Stoel Rives’ Labor and Employment Attorneys Quoted on Post-Pandemic Employment Trends

In a recent article in the Portland Business Journal, labor and employment partners John Dudrey, Melissa Healy, and Karen O’Connor offer their insights on several issues challenging employers that gained prominence after the pandemic and the social reckoning of 2020, including the rise in union and nonunion organizing, the push for employers to take a stand on social issues, and the shift in attendance policies.

O’Connor notes a rise in the number of employees who want their employers to issue a statement on a social issue, whether on the environment, police misconduct, LGBTQ+ rights, the war in Gaza, etc. “There’s a generation of workers who don’t just want the workplace to be about work, but about social change. It’s really challenging for a lot of employers.” O’Connor said.

“Workplace Trials” was published by the Portland Business Journal on September 18, 2024.