Another probe for Juul?, Boeing will pay crash victims' families, and more top news

The news professionals are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation on today's stories in the comments. 

Juul Labs is being investigated by the U.S. attorney’s office of the Northern District of California, with the specific focus of the probe not confirmed, reports The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources. Juul, which makes one of the most popular e-cigarettes available, is already dealing with several federal and state probes over its marketing practices. The company has faced increasing scrutiny with the rise of teen vaping rates and vaping-related illnesses. Juul did not immediately comment on the report. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Boeing will pay the families of the 346 victims who died in two 737 MAX crashes $144,500 each. The money comes from a $50 million financial assistance fund announced in July, with family members who make claims — which must be submitted by no later than December 31 — not required to give up the right to litigation. The 737 MAX has been grounded since March, after fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Japanese car maker Nissan has agreed to pay the Securities and Exchange Commission a fine of $15 million, while its former chairman Carlos Ghosn will pay the agency $1 million to settle the scandal in which Ghosn allegedly under-reported his earnings. The disgraced auto executive was credited with forming the powerful Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi alliance before his fall from grace last November, when he was arrested in Tokyo, suspected of under-reporting around $80 million in earnings. He denies all charges and is set to stand trial in Japan next year. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

The holiday shopping season is looking merry and bright for retailers, according to a new survey, with shoppers expected to spend 5% more than last year. The increase in spending does not mean more crowds, though. About 53% of holiday purchases will be made online, with 20% being bought on mobile devices. The shift could affect shopping holidays like Black Friday, with half of consumers planning to make their purchases that day online. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

When considering applicants for a job, many employers say they look for culture fit, or a sense that the candidate will fit in well with the firm’s goals and values. Yet such efforts can wind up creating a homogenous workforce where everyone looks and thinks the same way, says Sue Shellenbarger, in The Wall Street Journal. But culture fit can also be great for performance and innovation without undermining diversity, as long as it’s measured in a fair and systematic way, according to the Harvard Business Review. ? Here’s what people are saying. 

Idea of the Day: When hiring, while ability to do the work is essential, so are the “fit factors,” says Lou Adler, CEO of the Adler Group.

“Mistakes seem to breed whenever there’s a lack of understanding of real job needs… when assuming personality and presentation skills during the interview are a good proxy for motivation, team skills and cultural fit. They’re not.”

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