Across the Bar Podcast, Episode 51 - Who Needs HR? This CEO Says He Doesn't — Plus Meta's Mess, AI & Work, and Let's Go Knicks!

This week on Across the Bar, employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein pour one and dig into a week that had the workplace world buzzing.First up: Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow made headlines by defending his decision to fire the company's entire HR department — arguing the team was inventing problems that didn't exist — as part of a broader restructuring that also cut roughly 30% of the workforce. Peter and Laura break down whether eliminating HR is bold strategy or a legal and cultural disaster waiting to happen — and what it means for employees who no longer have anyone to call. The conversation then turns to how CEOs are talking about workers right now — and why the language matters more than you might think.We also talk about what's actually happening with the Meta layoffs and what should workers be paying attention to, including a deeper look at AI and hiring through the lens of one of the most candid CEO statements in recent memory. Cloudflare's CEO wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the company cut "measurers" — middle managers, finance, legal, and operations staff — while prioritizing "builders" and "sellers," even as the company posted record revenue growth. Peter and Laura unpack what this framework means for how companies are reshaping their workforces, and what it tells us about where hiring is headed. Plus, should your company have a predictive market policy? It's a question more employers are starting to ask — and the legal and HR implications are real.And because it's New York and it's May: the Knicks are in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers — and Peter has thoughts.