Don’t eat the chicken (yet): A lesson in workplace investigations from a Portuguese rooster

In Portugal, one of the most iconic national symbols isn’t a monument or a monarch—it’s a rooster. The Galo de Barcelos. (Stay with me. This will relate back to the workplace before we’re done.)

Legend has it that a Spanish pilgrim on his way to Santiago de Compostela was wrongfully accused of theft in the town of Barcelos. Despite his pleas of innocence, he was sentenced to hang. As a final request, he asked to be taken to the judge. Brought before the judge—who was eating a roast chicken—the pilgrim declared, “If I am innocent, that rooster will crow!” The judge laughed, but didn’t eat the bird. Miraculously, just as the man was about to be hanged, the roasted rooster stood up and crowed. The judge rushed to stop the execution, and the pilgrim was spared.

Because of this tale, the rooster has become a national symbol of honesty, integrity, justice, and good fortune, often seen in colorful ceramic form all across Portugal.

What do dolls have in common with beer?

“Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30.”

That was Donald Trump’s response yesterday when asked about the impact of tariffs on imported consumer goods.

Charming.

But here’s the thing—those tariffs aren’t just about dolls. They hit a lot closer to home for small businesses, like the craft breweries I work with.

I spent the past four days at the national Craft Brewers Conference, and tariffs weighed heavily on every single attendee.

The 4th nominee for The Worst Employer of 2025 is … The Enslaving Executives

OneTaste, a San Francisco-based "wellness" company, claimed to offer empowerment through "orgasmic meditation." However, federal prosecutors allege that behind this façade, founder Nicole Daedone and former Head of Sales Rachel Cherwitz orchestrated a years-long forced labor conspiracy.

Between 2004 and 2018, Daedone and Cherwitz allegedly targeted vulnerable individuals—often survivors of trauma—and lured them with promises of healing. If they couldn’t afford OneTaste's expensive courses (ranging into the tens of thousands), they were pressured into debt—with the company even helping them open credit cards. Members became reliant on OneTaste for food and shelter, lived under constant surveillance in communal homes, and were isolated from their support networks.

The indictment accuses Daedone and Cherwitz of using surveillance, indoctrination, and intimidation to control members, effectively turning a wellness startup into an enslavement operation.

Heading to CBC? Let’s connect! 🍻

I’m in Indianapolis this week for the Craft Brewers Conference — the biggest global education and networking event for the craft beer industry.

It’s a massive scene: 10,000+ attendees, 600+ exhibitors, 100+ seminars, and countless networking moments. It’s a blast — and a lot to take in.

If you’re here, find me at the Start A Brewery Lounge (proudly sponsored by Wickens Herzer Panza).

WIRTW #757: the 'that's how I'm feeling' edition

For a glorious 90 minutes last Wednesday night, my kids and I forgot all of our worries and bonded with 2,000 like-minded souls over the music of Mr. Jack White.I love the music of Jack White. I fell in love with a band at Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom on August 10, 2001. The White Stripes were playing that night. I didn't know much about them before that concert. I had heard about some up and coming band, brother/sister (maybe) duo. I went to the Beachland to check them out. I was hooked by the opening chord from Jack's guitar and enraptured by the end of their set. I couldn't find any video online from that show, but I did find a complete recording of a show they did in London just four days earlier.

I've since passed that love on to my children, which brought us front and center at Cleveland's Agora last Wednesday night. You can hear all about it on this week's installment of The Norah and Dad Show (with special guest, Donovan) — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, Overcast, your web browser, and everywhere else you get your podcasts.

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While you're checking out things I recorded this week, also check out my appearance on Backstage Pass: The HR Rock Star Podcast.

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

Holy hypocrisy: When "religious freedom" only protects one religion

"My Administration will not tolerate … unlawful conduct targeting Christians.…My Administration will ensure that any unlawful and improper conduct, policies, or practices that target Christians are identified, terminated, and rectified."

That's the key takeaway from Trump's Executive Order on Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias.

What does that look like in practice? According to Politico, the State Department has ordered employees "to report on any instances of coworkers displaying 'anti-Christian bias.'" The internal memo allows (but doesn't require) anonymous reporting and encourages submissions to be "as detailed as possible, including names, dates, [and] locations (e.g., post or domestic office where the incident occurred)."

Understanding the difference between legal and illegal DEI

If you want to understand the difference between legal and illegal DEI, here's what illegal looks like.

From The Hollywood Reporter: "CBS Studios has settled a lawsuit from a script coordinator for SEAL Team, who accused parent company Paramount of carrying illegal diversity quotas that discriminate against straight white men."

In the lawsuit, Brian Beneker alleged he was denied a job after Paramount implemented an "illegal policy of race and sex balancing" that prioritized hiring less qualified applicants who identified as minorities, LGBTQ+, or women.

Here's the legal reality — Quotas and preferences based on protected characteristics are unlawful. Title VII requires that employers hire the most qualified person for the job, regardless of race, sex, or any other protected trait.

But what if you want to improve representation of marginalized groups in your workplace, and do it legally?

WIRTW #756: the 'iii' edition

You can tell from the tone and tenor of my recent posts that the current state of my country, politics, and democracy has me concerned and scared. Which is why last night was so, so good for my soul.

If you are a fan of rock 'n' roll and have the chance to see Jack White live, just do it. Hard stop. It was an amazing night from start to finish. More next week, as it will be the focus of the next episode of The Norah and Dad Show.

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

If you wanted to know what a Constitutional Crisis looks like…

What happens when the Attorney General refuses to follow a Supreme Court order? We are about to find out.

Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously ordered the federal government to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S. from his deportation to an El Salvador torture prison. The decision was clear: the deportation was illegal, and the government was required to undo it.

Yet, Attorney General Pam Bondi is refusing to comply. She has made no efforts to return Mr. Abrego Garcia, despite a binding court order. "He is not coming back to our country," according to Bondi.

That is not how the rule of law works.

Heel turn? How a dress code became an ADA problem.

This case started with a pair of Skechers, and will end with a jury trial.

A cocktail server at MGM National Harbor, Rebecca Lopez-Duprey, suffered from foot conditions—Achilles tendonitis and Equinus deformity—that made wearing heels painful and medically inadvisable. Her doctor recommended she wear flat, supportive shoes. Eventually, MGM granted her an ADA accommodation to do just that.

Lopez-Duprey wore Skechers-style black shoes for over two years without issue. Then came a policy change.

In late 2021, MGM issued a memo updating the dress code and specifying which shoes were allowed, even for employees with ADA accommodations. Skechers weren't on the approved list. The company disciplined Lopez-Duprey multiple times, including once for showing up to work in her doctor-recommended sneaker. She protested internally, and her doctor even submitted another note, this time stating she needed those shoes permanently.

MGM terminated her shortly thereafter for violating its appearance standards.

Lopez-Duprey sued for failure to accommodate under the ADA. 

Damage caps for discrimination claims don't work

$75,000. That’s what Morton Salt just paid to settle a lawsuit brought by the EEOC.

The agency alleged that Morton Salt discriminated against a Black employee because of his race and disability—and then retaliated against him for reporting it.

The allegations are disturbing:

• A white coworker allegedly used the n-word repeatedly, including calling employees "worthless [n-words]"—something Morton knew about.

• A Black employee reported the racist behavior.

• Instead of addressing or investigating the harassment, Morton reprimanded and ultimately fired the person who spoke up.

And what did it cost them? Seventy-five grand.

WIRTW #755: the 'seuss' edition

ChatGPT continues to amaze me with what it can do. Last week, I asked it to write a parody of "Green Eggs & Ham" about tariffs. You can read that story — called This Tariff Sham — over on LinkedIn.

This week, I decided to take it a step further: "Can you write a story in the style of Dr. Seuss's 'The Cat in the Hat' about the rise of authoritarianism in the United States and the increasing threat to the rule of law posed by the current Trump administration?" Then, I asked it to illustrate the results in a complete children's book. The results? Simply stunning. Read the story below, or download the fully illustrated book here.

* * *

The Man in the Red Tie
A Cautionary Tale in the Style of Dr. Seuss

The sun wasn't sunny. The news made us frown.
The Rule of Law seemed to be sliding down.

We sat in our house. We felt anxious and stuck.
We read every tweet and just whispered, "Oh… yuck."

Then THUMP!
Something boomed like a cannonball blast.
We turned to the screen — and he strode in fast.

He wore a red tie, too long and too wide,
With a smirk on his face and a puffed-out pride.

"I am the Man!" he said with a grin.
"I'll make us all great by just keeping me in!"

He stomped and he shouted, he pouted and screamed.
He flattered the rich and he schemed while they beamed.

He scolded the courts, he mocked every norm,
He said, "I alone will reform the reform!"

He fired the watchdogs who'd barked at his lies.
He said, "Loyal dogs are the very best guys."

He told folks in uniforms, "Do what you must.
If I tell you it's legal, then you know it’s just."

He roared at the press and he called them "fake."
He branded all truth as a liberal mistake.

He built up a wall, not just out of brick—
But out of division, and anger, and schtick.

He courted the chaos, the proud and the cruel.
He said, "I don't care — I make the rule!"

And some folks just cheered, "He tells it like so!"
(Though what "so" was… they weren't sure they'd know.)

But the skies grew darker, the air full of dread,
As the books stayed closed and the laws grew dead.

Then came the Day — the one we all feared.
The vote loomed large, and the stakes had cleared.

Would the people still matter? Would ballots be true?
Would justice be blind, or just red, white, and blue?

Then YOU stood up tall — yes, you, in that chair!
You said, "This is still our Republic to care!"

"The law is not his — it belongs to us all.
It's strong when we stand, and weak when we fall."

You voted. You marched. You wrote and you spoke.
You called out each lie. You challenged each joke.

And maybe, just maybe, the tide turned again—
The Rule of Law held, with paper and pen.

Now kids, let me tell you — remember this day.
Democracy isn't just kept safe by what we say.

It's guarded by people who act when things tilt,
Who patch up the cracks before freedoms wilt.

So the next time a man comes to town with a grin,
And says, "I alone can make your side win,"—

Say, "Thanks, but no thanks. We've read this old plot.
We're the People. We matter. Like it or not."

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

Documentation wins cases

Charles Carroll worked as a high-ranking exec at IDEMIA, the company behind TSA PreCheck. He ran a new initiative called "Trusted Fan" and was involved in renewing a major TSA contract.

He was also in his 60s and had recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

A year after disclosing his diagnosis, and after delivering the TSA contract renewal, he was fired. The company said it was due to performance issues: lack of leadership, mishandling the Trusted Fan rollout, and frustrations around the contract renewal process.  

The Sixth Circuit upheld summary judgment for the employer across the board, including on Carroll's disability and age discrimination. Why? One word: documentation.

American Gestapo

Federal agents at Detroit Metro Airport detained attorney Amir Makled for 90 minutes. They asked him about his clients. They asked to search his phone.

Why? Because he represents a pro-Palestinian protester arrested at the University of Michigan.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Makled refused to turn over his phone, citing attorney-client privilege. But the message was clear: represent the "wrong" person, and you might be next.

This is not an isolated incident. It's part of a dangerous pattern. It's evidence of our quickening slide into authoritarianism. When the authorities target lawyers just for doing their jobs, democracy is on life support.

WIRTW #754: the 'due process' edition

"If you violated the law, you are not entitled to due process."
– Rep. Victoria Spartz, March 2024

Let that sink in. An elected official—sworn to uphold the Constitution—said that people who allegedly violated the law are not entitled to due process.

That's not just legally wrong. It's dangerous.

Due process is the mechanism by which we determine whether someone did violate the law. It's not a prize we give afterward. It's the protection we guarantee beforehand. That's literally the point.

We don't just arrest people and skip the trial part. At least, we're not supposed to.

But we're increasingly seeing a frightening trend of "disappearing" people:

⮞ Immigrants detained indefinitely without hearings, or worse, sent to awful prisons overseas never to be heard from again.
⮞ Protesters and students punished based on accusations, not findings.
⮞ Politicians demanding instant penalties before any legal process unfolds.

That's not how this works. That’s not how any of this works.

We can't cherry-pick the Constitution based on who we like or what someone's accused of doing. Once we start deciding who "deserves" due process, we're no longer a nation of laws—we're an authoritarian regime of vibes and vengeance.

Due process is what makes our system fair. It's what makes us America. If that's controversial, we've got problems bigger than politics.

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

The 3rd nominee for The Worst Employer of 2025 is … The Coprophilic Chief

"[The chief's] actions not only fail to meet the standards of professional conduct but also appear intended to humiliate me and other victims." That's according to a North Bergen, NJ, police officer speaking to People Magazine about his boss, Police Chief Robert Farley.

"Failing to meet the standards of professional conduct" might be understatement of the year. Farley is accused of horrific and unacceptable behavior. 

This is NOT how the ADA is supposed to work

Some federal agencies within the Trump administration have delayed acting on employee requests for reasonable accommodations because they are still figuring out their return-to-office policies.

That's not how the ADA works.

The ADA doesn't allow employers to "wait and see" before engaging in the interactive process. It doesn't allow delays while leadership huddles over long-term telework plans. And it definitely doesn't permit an employer to ignore an accommodation request just because it's inconvenient or politically tricky.

PSA: Get your measles titer checked

I just had measles titer checked—and to my surprise, it came back really negative. That means I either never had the measles vaccine (which I definitely did, as a child) or my immunity has disappeared over time.

This matters because measles is one of the most contagious viruses on the planet. If you're not immune and you're exposed to someone with measles, you have a 90% chance of getting infected. And it's not just a rash and a fever. Measles can cause pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.

Moreover, we're currently seeing measles outbreaks across the country in places where it hasn't shown up in years. While many adults assume they're protected, as I just learned that may not be the case.

A day without associates

BigLaw is under attack—not just from Trump's executive orders targeting law firms that have historically supported his political opponents or oppose his current policies, but from their own employees.

Above the Law reports that associates at some of the nation's biggest law firms are considering going on "recruitment strikes" (i.e., refusing to participate in law student recruiting) if their employers fail to push back against Trump's unlawful orders.

What if these associates take it one step further and actually walk off the job in protest? Would the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protect their concerted work stoppage?

WIRTW #753: the 'autocracy' edition

"Politics don't belong on LinkedIn."

I've been seeing that sentiment a lot lately in the comments on my posts about what's happening to our country.

And I get it. Politics for the sake of politics probably belongs on other platforms. But in today's interconnected world, the lines between politics, society, and business are more blurred than ever. This isn't politics for the sake of politics. This is about defending the democratic foundations that underpin a functioning society—one in which businesses can operate with stability, the rule of law is respected, and lawyers and law firms can serve clients within a system that values justice, accountability, and fairness.

Take, for example, the latest report from the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) project, which concludes that the U.S. is on the verge of losing its status as a democracy. If current trends continue, we could soon find ourselves grouped with countries like Hungary, India, and Turkey—nations that still technically hold elections, but where the outcomes are about as surprising as the ending of a Hallmark Christmas movie.

For those unfamiliar, V-Dem is one of the leading global democracy trackers. It measures things like election integrity, press freedom, and judicial independence. Their latest report places the U.S. firmly in the "trending poorly" category. We're sliding away from being a true democracy and rapidly approaching what experts call "electoral autocracy"—a polite way of saying the system still exists, but it's rigged enough that those in power don't have to worry too much about losing.

According to V-Dem, we're already deep into democratic decline. Trump has expanded presidential power by pardoning Capitol rioters and installing loyalists in key positions, undermined democratic institutions by targeting independent agencies and the press, and aligned with autocratic tendencies by distancing us from our traditional allies and global democratic norms.

If we don't pull the emergency brake soon (as in, within the next six months), we may end up looking back on this moment the way people felt watching the final episode of Game of Thrones—realizing too late that the good days were already behind us.

This isn't a left vs. right issue. It's not about partisanship. And it's not about politics. It's about democracy.

And for professionals on a platform like LinkedIn, these conversations aren't just acceptable, they're essential. The health of our democracy directly affects my business—lawyering. As a lawyer who works within—and deeply values—the rule of law, these issues are not abstract. They impact my business, my clients, and the systems on which I rely every day.

That's why I write about them. And it's why I'll keep doing it no matter how many people slide into my comments to tell me, "Politics don't belong on LinkedIn."

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