Friday, August 18, 2023

WIRTW #683: the “here comes the flood” edition


Lord, here comes the flood
We'll say goodbye to flesh and blood
If again the seas are silent in any still alive
It'll be those who gave their island to survive

– Peter Gabriel, "Here Comes the Flood"

That songs has been playing on a loop in my head for the past few days. That's how long it's been since my house flooded. A supply line to our master shower burst, causing my kitchen ceiling to resemble the Bellagio Fountains (but upside-down). 

T he here of our story is my 15-year-old son, Donovan, who was home with no adults. The rest of us were driving home from our daughter's doctor appointment. D-man FaceTimed me to show me the rushing waters. I pulled over into the nearest parking lot and, also via FaceTime, walked him through how to shut off the water from the main.

Without D-man's quick thinking the flood would have been a lot worse. As it stands, we will need a whole new kitchen, along with new carpet both upstairs and in our basement, some new bathroom cabinets, and I'm sure lots of other stuff.

Needless to say, it's been a week.

Here's what I read this week that you should read, too.

White People Explain Why Diversity Initiatives Are Discriminatory — via The Onion

Building a Culture Where Employees Feel Free to Speak Up — via Harvard Business Review

Employers that announced abortion benefits saw more clicks on job postings — via HR Dive

The SATs Don’t Belong in the Workplace: 3 Legal Reasons Not to Ask Applicants for Old Test Scores — via Evil HR Lady, Suzanne Lucas

Inside Love is Blind's Brutal Conditions on Set — via More Perfect Union

Zoom orders employees back to office, How "loud laborers" affect workplace culture — via Ragan

Bosses dislike work-from-home but suspect they/re stuck with it — via Crain's Cleveland Business

OSHA's New National Emphasis Program Aimed at Preventing Warehouse Injury and Heat Hazards — via Labor Employment Law Blog

"Captive Audience" Memo from NLRB General Counsel Survives First Legal Battle — via The Employment Brief

When Hiring Outside Counsel Is a Good Investment — via HR Hero Line

Employee Suspension: Tell Them Why They are Suspended — via hr bartender

Can a company require OT — even if a disability prevents an employee from working long hours? — via Eric Meyer's The Employer Handbook Blog

Texas Federal Court Upholds DOL Rule Attacking FLSA Tip Credit — via Hunton Employment & Labor Law Perspectives™