Definition

Family and Medical Leave Act—U.S. legislation allowing employees unpaid leave for medical/family reasons. It's generous by American standards, which is sad.

Example Usage

I'm taking FMLA for my surgery, which means I can be gone for 12 weeks while maintaining my health insurance but receiving zero income.

Origin

Signed into law in 1993 under President Clinton

Fun Fact

FMLA only applies to organizations with 50+ employees, covering roughly 60% of the U.S. workforce

Source: Employment law terminology

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Peter Principle

The theory that employees are promoted based on current performance until they reach a level of incompetence where they stop being promoted. Explains why so many managers seem terrible at their jobs.

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just cause termination

Firing someone for a legitimate, documented reason rather than at-will whimsy. Typically requires progressive discipline, warnings, and enough paperwork to deforest a small country.

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FNG

The 'New Guy/Gal' (with a more colorful adjective), referring to the newest team member who doesn't yet understand unspoken rules, inside jokes, or why everyone hates the quarterly all-hands meetings. Every workplace has one, and we've all been one.

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diversity

The corporate buzzword for having a workplace that actually reflects what the real world looks like, rather than a 1950s country club. It's the intentional inclusion of people from different backgrounds, races, genders, and experiences, ideally moving beyond token representation to genuine equality. When done right, it's transformative; when done wrong, it's a checkbox on a compliance form.

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recruit

A fresh-faced newcomer to an organization who hasn't yet learned which meetings are actually mandatory or where the good coffee is hidden. In HR-speak, recruiting is the art of convincing qualified strangers that your company's 'unique culture' is worth trading their current misery for your brand of chaos. Military origins, because apparently hiring civilians requires the same strategic planning as assembling an army.

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evergreen job posting

A continuously open job requisition used to build a talent pipeline for frequently needed roles. It gives the illusion of always hiring while allowing the company to ghost 99% of applicants at their leisure.

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