Articles by Rebecca Greenfield

In 2017, Labor Lawyers Raced to Settle Class Actions Before Trump Effect

While employers across the U.S. paid a record amount in settlements for workplace violations last year, don’t expect this to mark the beginning of a trend. Think of it more as the storm before the calm, as labor lawyers rush …

Paid ‘Climate Leave’ May Be Next Employee Benefit

Even the workplace has to adapt to the warming world. As climate change creates more intense storms, companies have started preparing for work disruptions due to extreme weather. In a sign of the times, Fog Creek, a software company based …

HR Departments Often Ill-Equipped to Handle Sexual Harassment Claims: Viewpoint

In an ideal world, anyone who experiences harassment at work would head directly to the human resource department. That’s where a sensitive, well-trained professional would conduct an “immediate and impartial” investigation followed by “appropriate action to remediate or prevent the …

How Nondisclosure Agreements Protect Bosses Like Weinstein

A first-year associate at a Manhattan law firm brought her complaint of sexual harassment to the managing partner. Her male boss, she said, had told her to take off her clothing. After months during which she continued to work for …

Stressed? Unfocused? Pop a Marijuana Mint and Get Back to Work

When Jeffrey Zucker needs to get a lot done at work, he eats half a weed gummy. Far from putting him at risk of a Maureen Dowd-level stupor, the 5-milligram dose of THC he gets gives him just a slight …

How Gene Testing Becomes Motivator in Corporate Wellness Program

Aprillia Jeffries is a model success story for her company’s efforts at improving the health of its staff. Jeffries, who works at Aetna, has lost 50 pounds and dropped eight dress sizes in the last two and a half years …

When Are Employee Wellness Programs No Longer Voluntary?

Dale Arnold, who worked for Wisconsin plastics maker Flambeau, chose not to take his work-sponsored health assessment and biometric screening. The company responded by pulling his insurance coverage. Like many employers, Flambeau uses a wellness program to cut insurance costs …