Employment attorney Ryan Stygar joins Nicole to hand us the playbook our employers hope they never find. He breaks down what "at-will employment" actually means and the exact moves to make the moment you get that dreaded out-of-nowhere email from HR. He also reveals everything that's negotiable in a severance package: the cash amount, COBRA coverage, equity vesting schedules, and non-disparagement clauses, and shares how he turned a $6,000 severance offer into over $60,000 for one client.
Then Nicole and Ryan role-play a firing from both sides of the table — so you know exactly what to say and what never to say. They dig into the issues that disproportionately affect women at work: pregnancy discrimination (the number one form Ryan sees in his practice), his controversial-but-legally-sound advice to disclose your pregnancy early, what rights you have if you miscarry, and how return-to-office mandates are quietly being weaponized as stealth layoffs.
Plus: AI keystroke monitoring, non-competes in the current legal landscape, and the interview questions that are totally illegal — that you're probably being asked right now.
Check out Nicole's financial literacy course The Money School Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole's company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab's Instagram and Nicole Lapin's Instagram
Get Ryan's book Get It in Writing
Here's what Nicole covers with Ryan:
00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?
02:01 Ryan's Path: From Firefighter to Workers' Rights Lawyer
02:52 Nicole Gets Let Go From CNN
03:44 Why HR Is Not Your Friend
05:34 The Right (and Wrong) Way to Fire Someone
06:41 It's Illegal to Fire Someone for Discussing Their Pay
08:44 Building Your Paper Trail From Day One
20:07 At-Will Employment, Explained
24:50 What to Do the Moment You Get That HR Email
26:31 Don't Sign Anything When You're Fired
29:14 Severance Is Negotiable
31:54 How Contingency Lawyers Can Help (Even When You're Broke)
33:38 What Else Is on the Table: COBRA, Equity, and Non-Disparagement Clauses
37:38 Role Play: Getting Fired (What Not to Do)
39:23 Role Play: Getting Laid Off (The Right Way to Handle It)
44:09 How a Good Employer Handles the Conversation
46:34 Freelancers and the 1099 vs. W-2 Trap
49:59 The Fear of Getting Blacklisted for Asserting Your Rights
50:19 Sexual Harassment: Who's Most at Risk and What to Do
52:44 Maternity Leave and Pregnancy Discrimination
55:28 Controversial Advice: Disclose Your Pregnancy Early
59:14 What to Get in Writing When You're Pregnant
01:02:16 Your Rights If You Miscarry
01:04:59 Return to Office as a Stealth Layoff Strategy
01:08:10 AI Tracking and Keystroke Monitoring
01:12:25 Non-Competes: What You Need to Know in 2026
01:17:09 Illegal Interview Questions (Role Play)
01:23:00 Ryan Stygar's Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank
All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor or attorney before making any financial or legal decisions.