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Faces of HR: How Monique Mahler is Rewriting the Legal Leadership Playbook

Monique Mahler didn’t start her career in the C-Suite. She started at the front desk. Today, as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Snell & Wilmer, Mahler oversees the people strategy for a legal powerhouse spanning 17 offices across the U.S. and Mexico. But her journey from a receptionist at Baker Botts to a global HR […]

EntertainHR: Knives Out: The Mystery of the Independent Contractor 

Many of you are likely familiar with the popular whodunnit movie franchise, Knives Out. The latest film in the series, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, released on November 26, 2025. It is a spectacular mystery filled with action and laughs. It also made me ponder one of the ever-present “mysteries” in the modern workplace, independent contractors.  The Knives […]

4th Circuit Decision Highlights WARN Act Risks for Broader Corporate Families

Since the late 1980s, employers conducting large layoffs have had to ensure compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. While doing the calculus to determine whether there are WARN notice obligations may be straightforward, typically, complications can arise when the employer is one of several entities in a group of related companies. […]

HR Query: The 20-Year Reversal: Why the Gender Gap is Widening and How HR Can Fix It

After two decades of steady progress, the data is sending a warning shot. According to the Census Bureau, 2025 marked the second consecutive year the gender pay gap has widened. We sat down with Shelly MacConnell, Chief Strategy Officer at WIN, to discuss why the old playbook is failing and what “female-friendly” benefits actually look […]

When Political Confrontations Hit Your Workplace:  What the Ford Plant Incident Teaches HR

Picture this: A high-profile political figure visits your company. An employee confronts them about a controversial issue. Profanity flies, and the video goes viral. HR must respond, but how?  That scenario played out last month at a Ford Motor plant in Detroit during President Trump’s visit. Ford assembly worker T.J. Sabula, a unionized employee, shouted “pedophile protector” at Trump, an apparent reference […]

HR’s Playbook for Including Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in DEI

Here’s a true story. Dennis is 28 years old and has Down syndrome. After high school, he lived in a county group house and spent five years stuffing calendars into cardboard tubes—reliable but unrewarding work. A former student of one of the authors, now a restaurant owner, hired him as a waiter. Dennis quickly mastered […]

Telehealth and Tax-free Funds: A Perfect Match for Employees 

The healthy intentions set for the new year have already come and gone for most of your employees. But as HR pros, you can reinvigorate or bolster health goals by educating employees about benefits that directly support their needs.   According to recent surveys, three in 10 Americans have set resolutions for 2026, with the most common goals focusing […]

Beyond HIPAA: Navigating the ‘More Stringent’ Standard

In light of the February 16, 2026, deadline for covered entities to update their notice of privacy practices (NPP), covered entities should consider “more stringent” state laws that may apply to these updated forms and require compliance. The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule sets the floor for privacy protections and […]

Faces of HR: How Omnissa’s Chief People Officer Bridges the Gap Between Tech and Talent

From navigating the streets of eight different countries to steering the ship at AI-native tech giants, Suni Lobo’s career is anything but conventional. Now serving as the Chief People Officer at Omnissa, she’s using her unique global lens to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and human-centric leadership. The Power of the “Sponsor” Every great […]

EEOC Repeals Harassment Guidance Relating to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

On January 22, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted 2 to 1 to rescind its 2024 Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace—which had provided the agency’s position for identifying, preventing, and responding to workplace harassment, particularly the harassment of LGBTQ+ workers—after finding the guidance exceeded the agency’s rulemaking authority. Repeal Follows Executive […]