Feeling the heat? So are we! It’s the perfect time to take a breather. Find your favorite cool spot—whether it’s by the fan, the AC, or that chilly corner in the office—and join us as we dive into the latest in retirement security. This week, we’re sharing three ways to make 2024 awesome, fresh state metrics, updates from California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Oregon, and Maine, best practices to ease workplace angst, Hot Sauce for the dog days of August 🐕, and, of course, Pix of the Week. Let’s cool down and get started!

People care about their retirement. (When) (will) what’s happening in France migrate to the US?

You could argue we are seeing a bit of it right now. Labor is tight. For a range of reasons employers, especially those whose jobs rank at the lower end of the income spectrum, can’t find enough qualified workers to hire at prevailing wages and with prevailing benefits.

Have we been taking it easy this summer, enjoying the lazy days of sunshine and vines? Yes, we have. It’s the legislative off season for many in the state and federal systems, and a time of project management and breath-catching for those working in the private sector and policy space.

And it’s also a good time to turn our attention to 2024. Yes, 2024. If you want to think about the future in a relaxed way, it needs to be in the future.