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What Does it Mean to be a Leader in a World That Constantly Gets Disrupted?

There’s a great saying in military circles that’s often summarized as “no plan survives contact with the enemy.” As business leaders in a highly disrupted world, it’s easy to feel that way: hours upon hours of thoughtful strategizing routinely gets blown up by everything from constant geopolitical uncertainty to fast-shifting employee preferences. Even the best […]

Court Approves $1M Settlement in COBRA Class Action Lawsuit

A federal district court gave preliminary approval to a $1 million settlement agreement that would resolve a class action lawsuit alleging that an employer/plan administrator, in farming out its employees to clients, violated COBRA’s initial and election notice rules, as well as its  premium subsidy rules. The settlement would consist of a $375,000 payout to […]

Fire Harry Crane

Mad Men can be tough to watch for an employment lawyer. I was thinking of this while watching the show’s most recent episode, “New Business.” In a particularly cringe-worthy scene, Harry Crane propositions Megan under the pretense that he can help get her acting career back on track. Harry is a buffoon and a jackass, and I wondered […]

Policies Survey Says … Social Media Is Biggest Hassle

The biggest stumbling block to enforcement of policies is management team members’ tendency to enforce only “some” policies. The policy violation most indicated as warranting discipline but not termination is attendance and punctuality. The most common termination-level offense is violation of the weapons/violence policy. Our 2013 Policies Survey reveals that 93% of participants have formalized […]

Kicking Off a New Season and Moving Toward the End Zone

It’s September, which happens to be my favorite month.  The leaves start changing, and we Midwesterners get to pull cardigans and boots out of storage in preparation for the inevitable chilly day that will hit within these next thirty days.  (Indeed, here in Chicago, we often get to experience a full year of seasons during […]

Hidden tax penalties often lurk in employment agreements

by Matthew H. Parker Senior-level employees often enter into contracts stating they will receive separation pay if their employment is terminated unexpectedly. For example, employers often promise executives severance pay unless they are fired “for cause.” Other times, a company will promise that an executive can resign and collect severance pay following a change in […]

Why Your Employees Aren’t Hearing You on Gen AI Transformation

Imagine a new technology poised to transform your organization — but its success hinges not only on the technology itself but on how effectively it’s communicated. That’s the reality for companies adopting Generative AI (Gen AI). As organizations navigate the complexities of integrating these powerful tools, one truth becomes clear: communication is not an afterthought; […]

hiring

The State of Holiday Hiring in 2019: Questions Answered

2018 saw a surge of holiday hiring in the United States, with more than 700,000 positions open. The Palmer Forecast predicts an even greater demand for seasonal workers this season. Unfortunately, the need for additional talent is clashing with the current unemployment rate in the country, which remains very low at 3.1%.