Across the Bar Podcast, Episode 52 - CIA Gold Heist, JPMorgan's "Salami Case" & Why Workers Are Unionizing Again

It's a (sort of) America 250 edition of Across the Bar! 🇺🇸 Employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein break down a packed week of workplace stories — from a CIA gold heist to a $642 deli platter that cost JPMorgan millions.⚖️ The Union Comeback Is Real — Unionized workers just hit 16.5 million, a jump of 463,000 in a year and the highest level in 16 years — even as employers pour $1.7B+ into anti-union efforts. Peter explains what the shift in worker-vs-employer power really signals, and why he's warning companies not to overplay their hand.🏆 The CIA Gold Bar Guy — A senior CIA official allegedly faked his résumé for years, then walked off with $40M in gold bars, $2M in cash, and a pile of Rolexes. Laura and Peter use it as a jumping-off point for the real question: how much can you actually embellish on a résumé before it becomes a career-ending lie? Plus where salary-history laws stand now.🥪 The JPMorgan "Salami" Case — A wealth manager who brought in a billion dollars was fired over a $642.50 expense his assistant mislabeled. He asked for $30M and won $4.25M in arbitration. Laura and Peter explain why theft is a bright-line issue for big employers — no matter how small the dollar amount or how high the performer.🤝 Intern Survival Guide — Two listener questions: Should you join in on the office jokes? (Wait for the invite.) And how do you handle the Monday "how wasted were you" chatter without oversharing? Laura's got a trick — plus the cleanest embarrassing story of all time, straight from her White House internship.📌 Follow-ups: A Google engineer arrested for an insider-info Polymarket scheme, and why every company needs a betting-markets policy — plus the AI meeting-recording trap.Peter Rahbar is a New York-based employment attorney, workplace expert, and founder of The Rahbar Group and Laura Brounstein is an accomplished veteran journalist. Each week on Across the Bar, Peter and Laura Brounstein decode the headlines through the lens of your rights at work.🎧 New episodes every week — subscribe so you never miss one.