Reflecting A Shifting America in Sports
I have a pretty regular routine when I wake up in the morning usually somewhere between 6 and 6:30 a.m. I roll over and pick up my phone and scan the headlines. I read the sports pages first. This morning, two stories caught my eye each of which were distressing in their own…
Should Connecticut Adopt a ‘Right to Disconnect’ Law?
Working from home became a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic, but for many, it has now become a permanent way of life. I’ve long been a proponent of remote work, seeing firsthand how it offers employees flexibility, cuts down on commuting stress, and allows businesses to adapt to a changing workforce. But there’s another…
Merit and Inclusion: DEI and the New Executive Order
Last week, among a flurry of Executive Orders issued by the White House, President Trump issued one aimed at eliminating what his administration views as dangerous and potentially discriminatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. The order was issued in response his concerns that many American institutions, including federal agencies, corporations, and educational institutions,…
The Ripple Effect of Mandated Reporting
Last week I wrote about giving the new presidential administration a chance to do what the voters asked it to do. Secure the borders. Lower the cost of eggs and insurance and housing. Level the playing field for athletes. Help bring peace to war zones and keep our troops safe. I suspect that…
American Crossroads and Our Shared Responsibility
So there are big changes coming to America tomorrow. A new president will be taking office and by many accounts, either democracy will end or salvation will arrive. What are we to believe? Whom should we trust? We are often told that American democracy is on the brink. Every generation has had its…
Public Participation and Discussion in Local Government.
My job requires me to do lots of work in various municipal buildings and town halls around the state. I am pretty well-acquainted with what is happening in town governments as a result of my travels. (As an aside, I can also tell you the best places to get a sandwich or a coffee…
Breaking Ground: Dartmouth Basketball’s Union Effort and Its Impact on College Sports
Last March, the Dartmouth men’s basketball team took the unprecedented step of forming a union. The players voted 13-2 to become the first recognized union of a college athletic team in the United States. The players wanted to be treated as workers, not just students. They said their busy schedules and the rules they…
Equal-Opportunity Terrible Bosses
A bad boss is a bad boss. He’s not bad sometimes. And he’s not bad to some people. He’s just bad at managing people almost all of the time. His badness presents itself in different ways. He berates. He uses sarcasm. He is unclear in his expectations. He makes inappropriate jokes. He fails…
Legal Lessons From Social Media and Defamation
As a lawyer interested in making a decent living, I think of social media as the gift that keeps on giving. I feel like I should send Mark Zuckerberg a gift basket each holiday season. Now that we have lived with social media for a generation, we know it is a place for heated…
Navigating the Workplace Holiday Party
Right before the snow came last week, I dutifully went outside on Saturday afternoon and hung the Christmas lights for the coming holiday season. With the season upon us, many workplaces are planning their annual celebrations. While these gatherings can boost morale and strengthen workplace bonds, they can also create significant liability risks…
An End to Mandatory Anti-Union Meetings
In a landmark decision, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled that employers can no longer require workers to attend anti-union meetings, overturning a 75-year-old precedent. The ruling came in a case involving Amazon’s Staten Island facilities, where the company had mandated employee attendance at meetings expressing views against unionization. This decision marks a…
Boeing Strike Highlights the Struggle for Retirement Security and Fair Compensation
Strikes are rare in the labor movement these days. Back in labor’s heyday in the mid-century, strikes were a common strategy used by unions and their members to extract improved wages, benefits, and working conditions from recalcitrant employers. But these days, with free trade agreements used as a threat by employers to shut…
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The Law Office of Eric R. Brown 