New York Curtails Release Agreements Involving Claims of Discrimination, Harassment, or Retaliation

​On Nov. 17, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law Senate Bill 4516, which amends Section 5-336 of the New York General Obligations Law to restrict certain terms from being included... Read more »

Defamation Claim by Driver Fired on Suspicion of Theft Fails to Prove Malice

​Takeaway: This case underscores the need to keep any suspicions of employee misconduct confidential. Such suspicions, no matter how well-founded, should be communicated only in good faith on a limited basis to... Read more »

Focusing on Nonapparent Disabilities

The rise of remote and hybrid work has lowered the walls between employees’ personal and work lives. But that doesn’t mean all topics feel safe to merge. For instance, I’ll let my... Read more »

Should You Ever Turn Down a Promotion?

​Early in her career, Mary ­Humiston was working in HR for General Electric and agreed to a temporary assignment in China. She expected the gig to last only a few months, but... Read more »

How Formal Quarterly Check-Ins Boost Employee Engagement

​In my most recent article, “Developing a Habit of Delivering Frequent but Informal Feedback,” I introduced Lindsay, an HR director at an aerospace manufacturing and design firm with 200 employees. Lindsay was concerned... Read more »

New California Law Makes It Easier for Employees to Establish Retaliation Claims

​California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed into law the Equal Pay and Anti-Retaliation Protection Act. The new law amends California Labor Code sections 98.6, 1102.5, and 1197.5 to create a rebuttable presumption... Read more »

Limiting Distractions and Promoting Independence in the Workplace

​The modern workplace is distraction central. From emails to pinging Slack notifications, alerts on project management apps and frequent meetings, it can be hard for employees to actually get any work done.... Read more »

SHRM Report Underscores Global Importance of Workplace Culture

​Workplace culture remains vital for organizational success. Regardless of the country where they live, employees who rate their workplace culture highly are more satisfied at work and more committed to their organization,... Read more »

Will Employers Be Fooled by Bots That Apply for Jobs?

​In a sign of the rapidly evolving tech environment, Forrester Research envisions at least one high-profile company hiring a nonexistent job candidate in 2024. This prediction could prompt plenty of handwringing about... Read more »

Colombia: Labor Disconnection Ruled a Fundamental Right

The Colombia Constitutional Court declared that the right to labor disconnection is a fundamental human right applicable to all employees, including those who perform public functions and those who are in management... Read more »