This story first appeared in IRN yesterday, but Anne-Marie Walsh reports in today's Indo that employers are "pushing back against unofficial “hushed hybrid” working deals between managers and workers." 

Based on a CIPD survey, the Indo piece refers back to last week's dispute in the Civil Service. "Hushed hybrid" (news editors are going to love that phrase) refers to instances where local managers agree to hybrid working that may not be in line with company policy. In the meantime, if you have access to this week's IRN, I recommend Andy Prendergast's analysis of last week's dispute.

Elsewhere, new CSO data shows that workers in Dublin had the highest levels of disposable income in the State in 2023, and doubts emerge about the Government's actual majority, while an order nuns has been ordered to pay a former manager more than €70,000 after making false accusations about her remote work and annual leave arrangements. 

In other IR news, Galway City Council has been ordered to pay €25,000 compensation to an employee over what a WRC official described as “one of the worst cases of bullying I have seen.” 

This week the world's richest man - a delusional self-styled ubermensch, white supremacist cheerleader and odious new overlord of the US Treasury - is busy cutting off funding to the poorest and most vulnerable people on earth. What an absolute dose. He also seems to have triggered a 59% decline in European sales of Tesla electric vehicles (now known as Swasticars), compared with the same month last year.

Zen 

And if you've ever wondered how to write a hit song in the style of Taylor Swift, musician Charlene Kaye has all you need to know.

Have a lovely weekend.

Niall Shanahan