Breaks, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and nursing moms -- guidance from the federal Department of Labor (DOL) helps employers make sure they are applying the rules correctly to teleworkers. In a Field Assistance Bulletin, the DOL addresses…
As finance and HR leaders develop 2026 salary budgets, errors in payroll execution can quickly undermine the impact of planned pay raises. Employees rely on their pay to cover rising costs and navigate an uncertain economy – and payroll mistakes…
Some manager mistakes begin with an attempt to help -- and then land companies in court. In this case, a supervisor supported an underperforming employee with attention deficit disorder (ADD), but his alleged "ADD brain" remarks kept her disability discrimination…
The IRS has finalized the tax year 2026 Form W-2, solidifying more of the reporting requirements established by federal legislation passed last year. Plus, the final version of General Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3 was released shortly after the…
EBSA FY 2025 Enforcement Snapshot $1.4B recovered for workers and plans 878 civil investigations closed 253 criminal investigations closed $512.5M restored to former employees Federal regulators recovered $1.4 billion for workers and benefit plans in FY 2025, according to a…
Valentine’s Day brings workplace relationships into focus. Office romances introduce risk, especially when authority, pay, or performance decisions are involved. How common are workplace romances -- and how should HR respond? The Current State of Office Romances As it turns…
A $6.2 million California paid sick leave settlement is prompting a closer look at how paid sick leave notices, payroll practices, and labor costs connect. The agreement closes out claims tied to labor practices during the height of the pandemic,…
An employee asked for FMLA leave. Not long after, he was fired. He sued, claiming the termination of his employment amounted to retaliation for using protected leave – a claim tied to how his request was handled. In Pack v.…
Nearly a quarter (22%) of employees who witness harassment never report it. But among those who do, 38% say they were dissatisfied with their employer’s response. The data highlights a trust gap that shapes whether employees speak up at all.…
Pharmacy benefits are one of the hardest areas for HR to defend as drug costs climb. Employees feel it at the pharmacy counter. Finance sees it in renewal projections. HR ends up explaining the gap. Medical and prescription drug expenses…
If someone qualifies as exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), is an exempt classification mandatory? The Department of Labor (DOL) recently confirmed that an exempt classification isn’t a must, even if an employer is…
As AI hiring tools become embedded in core HR workflows, AI hiring compliance is moving higher on HR leaders’ priority lists. A class action lawsuit against Eightfold serves as an early reminder that adopting AI-enabled tools requires a clear understanding…
If you're looking for employment law predictions for 2026, a new survey from Norton Rose Fulbright highlights where employment and labor risk remains most persistent for employers. The firm’s 21st Annual Litigation Trends Survey examines where businesses faced litigation in…
A new opinion letter looked at whether one company needed to add bonuses into its overtime calculations under federal law. The answer from the Department of Labor (DOL)? Yes. That meant the company dropped the ball and had to either…
Most HR teams already pay for jury duty. Many pay for bereavement leave. Some pay for short-term sick leave without much debate. Courts are now finding that those everyday policy choices can quietly trigger paid military leave obligations, whether HR…
IRS has released 2026 mileage rates and other updates impacting employees who drive personal vehicles for work or employer-provided vehicles. First, IRS said in a recent notice that the business standard mileage rate for 2026 is 72.5 cents per mile.…
