Archives

End of an Era? EEOC Votes to Scrap 60-year-old Demographic Reporting Requirements

On July 21, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted to approve a draft notice of proposed rulemaking that would rescind the EEO-1 report and related demographic data reporting requirements, ending an obligation that has been a fixture of federal employment compliance for six decades. While the proposal must still navigate the notice-and-comment process […]

IT

Pay Attention to This Texas Distracted Driving Phone Sex Case

Distracted driving is a huge issue in the United States, causing large numbers of crashes and deaths every year. But what happens when distracted driving results in a crash from an on-the-job employee? Can the employer be held responsible? What can employers do to protect themselves? Distracted Driving Thomas Earl Roberts was a commercial tractor-trailer […]

Behind the Professional Smile: Inside the Trend of “Cry Masking” at Work

There’s a new phrase quietly circulating through the corporate world, and it points to a heavy reality for American professionals: “cry masking.” Coined by resume.io, cry masking describes a growing phenomenon where employees who feel emotionally overwhelmed on the job go to extreme lengths to hide it. They step away to hide tears, suppress breakdowns, and […]

maternity

EEOC Lawsuits Signal Increased Scrutiny of Pregnancy Discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) continues to signal that pregnancy discrimination and pregnancy accommodation practices remain important agency enforcement concerns. First, on June 4, 2026, the EEOC adopted its new National Enforcement Plan for fiscal years 2025 through 2029. The plan specifically identifies cases that may help develop and define the scope of employer […]

HRDA Frankly Speaking: HR Leadership Shouldn’t Include Theology

Religious exemptions requests of AI are growing by the day. Since May, when the Vatican released an encyclical offering criticism on AI and its use, several instances of employees successfully acquiring religious accommodations to avoid using AI have been popping up, and likely many more to follow. What does this mean for employers? Well, thanks […]

FMLA

Wayfair PFML Verdict: Five Lessons Every HR Professional Should Take Seriously

Recently, a Massachusetts superior court jury awarded $4.75 million to an employee in a case against her former employer, Wayfair. The verdict has become one of the most significant employment law developments for Massachusetts employers since the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law took effect in 2021. The substantial verdict under PFML’s antiretaliation provision […]

Real Solutions, Real Peers: How HCI’s New Leadership Councils Are Built for Today’s HR Leaders

Navigating rapid change in human resources (HR) often feels like driving down the highway while building the car. Priorities shift overnight, teams are stretched thin, and brand-new challenges frequently pop up outside the traditional HR playbook. You don’t have time to test unproven solutions through trial and error—you need answers that work right now. To […]

SCOTUS Clears Path for TPS Terminations—What Employers Need to Do Now

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) recently decided in Mullin v. Doe that federal courts generally lack authority to review Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decisions to terminate temporary protected status (TPS) designations. This decision clears the way for DHS to move forward with terminating TPS protections for several countries. Here’s what employers […]

Faces of HR: How Erin Goodey is Building the Future of Work

Erin Goodey doesn’t just manage global teams—she helps them thrive. As Director of People Services at Oyster, Goodey leads complex, cross-border employment strategies that empower high-growth companies to scale compliantly, humanely, and with total clarity. Known for her practical, no-nonsense approach, she specializes in global people operations, risk mitigation, and pragmatic frameworks for distributed teams. By […]

civility

Nonpartisan Civil Service Under Attack

For much of the 19th century, the United States was hobbled by widespread government corruption. “To the victor go the spoils” supplanted a government “of, by, and for the people.” Only a national disgust with post-Civil War era corruption led to the creation of a nonpartisan civil service. Despite occasional slips (Teapot Dome), the federal […]