HRMorning’s Top 10 HR Stories of 2025
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Every year, we take a closer look at what worked for HR professionals as they navigate the ups and downs of the industry.
And the top 10 HR stories of the year show a recap of what they faced and how they overcame obstacles and tackled new trends this year.
The top-rated stories – those that our HRMorning readers clicked on and needed most – were full of unprecedented orders, groundbreaking laws, and best practices in HR strategy and execution.
Glimpse: Top 10 HR Stories of 2025
They include important topics, such as wages, shifting federal laws, leave and pay transparency.
Here are the top 10 HR stories from our site in 2025, a brief summary of each and a link to the full story:
1. 2 IRS Notices Shed Light on Reporting Overtime and Tips
The IRS issued a detailed notice covering the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) earlier this year, offering guidance to individual taxpayers who plan to claim the new deductions for qualified tips and qualified overtime compensation. And as workers get ready to fill out the 1040 – and are likely to come to HR for help – the IRS guidance may clear up some of their confusion.
2. Pay Transparency Laws by State: HR’s Latest Compliance Guide
Pay transparency was a dominant legislative theme in 2025, with many more states and municipalities adding laws and either expanding or updating existing laws. Here’s what HR needs to know about pay transparency laws, why they’re becoming more important, and which states and localities have passed pay transparency legislation.
3. 6 Employer Tax Changes Now That Big Beautiful Bill Is Law
On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act became law, with numerous tax implications for employers as well as employees. Much more is contained within the nearly 1,000 pages of the 2025 budget reconciliation bill. We give you a rundown of some key provisions of the tax reform legislation.
4. DOGE’s Sweeping Changes of Federal Agencies: Here’s the Latest
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) got its start on Day One of President Donald Trump’s second term and met with immediate legal action. It was followed by many legal maneuvers that we continued to cover on HRMorning throughout the year.
5. Can You Fire an Employee on FMLA Leave? 5 Times Courts Said Yes
Terminating an employee during FMLA leave is a legal minefield – but sometimes it’s lawful. A ruling from a federal appeals court clarified when you can move forward – and when it’s likely to blow up in your face.
6. Immigration and Nationality Act: Trump Steps Up Enforcement
HR pros already understood the need to have new hire paperwork, such as Form I-9, in order. But with the spotlight on illegal immigration this year, that became more pressing. One of President Donald Trump’s executive orders, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, sought to improve national security and public safety by enforcing laws such as the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
7. Inclement Weather & the FLSA: 3 Important Court Rulings Provide Insight
Every storm puts the same three questions in HR’s inbox: Are we open today, who has to be here, and how is everyone getting paid? Several snow day lawsuits are a reminder to check that your inclement weather policies align with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
8. USCIS Revises Form I-9: Here Are the Changes You’ll See
In April 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released an updated version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Shortly thereafter, E-Verify and E-Verify+, which also fall under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), underwent minor changes as well. Here are the details.
9. New Executive Orders: What HR Should Know for Trump 2.0
As expected, President Donald Trump began his second term by issuing a slew of executive orders on Day One — and he has issued several more since then. The Trump Administration’s executive orders spanned several industries and cut across federal agencies, so there’s been a bit of overlap between categories. We’ve kept a running and updated list of the executive orders that HR professionals need to know about.
10. Trump’s EEOC Changes Explained: What HR Leaders Need to Know
President Trump made significant changes to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) when he returned to the White House. Here’s what happened – and what it means for HR.
Further Reading
Post-Election Fallout: 2 Ways to Manage New Tension in the Workplace
With the midterms over, you’d probably like to put the occasional (or frequent?) contentious moments any election can cause behind you. But it’s not likely to end with the last vote cast. HR and other leaders often face a recurring challenge in post-election times: acknowledging and managing politically charged moments that can turn up tension […]
An ‘Insecurity Tax’ Could Hurt Retention: 4 Solutions to Keep Your Talent
The last decade of corporate churn might have revealed this surprising lesson: One of the biggest threats to retention isn’t compensation, remote work or even AI. It could be managerial insecurity. When leadership is rooted in a manager’s personal anxiety, organizational behavior becomes entirely predictable. Micromanagement, hoarding authority, avoiding constructive dissent, and making defensive decisions […]
Politics at Work: An Election-Season Toolkit for HR Leaders
Employers everywhere are bracing for one of the trickiest challenges of the year as the country goes through another contentious election season. Inflammatory political speech in the workplace is disruptive and can lead to a host of workplace issues ranging from frustration and fractured relationships to claims of harassment and workplace violence incidents. With increasing […]
Are You Keeping Workforce Data Longer Than You Need To?
When an employee leaves, HR closes the personnel file, processes the final paycheck, and shuts off system access. Copies of that employee’s information can remain in places HR does not manage: email archives, collaboration platforms, badge-access logs, fleet telematics systems, and the files of recruiting, payroll and benefits vendors. Some of those records have to […]
How Managers Are the Missing Link in Workforce Capability: 3 Solutions
Managers are the bridge between business strategy, day-to-day execution, and organizational growth. Understanding and developing workforce capability has always been central to that role. And for HR leaders, a manager’s ability to do that well impacts everything from internal mobility and succession planning to retention and workforce readiness. The challenge is that workforce capability is […]
14 Fun Fall Team-Building Activities Employees Will Love
The change of seasons brings a unique way to engage your employees, promote team-building and have some fun with employees. And it couldn’t be more important than right now: Employee engagement has recently dropped to its lowest since 2020, according to Gallup research. Regardless of the time of year, it’s important to maintain employee motivation […]