For over 68 years, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has recognized the right of employers and unions to hold captive audience speeches. NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo has made it clear she intends to ask the Board to no longer allow captive audience meetings, effectively changing how employers have addressed union campaigns for the last 6+ decades.

Although employers may be automatically liable for supervisors or administrative personnel harassing subordinate employees under certain federal laws, they may also be held liable if another employee (even one subordinate to the harassed employee) or a third-party such as a customer or vendor harasses an employee based on their race.

As COVID-19 levels continue dropping across the country, employers are trying to plan out what the office environment will look like for the rest of the year. While many people have returned to school, restaurants, and sporting venues, many businesses and offices are still vacant or underutilized. Many employers that allowed or required employees to work remotely during the pandemic are now trying to find ways to bring them back. Will they require employees to come back to the office, continue to let them work remotely, or create a hybrid approach? For businesses that opt to mandate in-person work, will there be a backlash from current remote workers? Here are some pressing issues companies are facing.