The average premiums for midlevel Affordable Care Act health plans will increase by about 25% next year, but subsidies will be available to cushion the blow for consumers. "The odds are good you'll find plans more affordable than what the public debate about the ACA might lead you to expect," says Kathryn Martin, assistant secretary for planning and evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services.

A startup called Werk is designed to connect women with high-level job opportunities that feature flexible working conditions. "Leaning in is not enough if work environments remain stuck in the industrial era, when families were managed by a stay-at-home parent," said co-CEO Annie Dean.

While employers are allowed to take stances on political issues or even endorse candidates, employees may have to be more careful about discussing their views since many First Amendment rights don't apply in the workplace, writes Jena McGregor. In many states, there's no legal protection from being discriminated against due to your political affiliation, says lawyer Debra Katz.

Not all women face the same pay gap with men's salaries, and research shows the disparity is actually larger for black and Latina women. Meanwhile, studies indicate that black and Latino men earn less, on average, than white and Asian women.

An Alabama school district is working to create a job-shadowing program for 11th- and 12th-graders to connect them to future careers. The program will be part of the district's work-based learning program that allows students to earn income at school-based work sites.

Disengaged employees are the norm in today's workplaces, and Steven D. Goldstein offer five principles for restoring trust and engagement. They include transparency and prioritizing a few issues rather than many.