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Welcome back to another edition of the Career Rocket newsletter, your trusted source for the latest updates and insights on employment laws, job market trends, and more. We're thrilled to have 1440 Media sponsoring today's newsletter, empowering us to continue delivering valuable content to you.

Need to know: Thanks to Monday’s observance of President’s Day, our next email will go out after the long weekend on Feb. 23. Looking forward to it.

Let's dive into today's highlights:

FEATURE: From Layoff to Labor of Love: Brittany Lappano's Journey to Empower Working Mothers

When Brittany Lappano was impacted by Google’s 6% reduction in force at 14 weeks pregnant, she had one choice: interview with a growing belly. The calendar felt like an unsolvable equation. She’d be under New York’s WARN notice and on Google’s payroll until April 28th, and if she carried to term, her baby would arrive July 13th. 

Lappano had no idea how to ask about maternity leaves; when to tell interviewers she was pregnant; or how to land a role within a razor’s edge of time. Her severance package included lightweight coaching services. But when she finally told her assigned coach that she was pregnant, he said that in all of his decades of coaching, he’d never helped a pregnant client before. And then he stammered, “Well, maybe I have, but they haven’t told me.” He was kind and well-meaning, but that conversation stirred up intense feelings of otherness. 

“Was I that much of an anomaly?” Lappano wondered. “While I hadn’t entertained other opportunities in years, I’d always been told that with Google on my resume, I could go anywhere. That was no longer true. Ineligible for FMLA, I stumbled across a list of only 130 companies in the U.S. that offered maternity leaves without a qualification period. Though I’d built up a level of confidence in mid-career by doing what I loved, I felt like I suddenly belonged on an island of misfit toys.”

With the April 28th date nearing, the clock in her belly ticking louder,  and the race to land a role growing more complex, she weighed the pros and cons of posting about it on LinkedIn with her husband. 

“We decided no one from Google was going to save me so I’d better try to save myself,” she says. “I never anticipated what happened next.”

A million people saw the post. Of 900 public comments, many were from supportive mothers who’d been in this situation before. 

Privately, Lappano received more than 100 heartbreaking messages from women who were currently laid off pregnant, on maternity leave, or during their baby’s first year. They hid their stories — stuck in a shame cycle during a time that was meant to be joyous. They were anxious, afraid, and seeking connection with someone who understood.

The idea to create a mentorship program was instantly born — connecting empathetic mothers who understood a nuanced and time constrained job search during a vulnerable period with the women in her inbox who, like Lappano, needed support.

In November 2023, Lappano soft launched The Labor Club (a double entendre representing birth and work) to the women who had reached out to her. Today, there are more than 200 members. 

Lappano gushes, “Something really beautiful is happening now. Impacted mothers and mothers-to-be are getting hired and then coming straight to The Labor Club to offer referrals. Women are also helping each other by reviewing resumes, conducting practice interviews, and offering advice. Empathy is one hell of a motivator.”

With her own job search percolating on the side, Lappano is now eyeing 501(c)(3) status for The Labor Club. 

“I’ve already distributed micro cash grants; provided access to healthcare professionals; and offered programming centered on career development and healthcare for women and infants. There’s so much more I can do as a non-profit. I’ve caught the attention of major brands whose support would enable me to help provide for babies so that mothers and mothers-to-be can focus on their job searches.”

She’s currently shopping pro bono legal support to help her with tasks like submitting her 501(c)(3) application; board governance; and filing for a trademark.

“Every day, I hear from expecting and new mothers who are so grateful to have a place to find community, help, and hope during their stressful and time-bound job searches. While I’ve always known that women are stronger together, I never would have imagined that picking up the pieces of my own layoff while pregnant would lead to such a supportive community. There’s plenty of TLC to go around now,” Lappano says.

If you were let go from your job while pregnant, on leave, or within your baby’s first year of life, email [email protected] for an invitation to join The Labor Club.

California's new noncompete laws have immediate effects on businesses, irrespective of their location. Assembly Bill 1076 invalidates noncompete agreements except in specific circumstances, while Senate Bill 699 renders any contract restraining trade unenforceable, even if signed outside California. Employers must notify affected employees by February 14 and face penalties for noncompliance. Companies are advised to review employment agreements, send notices, and adjust templates promptly to comply with the new laws.

Thank you for joining us for another edition of the Career Rocket newsletter. We hope you found today's content informative and engaging. Stay tuned for more updates on employment laws, career insights, and industry news in our future editions.

Until next time, keep aiming for the stars in your career journey!

Fly high,

The Career Rocket by The Spiggle Law Firm