JPMorgan Chase will pay a $5 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit for allegedly denying male workers the same opportunity female workers get to take 16 weeks of paid parental leave when they have a new infant. The lawsuit began when a male employee was told that he would not qualify for the 16-week leave unless he met specific criteria, such as proving that his wife was "medically incapable" of tending to the newborn.

A better employee experience starts with having managers make onboarding special, says Olesea Azevedo, chief HR officer for Adventist Health System. "While we focus on technology and tools, all those things are helpful and important, at the end of the day, the relationship that the employee has with their manager has a big impact on their experience," she says.

Paid time off is a benefit that can help small businesses get an edge over the competition for quality talent, Jeffrey McKinney writes. PTO tops the list of benefits that small businesses say they will provide to employees this year, according to a survey by Clutch.

Remote workers can be good for productivity and profit when they are managed correctly through frequent communication, clear goals and a connected culture that motivates them, writes Kim Houlne. "By its very nature, remote work attracts a dedicated group of professionals who prefer this lifestyle, with its freedom and flexibility," Houlne notes.

Teaching social skills and providing new experiences are the goals of the Special Olympics basketball program at Oxnard High School in Oxnard, Calif., writes SmartBrief's Kanoe Namahoe. Kelly Sheeran, the special-education teacher who leads the program, says hands-on support from administration and general-education students help make the program successful.