Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite, stated that the priorities showed the agency was in danger of being a dead duck before it even begins. For too long, workers have borne the brunt of disreputable employers who have had carte blanche.
One of the things that I'm hoping to do a better job on is getting people from the private sector-who've been in the private sector their whole career-who also spend a couple years in government at some point in their career, and learn something.
The Vermont Labor Relations Board has ordered that Gov. Phil Scott's administration 'rescind' a controversial requirement that state employees return to their physical offices three days per week. The board stated that the state has 'refused to bargain in good faith and interfered with employees' exercise of rights' in requiring in-person work.
Workplace wellness programs have exploded over the past decade or so, with companies rolling out a suite of subsidized perks, such as gym discounts, mental health apps, and other benefits aimed at attracting and retaining workers. The pandemic upped the ante even more - in the face of a tight labor market and a hyper-stressed workforce, plenty of business leaders looked around and thought, "Well, a Zoom meditation session can't hurt, right?"
In today's job market, amid persistent inflation, job seekers want more compensation. In many cases, though, employers simply can't give more. In fact, nearly three-quarters of employers are concerned about meeting candidates' salary expectations, according to Robert Half's 2026 Salary Guide. To fill the gap, many are coming to the negotiation table with a focus on everything else in the compensation package.
