Dive Brief:

• As part of a settlement with the NLRB, WeWork Cos., a co-working startup, has agreed to adjust part of its employee handbook by telling employees they have the right to organize, according to Bloomberg.
• The agreement resulted from the NLRB telling WeWork its workers might believe that the company's existing policies banned them from engaging in legal activities, including wage and union discussions.
• Now, the New York-based WeWork will e-mail employees and post notices in its offices nationwide spelling out how federal law gives them the right to coordinate efforts with their colleagues and form unions, according to the settlement.

Dive Insight:

WeWork's decision to clarify its employee handbook language makes sense when you consider the direction the NLRB is taking when it comes to unionizing efforts. From grad students to temporary workers, the NLRB has been actively pursing access to unionizing activities.

With its employee handbook language issue apparently resolved, WeWork remains locked into an NLRB case with ex-employee Tara Zoumer, who claimed she was fired after refusing to sign an arbitration agreement with the company. WeWork says its policy is within the law. Arbitration clause use has been on the rise nationwide, especially among smaller employers looking to minimize litigation exposure in employment law situations.