Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a half-day program on January 27, 2026, focused on employee noncompetes. The FTC indicated its intent to pursue prosecution of agreements that violate antitrust or otherwise inappropriately limit employee choice. However, the commission is not reproposing the prior rule banning all noncompetes. If workers have issues, the agency suggests […]
In the high-stakes world of SMB hiring, the battle for talent has never been more competitive—but new data suggests that men and women are fighting it with very different weapons. According to recent findings from Pipedrive, a distinct gender divide has emerged in retention strategies: while 52% of male hiring leaders are reaching for the checkbook to […]
What do NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Disney, and Nordstrom have in common? They’ve all turned to Betsy Lopez-Riley to navigate their biggest moments of reinvention. A senior transformation leader with over 20 years of experience, Lopez-Riley knows that big ideas only work when they work for the people executing them. Ahead of her sessions at SPARK HR 2026, HR […]
Q: If an employee takes sick leave but hasn’t completed and returned a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) form, can the employer lawfully terminate employment? Both employers and employees have responsibilities when FMLA-qualifying leave is involved, including timely notice and compliance with employer policies. To assess what happens when an employee takes potentially FMLA-qualifying […]
Transparency sits at the center of every successful Gen AI transformation. When leaders share clear milestones and plain outcomes, employees stop guessing and start participating. That participation matters because Gen AI spreads through daily decisions that managers rarely see. A steady flow of facts builds trust, keeps energy high, and turns adoption into a shared […]
The world seems to be changing at a faster rate every single day, and employees taking the brunt of the change, and fearing for the future. Job loss is rampant, economic uncertainty looms around every corner, and no one truly knows if their same job will be around tomorrow. So, how do leaders guide their […]
The world seems to be changing at a faster rate every single day, and employees are taking the brunt of the change, and fearing for the future. Job loss is rampant, economic uncertainty looms around every corner, and no one truly knows if their same job will be around tomorrow. So, how do leaders guide […]
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), nearly two million American workers report experiencing some type of workplace violence annually. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), homicide accounted for nearly 9% of all on-the-job fatalities in 2023 (the most recent data available). Suicide accounted for another 5%. With civil […]
A growing body of workforce data is pointing to an uncomfortable truth. Nursing burnout is an active threat to workforce stability across healthcare. In a recent survey issued to registered nurses nationwide, 53% of respondents reported seriously considering leaving the profession at least once a month over a six-month period. This level of recurring intent to exit […]
Earlier this year, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued opinion letters offering employers guidance regarding certain wage and hour matters under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). While these opinion letters are nonbinding, courts often defer to these letters when presented with similar issues. The letters also offer employers valuable insight into the DOL’s interpretation […]