The Quiet Exit: Legal and Emotional Dimensions of Constructive Discharge By Michael Hoffman
Understanding Constructive Discharge In my years as an employment attorney, one of the more nuanced and emotionally charged areas I’ve encountered is the concept of constructive discharge. Unlike a traditional firing, constructive discharge occurs when an employee resigns because their working conditions have become so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel compelled to quit. […]
Whistleblower Protections in a Post-COVID World: What’s Changed and What Still Needs To
By Michael Hoffman For much of my legal career, I’ve worked at the intersection of employment law, ethics, and workplace rights. Few areas have tested this intersection more than whistleblower protections—especially in recent years. In the wake of COVID-19, the landscape of whistleblowing has transformed in notable ways, driven by shifts in workplace norms, growing […]
The Ethics of Exit: Protecting Both Employers and Employees During Termination and Layoffs By Michael Hoffman
Termination Is Inevitable—But It Doesn’t Have to Be Harmful Over the course of my legal career, I’ve seen terminations and layoffs handled in every way imaginable—some with care and professionalism, others with cold efficiency or outright disregard for the people involved. Some involved fraud and dishonesty. Some Reductions in force situations were stratagems to eliminate […]
Evolving Definitions of Discrimination: How Social Shifts Are Reshaping Workplace Law By Michael Hoffman
Understanding Discrimination in a Changing World Over the course of my legal career, I’ve watched workplace discrimination law evolve dramatically. When I began practicing employment law in the early 1990s, most discrimination claims centered around race, gender, age, and religion—protected categories clearly defined by statutes like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the […]