Employee Relations

What Is “Race”?

March 14, 2025Employee Relations, Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies

I grew up believing there to be certain discrete races in the world - White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Indigenous people of the United States and Indigenous people of other parts of the world. I understood those to be immutable, something we were bo... Read More..

Legacy of an Unsung Hero: Move Beyond a Medical Diagnosis to Reach Talented Individuals

February 1, 2024Employee Relations, Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, Leaves and Accommodations

This week our family buried an intellectually brilliant, fiercely determined, infallibly kind individual who lived a far longer, fuller life than any doctor might have predicted. Diagnosed with a progressive, increasingly degenerative medical cond... Read More..

Losing Out on Talent? Offensive Language in Your Offer Letter May Be the Problem

January 25, 2024Employee Relations, Employer Notice Requirements, Employment Agreements, New York Employers, Wage and Hour Laws

Half of job seekers in a recent Gartner, Inc. survey reported that they backed out on an accepted job offer prior to starting. I remain stunned by this statistic, which suggests to me that employers have some issues with their hiring processes, b... Read More..

Workplace Investigations: Gain Clarity as to Meaning

September 7, 2023Connecticut Employers, Employee Relations, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Workplace Investigations

“It’s bullying,” “I’m being harassed,” or “this is creating a hostile work environment.” As a workplace investigator these are phrases that I hear on a daily basis from complainants and their colleagues, and even sometimes from the respondents acc... Read More..

Rethink Employee Confidentiality Clauses as Fed Agency Restricts Scope Nationwide

April 17, 2023Connecticut Employers, Employee Relations, Employment Agreements, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers

How do you keep your core business interests and the goings on at your organization confidential when it feels like those strictures are under attack from multiple government entities? It may be time for you to redefine your priorities with respec... Read More..

Workplace Investigations: Anticipate Cognitive Overload

September 7, 2023Employee Relations, Workplace Investigations, Workplace Training

Sometimes you just need to let things gel in your mind for a while. I came to this conclusion in my investigations... Read More..

Workplace Breastfeeding Laws Offer General Consistency with Local Nuance

February 14, 2023Connecticut Employers, Employee Relations, Employer Notice Requirements, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Tri-State Employers, Wage and Hour Laws

Breastfeeding protections have gone mainstream. Through the magic of a budget spending bill, nursing employees in workplaces throughout the country now have legal protections that will afford them break time and access to spaces outside of toilet... Read More..

Workplace Investigations: What Is “Bullying”?

September 7, 2023Connecticut Employers, Employee Relations, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Workplace Investigations

There is a slippery slope between what may be considered sub-optimal or bad management practices, “bullying,” and “harassment.” When behaviors prompt an employee complaint, workplace investigators need to evaluate where a supervisor’s conduct fal... Read More..

New York Employers Face Complementary Federal/State Restrictions on Confidentiality and Nondisparagement Clauses

January 3, 2023Employee Relations, Employer Notice Requirements, New York Employers

New York employers that include confidentiality or nondisparagement clauses in any agreement they enter into with an employee – including offer letters, employment agreements, restrictive covenant/noncompete agreements, severance agreements or set... Read More..