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The art of negotiation is a critical skill that can significantly impact your career trajectory and compensation, requiring research, preparation, and understanding the psychology of the negotiation process. Mark shares insights on how to approach negotiation as a strategic process rather than a confrontational event, emphasizing the importance of knowing your value and understanding your employer's perspective.

• Negotiation is a process over time, not an all-at-once effort
• Effective negotiation requires removing anxiety and taking a methodical approach
• Understanding the psychology of your opponent is crucial to successful outcomes
• For new job offers, research total compensation including "hidden" elements
• Document accomplishments throughout the year to build your case for a raise
• Base negotiations on business logic rather than personal needs
• Being in the engaged 30% of employees strengthens your negotiating position
• Non-monetary benefits like work-life balance can be valuable negotiation wins
• Develop your own authentic negotiation style that aligns with your personality
• Practice and experience will improve your negotiation skills over time

The Employee Survival Guide is expanding to include more proactive career development content beyond just legal information, helping you become more successful in all aspects of your work life.

If you enjoyed this episode of the Employee Survival Guide please like us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We would really appreciate if you could leave a review of this podcast on your favorite podcast player such as Apple Podcasts. Leaving a review will inform other listeners you found the content on this podcast is important in the area of employment law in the United States.

For more information, please contact our employment attorneys at Carey & Associates, P.C. at 203-255-4150, www.capclaw.com.

Disclaimer: For educational use only, not intended to be legal advice.

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The workplace landscape has fundamentally shifted, with a disturbing trend emerging across American businesses: employees are increasingly being forced to perform two full-time jobs while receiving just one paycheck. This exploitation operates under the seemingly innocuous phrase "adjusting duties," buried in employment contracts that courts have traditionally interpreted with alarming breadth.

Recent research reveals the devastating human cost of this practice. The SHRM's Employee Mental Health 2024 Research Series found 44% of surveyed workers feel burned out, 45% emotionally drained, and a staggering 51% completely depleted by day's end. Most telling, 40% report being required to perform more work in the same hours. These aren't just statistics—they represent millions of Americans trapped in an impossible situation.

What many don't realize is that even at-will employment constitutes a contract with inherent limitations. The doctrine of unconscionability exists precisely to prevent unreasonable contract terms that no rational person would accept under fair conditions. When employers demand one person perform multiple full-time roles without additional compensation, we've crossed from reasonable business discretion into exploitation. Courts should recognize that employment contracts aren't licenses for unlimited extraction of labor, and principles like proportionality, human capacity limits, and good faith should guide judicial interpretation.

For employees caught in this situation, proactive negotiation remains essential. Document increased workloads, build trust relationships with management, and present the business case for fair compensation. Approach these conversations from a holistic perspective that acknowledges company challenges while firmly advocating for reasonable limits. Remember that no employment relationship can sustainably function when one party extracts everything while providing nothing in return.

If you enjoyed this episode of the Employee Survival Guide please like us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We would really appreciate if you could leave a review of this podcast on your favorite podcast player such as Apple Podcasts. Leaving a review will inform other listeners you found the content on this podcast is important in the area of employment law in the United States.

For more information, please contact our employment attorneys at Carey & Associates, P.C. at 203-255-4150, www.capclaw.com.

Disclaimer: For educational use only, not intended to be legal advice.

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This episode is part of my initiative to provide access to important court decisions impacting employees in an easy to understand conversational format using AI. The speakers in the episode are AI generated and frankly sound great to listen to. Enjoy!

What happens when the line between your work and personal life blurs beyond recognition? Five IT professionals at NYU Langone Health System are taking a stand in a legal battle that resonates with countless workers who've found themselves checking emails after hours or staying late without additional compensation.

The case centers on a fundamental question: when should technical support professionals receive overtime pay? The plaintiffs—specialists with titles like System Analyst and Desktop Support Technician—claim they routinely worked 42-55 hours weekly without overtime compensation because NYU Langone incorrectly classified them as exempt employees. They argue their primary duties involved routine troubleshooting, ticket management, and technical assistance that lacked the independent judgment typically required for overtime exemption, despite their professional-sounding titles.

NYU Langone's vigorous defense includes challenging whether they even fall under federal wage law jurisdiction while simultaneously claiming the employees properly qualified for various exemptions. This highlights how contested the boundaries have become between exempt and non-exempt work in our digital age. Recently, the court conditionally certified a collective action, allowing other similarly situated IT support staff to join the lawsuit—a significant milestone, though not the final word.

The implications reach far beyond healthcare IT departments. As technology transforms workplace expectations and responsibilities, many professionals find themselves wondering if their classification accurately reflects their actual duties. This case may help clarify where modern labor law draws the line between work deserving overtime pay and genuinely exempt professional roles. Whether you're questioning your own classification or seeking to understand evolving employment rights, this legal battle offers valuable insights into the changing nature of work and compensation in today's increasingly connected world. Ready to examine your own work arrangement more closely?

If you enjoyed this episode of the Employee Survival Guide please like us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We would really appreciate if you could leave a review of this podcast on your favorite podcast player such as Apple Podcasts. Leaving a review will inform other listeners you found the content on this podcast is important in the area of employment law in the United States.

For more information, please contact our employment attorneys at Carey & Associates, P.C. at 203-255-4150, www.capclaw.com.

Disclaimer: For educational use only, not intended to be legal advice.