California recently passed a law creating a retirement program for employees who don't have access to retirement plans through their jobs. California is one of eight states to have this type of program in place, and by one count, at least 30 others are weighing similar initiatives.

A promising job candidate's current employer may make an attractive counteroffer that causes him or her to reconsider. InterviewFit founder Jenny Hargrave recommends several tactics to avoid this fate, including keeping the lines of communication open throughout the hiring process.

Pregnant women in the workforce may face discrimination, and the kinds of assistance that companies offer may not be what they need, research shows. Women in the study appreciated practical help but were wary of situations where it appeared they were being cut off from challenging work.

Many colleges and universities that offer tuition benefits for faculty, staff and their dependents are revising or stepping up enforcement of the policies as tuition costs increase. However, university leaders say the benefit is important for recruitment and retention, plus any changes need to be clearly explained and framed positively to quell concerns.

Health care employers increasingly will look for newly graduated nurses to have digital badges or microcredentialing that show they have soft skills, such as communication, critical thinking, empathy and professionalism, writes Jaime Hannans, an assistant professor of nursing at California State University Channel Islands.

Researchers at The Wharton School are studying how humor affects workplace status depending on how the user deploys it. "We don't want the class clown, but for somebody who's facile with it, [humor] can really be a strategic advantage," says professor Maurice Schweitzer.