Starter discussions

Should employers stop requiring degrees for jobs that do not need them? Credentials can simplify screening while excluding capable people with different routes to competence.

Should internships always be paid regardless of academic credit? Learning has value, but access should not depend solely on someone's ability to work without wages.

Should companies be allowed to use unpaid trial shifts? A trial may reveal practical fit while shifting business costs onto people seeking income.

Should applicants be paid for lengthy interviews and hiring tasks? Assessment requires effort, but an employer's evaluation process can become unpaid productive work.

Should employers ask candidates about previous salary? Past compensation can inform expectations while carrying earlier inequities into a new role.

Should job advertisements be required to show a narrow salary range? Useful disclosure helps applicants, but experience and responsibilities may justify some flexibility.

Should salary information be public inside every workplace? Transparency can reveal unfairness while exposing personal comparisons without explaining every difference.

Should noncompete agreements be prohibited for all ordinary workers? Mobility supports bargaining power, while businesses may seek protection for investments and confidential knowledge.

Should employees disclose side businesses unrelated to their jobs? Transparency can identify conflicts without giving employers control over every outside activity.

Should employers ban second jobs even when performance remains strong? Conflicts and fatigue may matter, but broad bans restrict a worker's financial independence.

Should employees control their schedules if targets are met? Autonomy supports different working styles while coordination can require shared availability.

Should companies pay people extra for undesirable shifts rather than rotate them? Higher pay rewards inconvenience, but financial pressure can leave the same workers carrying the burden… See more