Steve Easterbrook, former CEO of McDonald's, stated in a court filing that the company shouldn't be allowed to claim back his severance package -- which Equilar values at an estimated $57.3 million -- as he complied with the terms stipulated in the separation agreement. A statement from McDonald's disagreed, saying, "Steve Easterbrook lied and destroyed evidence to conceal his inappropriate conduct and impede the investigation into his behavior."

Forty percent of working parents have either had to quit their job or reduce their hours because of the pandemic and 38% of those who have left a job don't intend to return to the workforce, according to a survey from FlexJobs. Fifty-eight percent of working parents say a flexible schedule would help them the most to balance their work, child care responsibilities and distance learning.

Employees from different industries are increasingly sharing their compensation details with each other via crowdsourced documents, and HR experts warn companies against taking retaliatory action, advising them instead to have transparent discussions about pay. "We've already seen this move to transparency in pay equity, and extending to pay ranges, pay philosophy and career opportunity," says Mercer's Tauseef Rahman.

Improve mentor relationships during the pandemic, either as a mentor or trainee, by focusing on "microsteps," prioritizing wellness, scheduling virtual catchups and being thoughtful about goals, writes Megan Burke Roudebush. "Mentorship must be reciprocal and authentic, must involve listening, and should include meeting people where they are at the moment they are having the conversation," she advises.