A lawsuit that accuses an employer of pressuring an employee to work while on FMLA leave will proceed following a federal court’s decision to reject the employer’s immunity defense. While much of the ruling is devoted to the intricacies of the legal topic of sovereign immunity, for employers it raises a much more nuts-and-bolts – […]
On his first day back in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on AI that will likely have trickle-down effects on every company and HR professional. With one signature, Trump essentially revoked Executive Order 14110, which had established a framework for AI oversight under the Biden administration. In its place, Trump […]
Employers are facing higher penalty amounts in 2025 for violations of several employment laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The information came in a final rule released by the Department of Labor (DOL) at the beginning of 2025. The increased rates took effect January 16, 2025, and apply to violations occurring as […]
Staying on top of compliance is no small feat these days. For HR pros, especially those at small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with limited resources, keeping up with compliance updates can quickly become overwhelming – which is why they often turn to experts for guidance. Dave Deitering, General Manager for the HR compliance solutions at […]
President Trump’s anti-DEI initiatives have moved into the private sector. First up: Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, alleging the company’s DEI policy illegally favors women and people of color. According to the complaint, Starbucks violated state and federal law by discriminating against individuals on the basis of their race […]
In our 60-minute program, you’ll gain critical insights into how new regulations, policy shifts, and workplace culture changes could impact HR strategies, retention, and compliance. By understanding these changes in advance, you’ll be equipped to proactively adjust policies, maintain employee trust, and ensure compliance—all while fostering an inclusive and engaged workforce.
This employer had a perfectly good reason to let an employee go – but was still unable to squelch a claim of unlawful gender discrimination. How is that possible, you ask? Let’s look at a ruling from a federal appeals court in New York. It’s an important one for HR pros to know. Supermarket Worker […]
You already understand the need to have new hire paperwork, such as Form I-9, in order. Now with the spotlight on illegal immigration, that has become more pressing. One of President Donald Trump’s new executive orders, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, seeks to improve national security and public safety by enforcing laws such as […]
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. New EEOC Leadership As expected, President Trump fired Karla Gilbride, the EEOC’s General Counsel, who was confirmed for a four-year term in 2023. Trump has since […]
The compliance landscape is shifting rapidly right now – and throughout these changes, the focus has to be protecting the company and ensuring employee safety. To keep pace with these changes, employers may want to lean on HR technology to achieve compliance. Specifically, Learning Management System (LMS) platforms play a critical role in online compliance […]
As expected, President Donald Trump began his second term by issuing a slew of executive orders on Day One — and he’s issued several more since then. The Trump Administration’s executive orders span several industries and cut across federal agencies, so there is a bit of overlap between categories. Here’s our running list of the […]
Picture this: A salesperson establishes a long-term relationship with a customer who places a recurring order every month. And the salesperson is paid commissions on each of those orders. Then the salesperson goes out on FMLA leave – and the customer still places its regular order. The question is, does the salesperson still get a […]
Got a problem with employees always taking intermittent FMLA leave around weekends? You’re not alone. Case in point: To combat what it perceived to be FMLA abuse, an employer in Oregon adopted a policy requiring all employees on intermittent leave to submit a doctor’s note anytime they were absent under the leave. A federal court […]
While it’s true that AI is transforming HR, its adoption comes with significant legal challenges. So it’s crucial for HR teams to understand the legal considerations for AI use in the workplace. What noted science fiction writer Isaac Asimov cautioned in 1988 remains equally true today: “[t]he saddest aspect of life right now is that […]
As an HR pro, you know that FLSA mistakes can be expensive. But even so, the sky-high cost of noncompliance found in the feds’ latest report is enough to cause sticker shock. Luckily, the report also sheds light on what caused employers the most trouble. In Impact in Fiscal Year 2024, the feds compiled data […]
The Third Circuit recently affirmed a jury verdict awarding more than $22 million in back wages to 11,780 employees at a Pennsylvania battery manufacturer. In a nutshell, here’s the lesson from this FLSA dispute: Employers must pay workers for actual time spent completing activities – not a “reasonable time” to get tasks done. At face […]
