This weekly podcast comes from Align Public Strategies, a full-service public affairs and creative firm that helps corporate brands, governments and nonprofits navigate the outside world and inform their internal decision-making. #WorkingLunch #Align
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Heavy D and Ryno have pretty opposing viewpoints about work. Join us to find out who you side with. Basically just people talking about how much they don't want to work. That's all. We try to stay under your lunch time so you have time to cry before clocking back in. usually a guest stops by to tell us a story about their crappy job. Remember that nobody is stopping you from quitting your job, But you.
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Episode 335: Trump Tackles Taxes on Tips
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This week, the former and possibly future President of the United States, Donald Trump, suggested that if elected, he would eliminate taxes on tipped income. Two questions. Doesn’t he need a willing Congress to do that and secondly, how did tips find their way into being a presidential campaign issue? We’ll discuss.And it was an important week on t…
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Episode 334: Another Big Industry Ballot Win On Minimum Wage
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We’re joined by Justin Winslow, the President & CEO of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association, who will discuss his organization’s successful legal battle before the state supreme court to remove a pending ballot measure to increase the minimum wage and eliminate the tip credit. But the issue is far from over and we talk about what’s coming …
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The Grass Is Always Greener and The Exit Interview
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(All of our descriptions are done with AI, So enjoy them as much as we do) Can you imagine getting ejected from a Little League game by an elderly umpire? Rhino shares this hilarious and frustrating experience on today's episode of Unpaid Lunch, where Heavy D and Rhino also debate the allure of "greener pastures" when job-hopping. We dive into the …
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Episode 333: Union Organizing Campaigns Hitting Fine Dining Segment
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A unionization effort at a high-profile restaurant in Minneapolis could be the equivalent of the early efforts in the coffee sector in both Boston and Buffalo that led directly to Starbucks. Operators large and small in Minneapolis better buckle up and operators everywhere should be paying close attention. We’ll explain why.And we are joined by Mik…
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Episode 332: The Cemex Decision Has Found Its Way To The Restaurant Industry
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We are joined by Phil Wilson, President & General Counsel of the Labor Relations Institute to talk about the recent application of the Cemex decision in a restaurant organizing effort and forcing the operators to bargain. Is this a one-off or just the beginning as the labor community continues to focus on the industry.We’ll talk about that importan…
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Episode 331: Prison Labor Issue Part of Larger Southern Strategy To Organize Industry
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With a new union focused on organizing QSR’s in the South, and pro-union think tanks disparaging the “Southern Economic Model”, the escalation of the southern prison labor issue is not happening in a vacuum. How should the industry view what is happening down South and more importantly, how to prepare for it.And the landmark Cemex decision has barr…
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Episode 330: How Did The Industry End Up In The Middle Of It All?
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Minneapolis has successfully engineered a labor standards board for nursing home workers that will set benefit and wage levels for that sector. So far advocates have considered it a big success building momentum for the concept. Any guesses as to which industry is next on their agenda? You guessed it. We’ll discuss what’s coming down the pike for t…
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Episode 329: NRA’s Sean Kennedy Joins Working Lunch to Talk All Things Washington
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We are joined by Sean Kennedy, the EVP of Public Affairs for the National Restaurant Association to reflect on last week’s summiting of Capitol Hill by hundreds of restauant operators during the Assocation’s annual Public Affairs Conference. What did Members of Congress learn from us and what did we learn from them? We’ll discuss.And in the wake of…
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Episode 328: Buckeye State Ballot Initiatives Could Be A Fatal Blow For Many Operators.
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There are some important restaurant states this year with minimum wage and tip credit elimination measures on the November ballot. Ohio is at the top of that list. We are joined by John Barker, CEO of the Ohio Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance as well as Tod Bowen, their head of External Affiars & Government Relations, to level set on their pending…
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Episode 327: DoorDash Portable Benefits Pilot Could Permanently Alter Delivery-App Business Model
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DoorDash is working with the state of Pennsylvania on a portable benefits pilot program that, if successful, could completely alter the dynamics of the national paid leave and benefits conversation. Is there a way for the industry to seize this opportunity and extricate itself from these reputationally-draining issues? We’ll discuss.And the media i…
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Episode 326: Like Their Fees, The New Settlement Agreement With Visa & Mastercard Is Junk
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We sit down with Doug Kantor, the general counsel of the National Association of Convenience Stores, to discuss the biggest story this week - the preliminary settlement of the class action lawsuit brought by a group of retailers almost 20 years ago accusing the credit card companies and their electronic payments systems of being an anti-competitive…
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Busted Brackets, Doing Anything But My Work, And Getting Fired For It.
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(All of our descriptions are done with AI, So enjoy them as much as we do) Hey everyone, we're back, and true to form, we've spun a fresh yarn of workplace shenanigans and fantasy football follies. Grab your headphones as the OG Crew and I swap tales from under the fluorescent office lights, including my epic search for that elusive left-handed cat…
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Episode 325: Texas Hold’em: A Federal Judge Reins In The NLRB’s Joint Employer Rule
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We sit down with Brennan Duckett, the Director of Technology & Innovation Policy at the National Restaurant Association and discuss the junk fee and service charge issue both federally and its explosion at the state level.And the industry had a big win at the end of last week when the NLRB’s joint employer rule was thwarted in a Texas courtroom. Wh…
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Episode 324: The SEC Pulls Back On Scope-3 Emissions Reporting Requirements
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The President gave the annual State of the Union address this week and his war on junk fees was front and center - the same week his Council of Economic Advisiors said that restaurants made up close to 10% of all junk fees. Is the industry potentially heading for some major backlash? We’ll discuss.And the SEC put out their long-awaited climate disc…
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Remembering Charlie And Getting Caught Up
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As we gather around the microphone, Heavy D and I, Rhino, invite you to share in the laughter and sorrow that stitches the fabric of our lives. We open our hearts with a tribute to Charlie, my late brother-in-law and the creative force behind our podcast visuals, whose memory lives on through video games and fantasy football tales. From there, we n…
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Episode 323: If Possible, Even More Political Hijinks In California
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The author of the Fast Act in California has filed additional legislation to exempt certain industries from the new law he championed. Was this an altruistic gesture to relieve the pressure on a host of small businesses or inside baseball among the unions and the legislators that carry their water? We are joined by Jot Condie, the President & CEO o…
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Episode 322: The Campaign Against Starbucks Heats Up!
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Starbucks was in the news this week on a number of different fronts, none of them very good. This past Tuesday, workers at 21 stores filed petitions with the National Labor Relations Board to conduct elections, the most in one day since the campaign began two and a half years ago. And on top of that, a coordinated effort on college campuses has spr…
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Episode 32I: US. House Pressures Internal Revenue Service To Investigate One Fair Wage’s Tax Status
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A Committee Chair in the U.S. House of Representatives is demanding information from the Commissioner of the IRS regarding the lobbying and electioneering activities of One Fair Wage and whether their actions are in violation of their nonprofit status. Is the IRS looking the other way? We’ll discuss.And then we are joined by Jeff Hanscom, the Vice …
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Episode 320: Could The Senate Actually Sink The Tax Bill?
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Two big legislative items this week popped up in California and Georgia that operators should take note of, one exempting a lot of folks out from under the FAST Act and the other a franchisee bill of rights proposal that should have parent companies pretty nervous. We’ll take a look.And then we are joined by Aaron Frazier, the Vice President of Pub…
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Mat Mayhem and Work-Life Wrestle: Inside Youth Sports Drama and Office Antics
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Ever found yourself caught up in the raw emotion and unexpected drama of youth sports? Well, strap in and join Heavy D and Rhino at our lunch break pow-wow, where we're dishing out fiery discussions on the wrestling world. Eric might be out, but the show must go on, and today's tales of mental timeouts after Korea trips and referee rants are just t…
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Episode 319: New Report on Prison Labor Abuses Could Cause Major Headaches For Large Brands
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This week, the Associated Press published the results of a two-year investigation into alleged exploitation of prison labor, primarily in the agriculture industry. The report not only documents the food production process, it follows the products through the supply chain and names retailers, grocery stores, industry suppliers and even some QSR bran…
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The Unpaid Lunch Supershow Part B: The Team Goes To Korea (Basically)
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Ever wondered how taking time off work compares across different industries? Our latest episode is a deep dive into the world of leaves of absence, where the academic and military structures allow for sabbaticals and structured breaks. We contrast this with the stark reality of the medical field, sharing stories of those who navigate their roles un…
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Episode 318: President Of National Right To Work Legal Defense Foundation Joins Working Lunch
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We are joined by Mark Mix, the President of the National Right to Work Committee and the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation who is assisting workers who wish to decertify their unions. It’s a fascinating and instructive conversation into what the next chapter could look like for the industry in the labor organizing spaceWe’ll talk abou…
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Episode 317: Labor Department Finalizes Independent Contractor Rule
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After years of regulatory and legal wrangling, the Labor Department released its long-awaited rule on the legal treatment of independent contractors. So what does this mean for operators leveraging outside resources for janitorial services, maintenance, and delivery drivers? We’ll discuss.And Mike Whatley, the Vice-President of State Affairs & Gras…
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The Unpaid Lunch Supershow Part 1: Korea
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When life throws curveballs, it's the laughter amongst friends that often brings us back to the plate. We're swinging for the fences in our latest podcast episode, capturing the electric buzz of reuniting with the Crew and diving headfirst into the chaos of too many hosts, one microphone. From the audacious banter about alpha-male antics to the spi…
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Episode 316: The Battle With The FTC Over Service Charges Is Escalating
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It’s 2024 and legislative sessions are starting all over the country. Congress is heating up as well. And, oh yeah, there is a national election this year . We’ll discuss what the year ahead will look like for restaurant operators.And Sean Kennedy, the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for the National Restaurant Association stops by to ta…
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Episode 315: Starbucks Faces The Music On Its Response To Ongoing Unionization Fight
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Starbucks has had one heck of a week with the release of an internal audit regarding the company’s conduct during its ongoing unionization fight, another tough loss at the NLRB, and tons of media coverage about its sagging numbers. These are not happy days in Seattle. We’ll discuss.And a job training program gone bad or exploiting cheap labor? We’l…
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Episode 314: The Industry Teams With Organized Labor To Take On The Credit Card Companies
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We talk with Doug Kantor, General Counsel of the Nationl Association of Conveneince Stores about the new coalition in Washington that is leaning headfirst into the credit card debit card fee fight with the banks and credit card companies.And we discuss the cooling job market and how it may impact worker leverage and the ability of the labor communi…
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Episode 313: One Fair Wage Pulling Out All The Stops in Massachusetts
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We discuss the changing politics of the debate around interchange fees and how the banks and credit card industry, usually in lock step with Republicans, is increasingly finding itself at odds with their old friends and on the target list. We’ll discuss why.And Steve Clark, the President & CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association stops by th…
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Lordy, Lordy, Look Who's 40!
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Can you feel the tension in the wrestling ring? That's us celebrating our 40th episode with a bang! As we reconnect with the electrifying world of professional wrestling, we tell you all about the recent big weekend and the return of R-Truth. We also touch on the dwindling Black Friday frenzy in the retail scene, and share our personal experiences …
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A Hilarious Celebration: Veterans Day with Toe
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Get ready for an episode that will have you laughing, reminiscing, and pondering. We've brought back our favorite vet, Toe, for a hearty Veterans Day celebration, and let's just say the conversation got as explosive as a grenade pen keychain! From comparing our first cars to the nitty-gritty of Spotify's hidden features (yeah, we're premium users),…
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Episode 312: Election Recap: The Blue Team Has a Big Night
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We do a deep dive on the election results from this week and discuss wha happened, why it happened, and most importantly, what does it mean for the employer community?And speaking of elections, we are joined by Eric Terry, President of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association to discuss the big story of the night - the Democratic tak…
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The One With The Flashbacks
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Here we are time traveling and flashing back to days when we had it all together. Join us as we flashback to previous episodes and update on the status of some former guests. (Pre-game went hard) Lastly, we extend our gratitude to our ever-supportive patrons. We're also thrilled to welcome our newest patron to the family! If you've enjoyed our epis…
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Episode 311: McDonald’s Changes the Wage Conversation in California
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The impacts of California’s new fast food law keep rolling in. This week, McDonald’s not only discussed price increases in California but new prototype restaurants less reliant on traditional labor. We’ll take a look at the real impact of these mandates.And its election day in many parts of the country next week and a few jurisdictions are particul…
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The Nightmare Before The Holidays
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Think back to those Halloween nights of your childhood - wandering around, bags brimming with candy, every house decked out with spooky decorations. Do you remember the thrill? We do, and in this chat, we rewind to those good old days, even sharing some tales of how our office once brought Halloween to life with missing children posters and eerie r…
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Episode 310: The Labor Community Celebrates The New Joint Employer Standard
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The NLRB issued their long-awaited joint employer standard and it's literally everything the labor community would have wanted. We’ll talk about what’s next for the industry as the immenine threat to the franchise business model has finally arrived.And the credit card companies are on the political ropes as the FTC pursues a cap on interchange fees…
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Get ready to shake up your week with the Unpaid Lunch workforce podcast! We’ve got some major changes on the horizon, including a shift in release day from Monday to Wednesday. Nothing to fear though, it’s all for a good cause - to create top quality content for you fine folks. We're venturing into new territory, embracing live and in-the-moment vi…
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Episode 309: Industry Makes Another Strong Statement in Maryland
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We are joined by Townsend Brown, Policy Analyst at Multistate, to talk about California’s new law mandating that large companies annually disclose data regarding their global carbon footprints. How will companies begin to comply and is their legal action ahead? We’ll discuss.And the industry had another big showing in Maryland this week literally f…
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Have you ever wondered what it's like to do just enough to slide by or perhaps you're already living it? This week we blow the lid off 'quiet quitting', a trend so subtle yet so pervasive that it's about time someone finally talked about it. We're also sharing some real-life tales of laundry struggles, both at home and the chaos of a functioning la…
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Ever felt your job was shadowing your self-esteem, that the fear of being replaced was nibbling away at your mental health? Well, we've been there too, and this week, we're pouring it all out. Join us as we take you on our mental health break journey and shed light on the detrimental effects of work stress. Also, we'll share our past experiences fr…
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Episode 308: The Federal Trade Commission Comes After Restaurant Service Charges
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The Federal Trade Commission revised a proposed rule this week lumping in restaurant and delivery service charges with other, what it calls, junk fees and hidden charges. We’ll take a look at why this happened and more importantly, where do we go from here.And the industry got an important win this week when legislation to eliminate the tip credit …
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Episode 307: NYC Restaurant Chain To Be First Industry Test of New Organizing Rules
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We discuss our current world of chaos - the Republican meltdown in Washington, DC, war in the Middle East, and, oh by the way, a Presidential election looming - and its potential impact on small business owners and their consumers.And a small game board - themed restaurant chain in New York City may lay the groundwork for the new world order in whi…
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Episode 306: Critical Labor Coalition addresses manpower shortage
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We sit down with Misty Chally, the Executive Director of the Critical Labor Coalition to discuss what that group is doing in Congress to address and potentially alleviate the labor crunch that operators can’t seem to climb out of.And we update you on the national autoworkers strike and what ramifications its success or failure may have on president…
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Reselling Nostalgia: Toy Tales from Eject Toys
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From toy meetups to fan conventions, the world of toy collecting and reselling is a treasure trove of fascinating stories and unique business insights. We're chatting with Michael and Jaden of Eject Toys, the dynamic duo who transformed their childhood passion into a thriving business. They're here to share their journey swapping, selling, and scor…
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Golf Course Groundskeeper (Do not operate heavy machinery while under the influence)
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Ready for a trip down memory lane with a hilarious twist? Buckle up for a rollicking ride as fan-favorite guest, Wes, and I, your host, indulge in a hearty banter, reminiscing about local festivals, past jobs, and some unforgettable golf course incidents. Willie, with his tales from his electrician days, is sure to tickle your funny bone, while I p…
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Episode 305: The Great Chicago Dumpster Fire of 2023
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We’ll discuss what happened in Chicago this week with a major shift in perceived industry positioning with regard to tip credit elimination. We are joined by Berman & Company’s Mike Saltsman for his analysis of what happened, why it happened and how the industry manages the issue going forward.And Sean Kennedy, the Executive Vice President of Publi…
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The Return of The Crocs
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Hey, it's time to get real with back again guest, Mike! Join us for a laughter-filled leap into personal stories, military musings, and rural ruminations. We're taking you on a journey, packed with tales of the often overlooked realities of farming, the intensity of combat, and the neighborhood bantering that keeps our spirits soaring. Ever wonder …
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Swimming with Sharks, Chicken Breeding and Homesteading with Eric
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Brace yourselves for an enchanting journey as we wander through fascinating tales from the life of our guest, Eric Silus King. From chasing dreams and leaving jobs behind to embarking on exhilarating adventures like swimming with sharks off the Florida coast, Eric's life is an open book of remarkable stories. Discover the thrill of his first acting…
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Episode 303: The NLRB May Have Just Made Your Employee Handbooks Obsolete
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The new proposed overtime rule is out and we discuss the impact - better than we thought, worse than we thought, or about what we thought. We’ll discuss the impact, the process going forward, and what’s next for operators.And the NLRB released yet another decision last month, the Stericycle decision, that may make every employer rewrite large segme…
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Let us take you on a hilarious journey of debates around this topic, stories featuring our favorite corner store that sells everything from oil to chickens, and even houses a neighboring sex shop! We also share tales of gangstas, the potential of bringing pets to the store, and a peculiar encounter with a hat-obsessed woman. Now, if you think publi…
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