Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all Texas employers) brought the hammer down on February 18 in an opinion written by Chief Judge Elrod. Glad I was not the nail. Show-cause order issued What is a show-cause order? It’s an order issued by a court to a lawyer essentially saying, […]
In the era of rapid automation, the most valuable leadership tool isn’t a new algorithm—it’s the willingness to see your role through a completely fresh lens. Many HR leaders view the rise of AI as a threat to their jobs, but Dr. Chrissy Roth-Francis, Director of Talent Development at LinkedIn, argues that people leaders are […]
Every leap in hiring technology has promised transformation. Most have delivered only incremental progress. Despite decades of digital upgrades – from newspaper classifieds to online job boards, faxed résumés to LinkedIn profiles – the basic logic of recruiting hasn’t changed. Companies still grow their teams the same way they always have: one job post, one recruiter, one […]
As organizations enter the new year focused on driving growth and elevating performance, a critical risk continues to go overlooked: the absence of psychological safety in the workplace. Psychological safety is a foundational requirement for effective compliance, sound decision-making and strong business performance. When employees don’t feel safe to speak up, organizations lose visibility into risk, culture erodes and innovation slows. […]
Court orders can have direct and enforceable consequences in the workplace. While these matters arise from an employee’s personal life, employers are often legally obligated to comply with court orders and must do so without engaging in or exacerbating the underlying dispute. Failure to understand these obligations can result in statutory penalties, civil liability, or […]
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 […]