletes Jalen Hurts and Arik Armstead follow a different playbook. By prioritizing aggressive saving and asset preservation, they provide a clear blueprint for financial empowerment in the African American community.
“Hurts protected the gap between what he earned and what he spent, and this is what builds wealth,” Ben Batiste, owner of Crestmark Wealth Group, said in an interview with Moneywise. Batiste noted Hurts avoided lifestyle inflation by driving a paid-off used car and moving to a modest lease instead of buying depreciating luxury vehicles.
Similarly, defensive lineman Arik Armstead, who entered the NFL as a first-round draft pick with a $9 million guaranteed contract, drove his mother’s Toyota Camry during his rookie year. On the Money and Wealth podcast hosted by Operation HOPE Founder John Hope Bryant, Armstead said his main goal was to save $5 million before making major luxury purchases.
“Just because you can buy something doesn’t mean you can afford it long term,” Armstead said on the podcast. He followed a strict rule: pick only one indulgence instead of funding multiple expensive habits like luxury cars, jewelry, and bottle service at once.
This conservative method challenges systemic wealth inequalities. The African American community has faced obstacles to building generational wealth. Hurts and Armstead show wealth accumulation depends more on the percentage of income saved than on total earnings.
John Hope Bryant highlighted Armstead’s strategy, noting a 5% return on $5 million produces $250,000 in annual passive income without reducing the principal. He explained this principle applies at any income level: set a baseline target for passive income to secure your financial future.
These examples translate into practical daily habits. Financial experts recommend pausing before spontaneous purchases and curating social media feeds to avoid lifestyle comparisons as steps toward financial empowerment.
“Delayed gratification is a learned skill, not a personality trait,” Jared Porter, co-founder at 401GO, told Moneywise. “The more you practice resisting the immediate purchase, the easier it becomes to see how saving now protects your future self.”
In addition to automated savings, both athletes stress self-education. Armstead spent his offseason studying venture capital at Columbia University to better understand tech investing and overcome barriers from complex terminology. Hurts prioritized hiring trusted financial advisors and supporting his sister’s college education. When selecting an advisor, experts recommend choosing professionals with recognized credentials, such as Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and seeking transparency in fees. It is also important to select someone who acts as a fiduciary and clearly understands investment strategies to ensure their advice aligns with your goals.
By making saving their top priority, Hurts and Armstead show that financial empowerment requires a defensive strategy, ongoing education, and a conscious rejection of short-term status symbols.
From The Gridiron To The Operating Room: Dr. Myron Rolle Joins NFLPA To Lead Brain Health Programs
The former NFL safety and pediatric neurosurgeon will serve as a medical advisor focused on player safety and health.
Dr. Myron L. Rolle, former NFL safety and pediatric neurosurgeon, has joined the NFL as a strategic advisor on player health, brain safety, and preventive care, according to a June 6 news release.
In this role, Rolle will contribute his medical expertise to the union’s Mackey-White Health and Safety Committee. He will guide policies on brain health, cognitive performance, and mental healthcare for active and retired players. He will spearhead new concussion baseline testing protocols, expand mental health screening programs, and lead education initiatives to improve early detection of cognitive issues among players.
Rolle’s appointment is a significant milestone for the African American sports and business community. Black athletes make up about 60% of NFL rosters but have faced long-term health risks from concussions and brain injuries without proportional representation in medical decision-making.
A former Rhodes Scholar and Tennessee Titans player, Rolle combines elite athletic experience with medical expertise.
“As a former player who now treats complex neurological conditions, Dr. Rolle brings a rare combination of lived experience, medical authority, and a deep commitment to service,” NFLPA medical director Thom Mayer said in the statement. “He understands both the demands of the game and the science required to safeguard those who play it.”
Rolle described the appointment as a full-circle moment for his family, stressing the sport’s impact on his life and on that of his older brothers.
“This sport gave my family joy, discipline, and community,” Rolle said. “To return now, as a physician, researcher, and former player, and contribute to the well-being of the men who make this game what it is, feels deeply meaningful.”
The NFLPA represents over 2,000 players in North America’s most profitable sports league. With the collective bargaining agreement in place through 2030, protecting player health remains a key priority. Rolle’s expertise, shaped by on-field experience, strengthens the union’s commitment to player safety. His appointment is expected to accelerate the development of more rigorous concussion protocols, improve early identification of cognitive issues, and expand access to psychological health support.
These initiatives have the potential to set new industry standards for athlete health management, not only within the NFL but across other professional sports organizations. For example, similar efforts by the National Hockey League (NHL) to address concussion risks led to league-wide protocol reforms and increased scrutiny of player safety measures. By advancing player safety protocols and emphasizing comprehensive brain health, the NFLPA’s efforts may similarly contribute to long-term cultural and policy shifts within the sport. This would encourage greater accountability and awareness of the risks associated with repetitive head trauma. Ultimately, such changes could improve health outcomes for current and future generations of athletes.
CBA analysis shows how banks respond to consumer credit performance and market conditions.
* Editor’s Note: The following analysis is provided by Consumers Bankers Association.
Key Findings
Credit line management is an essential tool issuers can use to provide access to credit on a credit card while managing risk and customer delinquencies.
Data show how banks increased credit lines in response to better consumer debt performance following pandemic stimulus and pauses on other payments.
Data also show how banks initially reduced credit limits in the immediate response to the pandemic’s brief recession and then again in response to deteriorating credit performance in the post-COVID inflationary period.
These changes in available credit lines align with overall better credit card payment rates and payment behaviors over the same period.
Credit Line Management as a Tool to Manage Risk and Consumer Debt Performance.
Credit cards play an important role in helping households manage everyday expenses, unexpected costs, and temporary cash flow needs. At the same time, banks must carefully manage risk to ensure that consumers receive credit they can reasonably repay.
To achieve this balance, banks use a variety of tools, including:
Setting or adjusting underwriting standards for new account applications.
Pricing credit based on risk—mainly through annual percentage rates (APRs).
Setting or adjusting credit limits at account opening or after when appropriate.
While application approvals and APRs get a lot of the attention, the management of credit lines plays an important role as well. It allows card issuers to expand access while mitigating the potential loss from delinquencies. For example, a customer with a lower credit score may be able to be approved for a lower credit limit, gaining access to the liquidity they need without being over-exposed.
Credit line management is a useful tool because, unlike application underwriting, it allows an issuer to adapt over time with a cardholder. After the customer is approved, issuers can increase a customer’s credit limit, and therefore the customer’s access to credit, as the issuer learns more about the customer’s repayment history and ability to make payments (As a customer displays a greater ability to make payments and manage their balances, for instance if the customer gets a higher-paying job or pays down other debts, issuers can expand access.)
This same process can also work in reverse. When a customer shows signs of trouble making payments, a credit card issuer can reduce a customer’s credit card limit, decreasing the amount of debt they can take on. Credit line increases generally occur more often than decreases, helping explain the general upward trend in credit limits.
The number of credit line decreases in the market is often impacted by greater macroeconomic uncertainty or turmoil. Credit line changes are also more common for consumers with the highest and lowest utilization rates. For high utilization customers (those who use up most or all of their credit line in a given month), a decrease allows the issuer to prevent a customer from getting over-extended, mitigating the severity of a possible delinquency. For customers with low utilization or credit lines that are often inactive, it’s a chance to limit future exposure.
The COVID pandemic as a real-world example.
To see how this all works, let’s look at a recent example in the real world. During the early days of the pandemic, banks faced heavy uncertainty. The possibility of widespread unemployment and economic disturbances led to a more cautious approach to extending credit to consumers.
As the economy stabilized, however, the picture quickly changed. Government stimulus payments, enhanced unemployment benefits, and reduced consumer spending helped many households improve their financial position. Delinquencies declined, payment performance improved, and consumers paid down credit card balances. The government stimulus not only helped improve consumers’ financial health; it was a part of a concerted effort to boost the economy and avoid a prolonged recession.
What did this mean for issuers’ credit line management? The chart below helps tell the story using data from the CFPB’s 2025 CARD Act report (See Figure 1 below). It shows credit line increases falling drastically at the start of the pandemic, when uncertainty was high and the economy experienced a brief recession (shaded chart area). It also shows credit line decreases climb as issuers pulled back the amount of credit people could take on. The net result was the first overall reduction in credit card limits in nearly ten years.[v]However, credit line management is about balance. While credit limits may have been restricted, overall access to credit remained intact with credit card spending representing over a fifth of GDP as consumers used credit cards to bridge turbulent macroeconomic conditions and drive the post-COVID economic recovery.
After the initial lockdown period and recession, credit line management activity began to return to pre-pandemic levels until inflation began to increase substantially, putting pressure on consumers and their ability to meet debt payments. Accordingly, credit line increases start to decline, and decreases climb again from early 2022 through 2024 as inflation peaked at nine percent, delinquencies on credit cards reached 3.36 percent, and issuers began to tighten access to credit to limit exposure to risk.[vii]This is especially true for the riskiest borrowers (subprime and near prime) who experienced a much higher rate of credit line decreases over this period compared to other cardholders (see Figure 2 below).
At the same time, the management of credit lines during this period seems to have been a factor in improving credit card payment rates and behavior. Using data from the latest CFPB CARD Act Report, Figures 3 and 4 below show payment rates and the percent of accounts paying their full balance dipped but remained above pre-COVID levels as issuers managed credit lines in response to higher inflation and delinquencies.
The Bottom Line
Credit line management is an important tool issuers use to balance two important goals: providing consumers with access to liquidity while promoting sustainable borrowing and managing risk. The data show that credit line decisions respond to changing economic conditions and consumer financial performance. During periods of economic strength and improving repayment behavior, issuers expand access to credit. When signs of financial stress emerge, they may slow line increases or, in limited cases, reduce exposure though line decreases to help mitigate losses and prevent consumers from becoming overextended. Together, these patterns demonstrate how credit line management serves as a dynamic tool that helps maintain access to credit across changing economic environments.
Atlanta Woman Sues Airbnb, After Alleged Denial To Rent In ‘Peaceful White Neighborhood’
The listing described the location as a "peaceful white neighborhood."
A Georgia woman is suing Airbnb, an Atlanta property owner, and two people identified as a host and co-host, alleging she was denied the opportunity to rent a home because she is Black after revealing information that identified her race during the booking process,WSBTV Atlanta reports.
The lawsuit stems from an attempted reservation in 2024 for a property on Manhasset Drive in Dunwoody. According to the complaint, Sharonda Stewart was searching for temporary housing in metro Atlanta after relocating when Airbnb prompted her to introduce herself to the property’s host before her reservation could be approved.
Stewart said she described herself as a businesswoman, explained the purpose of her stay, and included the name of her company, whose logo depicts a Black woman. She alleges that the host never responded to her booking request or to her subsequent follow-up message, thereby allowing the reservation window to expire.
Afterward, Stewart said she returned to the listing and noticed language describing the surrounding area as a “peaceful white neighborhood.” According to the lawsuit, that description, combined with the unanswered booking request, led Stewart to believe she had been denied lodging because of her race.
Civil rights attorney Bataski Bailey, who represents Stewart, said the listing raises concerns about unlawful discrimination.
“You can’t describe something as peaceful and white and then act in a way that signifies you intend to keep it that way,” Bailey said.
Airbnb said it has since removed the host from its platform. “Discrimination has no place on Airbnb, and we removed the host from the platform,” the company said in a statement provided to the outlet.
The lawsuit also alleges Airbnb failed to promptly remove the listing after Stewart’s legal team notified the company. Bailey said attorneys sent a demand letter requesting an investigation, but the advertisement allegedly remained online for months afterward.
A person who answered a phone number associated with property owner George Shihfang denied knowledge of the allegations and told WSB-TV the property had never been listed on Airbnb.
Bailey said his legal team plans to seek subpoenas to identify everyone responsible for creating and managing the listing, which allegedly used pseudonyms, and intends to pursue the case before a jury. Stewart said she hopes the lawsuit will help prevent similar incidents from happening to other travelers.
July 10 marks some pretty remarkable moments in American history.
July 10 marks some pretty remarkable moments in American history. The first is the birth of David Dinkins, New York City’s first Black mayor, in 1927. Dinkins was a visionary and catalyst for cleaning up NYC. Amid decline and mayhem, Dinkins imagined the city as we now know it today.
Meanwhile, in 1972, Shirley Chisholm did the unimaginable. Chisholm became the first Black presidential candidate in a major party after becoming the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968.
Atlanta Leads U.S. In Debt Collection Complaints, New Study Finds
The study found that Georgia also ranked first among all states for debt collection complaints on a per-capita basis.
Metro Atlanta recorded the nation’s highest rate of debt collection complaints in 2025, according to Federal Trade Commission data released on July 8, underscoring a sharp increase in consumer reports tied to collection activity nationwide, CBS News reports.
The study also found that Georgia ranked first among all states for debt collection complaints on a per-capita basis. Nationally, consumers submitted more than 471,000 debt collection complaints to the FTC during 2025, more than twice the number filed in 2024.
Researchers said the increase reflects several factors, including growing consumer debt burdens, more aggressive collection efforts, and heightened awareness of the FTC’s complaint reporting process.
While debt collectors were the subject of many complaints, the report noted that not every case involved a legitimate collection agency. Some consumers said they did not believe they owed the alleged debt, while others suspected they were targeted by fraudulent callers posing as collectors.
Nearly one-half of all complaints filed in 2025 alleged abusive, threatening, or harassing behavior, according to the analysis.
Behind Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Louisiana posted the highest rates of complaints after population adjustments. Every state recorded an increase over 2024, with several experiencing triple-digit percentage growth.
On the metropolitan level, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Memphis joined Atlanta among the highest-ranking cities for complaints per capita. Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, New York, and Miami generated the greatest overall volume of FTC debt-collection complaints.
The report also identified adults ages 30 to 39 as the demographic that filed the largest share of complaints during 2025. Consumers aged 40 to 49 ranked second, followed by those aged 20 to 29.
Researchers said many people in those age groups are simultaneously managing mortgages, vehicle loans, student debt, and other financial obligations.
Consumer advocates encourage anyone contacted by a debt collector to request written verification before making a payment, avoid sharing personal or banking information until the debt has been verified, understand their rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, report abusive or suspicious collection practices to the FTC, and use available call-blocking or spam-filtering technology to reduce unwanted calls.
