WIRTW #800: the ‘world cup’ edition

By Jesse Beatson on June 5, 2026

The World Cup kicks off on June 11, and plenty of matches will be played during the workday. (June 17, I’m looking at you. Portugal vs. DR Congo starts at 1 p.m. ET, followed by England vs. Croatia just three hours later.)

So what’s an employer of football-loving employees to do?

Nick Mohammed, of Ted Lasso fame, has a suggestion. He’s released a tongue-in-cheek video called Fight for Your Right to Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Work.

I’m not suggesting employees spend the next six weeks with one eye on their work and the other on a World Cup stream.

Then again, I’m not exactly suggesting they don’t, at least for games that matter to them.

Instead of treating the World Cup as six weeks of lost productivity, smart employers might view it as six weeks of culture-building. A lunchtime watch party. A company bracket. National team jerseys on match days.

If employees are going to be paying attention anyway, you might as well harness the enthusiasm rather than police it. Productivity might dip for 90 minutes, but morale and goodwill can last a lot longer.

Here’s what I read this week that you should read, too.

Is Beer at Work a Problem, or Is It a Sign of Something Bigger? — via Improve Your HR by Suzanne Lucas, the Evil HR Lady

Court Orders Expert to Hand Over AI Prompts—A Discovery First Employers Can’t Ignore — via Dan Schwartz’s Connecticut Employment Law Blog

How People Are Really Using AI in 2026 — via Harvard Business Review

AI is coming for the workplace — and HR is in the driver’s seat — via HR Dive

The Rise of the Fake Applicant: How to Stop AI-Driven Hiring Fraud — via EntertainHR

A uni professor admitted using AI to write an opinion piece. Here’s what it revealed about trust in the technology — via The Guardian

[A]ll [I] Could Ask For — via Above the Law

PWFA Claims Have Arrived: Anatomy of a Lawsuit — via EntertainHR

Can a Salaried Exempt Employee Work Hourly Shifts Without Triggering Overtime on the Whole Salary? — via Eric Meyer’s Employer Handbook Blog

Stuck at the Bargaining Table — via The Chief Organizer Blog

EEO-1 Reporting Going Away? Breaking Down the EEOC’s New Proposal — via The Labor & Employment Law Blog