April 27, 2022
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Work from Home Expenses Lead to Lawsuits

         

Since the pandemic an increasing chunk of office jobs have been done from the kitchen table, home office, or anywhere a worker can find the space, and the trend seems to be sticking. One unexpected result of this transition to remote work has been the hidden costs of doing an office job from home. According to a recent LA Times story, remote workers across the country have resorted to lawsuits to recoup out of pocket expenses that have started to pile up.

The burdens of heating, internet, and phone bills, as well as all manner of office supplies once taken as a given when going into work every day are now being shouldered by workers. In some cases these expenses have really added up, with some lawsuits claiming workers have spent thousands of dollars out of pocket. 

No where has this crunch been more keenly felt than in tech, where it was industry de rigeur to offer all sorts of perks, like free meals and dry cleaning services, to lure top talent. Tech was a major adopter of the work from home trend during the pandemic and many of the workers saw these perks dry up as they were sent home from the office.

While this might sound a bit precious, many tech workers live in the most expensive areas in the country, and these perks were seen as a necessity to get by in San Francisco, Seattle or New York.

Ultimately, many of the suits argue that these bills should not be footed by the employees but the employers who are already saving boatloads of money by furloughing workers and saving on rents and expenses by passing them along to workers.

Cryptocurrency as Wages? NYC Mayor Eric Adams Buys In, But It’s Not That Simple.

February 28, 2022
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When New York City Mayor, Eric Adams, announced he was taking his first three paychecks in the form of Bitcoin, it might have been a publicity stunt, and one that backfired as Bitcoin prices took a nosedive, but it has highlighted a new means of employee compensation that is potentially on the horizon.

Bill to Ban Forced Arbitration in Sexual Misconduct Cases Passes the Senate

February 14, 2022
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Arbitration clauses are often buried deep in employment contracts, and many employees don’t know what they’re agreeing too or don’t fully understand what arbitration means. These clauses force employees with claims against their employer to bring them to arbitration—a private process which is often fully funded by the employer itself.

Workers Still Lack Security Despite Tight Labor Markets

February 9, 2022
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The labor market is exceptionally tight, a scenario which has converged over the last six months with what economists are calling the Great Resignation, with a record number of workers quitting in November. In the popular media, the narrative emerging from this phenomenon is one in which workers are in possession of more power than they have been for quite a while, which has resulted in an increase in wages, especially for the working class. The power, however, ultimately remains in the hands of bosses, and many workers’ experiences do not neatly coincide with the narrative.

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