WIRTW #759: the ‘HBD’ edition

By Jesse Beatson on May 16, 2025

🎉 My blog is officially an adult. Last week, it turned 18 years old.

On May 9, 2007, I hit “publish” on my very first post. It was about a Supreme Court retaliation case, because of course it was. It’s fascinating to see how my tone and style have matured (or, perhaps more accurately, immatured) over the years.

Fast forward to today: 4,470 posts later, and this blog is somehow still going strong. That’s:

✅ Millions of words on employment law

✅ Hundreds of stories about HR disasters

✅ 759 “What I Read This Week” lists

✅ Dozens of “Worst Employer” nominees

✅ Too many musical references no one asked for

When I started, blogs were cutting edge. LinkedIn barely existed. Twitter was a baby. AI was still science fiction. And I honestly didn’t know if anyone other than my dad would read this thing. (He still does.)

Eighteen years in, the blog has given me a platform, a voice, and a way to connect with readers, clients, reporters, and colleagues around the world. It’s also brought me lasting friendships and provided a much-needed creative escape from the daily grind of practicing law.

Thanks to everyone who’s read, shared, commented, or said, “Hey, I actually like reading legal content.” You’ve kept me writing—day after day, week after week, year after year.

Here’s to the next 18!

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

Why Employees Matter More Than Mission Statements — via EntertainHR

10 Simple Ways to Get Employees to Quit — via Improve Your HR by Suzanne Lucas, the Evil HR Lady

Fired Over $15. Or Was It the HR Complaints? — via Eric Meyer’s Employer Handbook Blog

Why new Starbucks dress code prompted hundreds of baristas to strike — via Axios

AI Hallucinations Strike Again: Two More Cases Where Lawyers Face Judicial Wrath for Fake Citations — via LawSites

Yes, AI Hallucinations May Be Increasing—But It Shouldn’t Slow Legal Bloggers and Publishers AI Use — via Real Lawyers Have Blogs

ChatGPT may be polite, but it’s not cooperating with you — via The Guardian

Preserving Evidence in Fraud Investigations — via FRAUDfiles

As RTO rates stabilize, flexibility remains key for work scheduling, McKinsey says — via HR Dive

Navigating the Maze: eDiscovery Essentials for Employers — via Hiring To Firing Law Blog