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When a party communicates with a publicly available AI platform in connection with a legal dispute, are the party’s communications protected by the attorney-client privilege or work product doctrine? In one of the earliest decisions on this issue, Judge Jed S. Rakoff—an influential judge in the Southern District of New York—held that such communications were […]
Most HR leaders know AI is coming. The ones who are moving carefully, piloting thoughtfully, building the business case are doing the right thing by most conventional measures. And a year from now, many of them will find themselves explaining to leadership why adoption is low and why employee experience hasn’t meaningfully changed. The problem […]
Action plans are only as good as the system that supports them. After the survey closes and priorities are set, managers are often expected to deliver results without the structures, skills, or motivation needed to succeed. So, what can HR professionals do to help managers actually function? We asked upcoming SPARK HR speaker, I/O psychologist, […]
The legal framework governing worker classification in the United States has undergone significant turbulence over the past five years, leaving businesses to navigate a seemingly ever-changing regulatory environment. Most recently, on February 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would alter the analysis for determining whether a […]
HR executives have entered new territory. The function is no longer viewed as a support operation focused on policies, processes, or head count alone. HR leaders are now expected to shape outcomes, business outcomes, mission outcomes, and human outcomes, often at the same time and under heightened scrutiny. That shift is reflected in how CEOs think about the role. A growing majority now […]
Jeanna Shapiro didn’t just climb the corporate ladder; she built it. With nearly 25 years of experience in the high-stakes world of global professional services, Shapiro now serves as the Chief People & Culture Officer for Grant Thornton and a key member of the Executive Committee at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC. But her journey to […]
A recent Ohio jury verdict underscores the legal and operational risks employers face when responding to accommodation requests involving pregnancy-related medical conditions. The jury awarded approximately $22.5 million in a wrongful death action arising from an employer’s denial of a work-from-home request. Facts According to the complaint, the employee was a claims associate for a […]
About half of this year’s Sweet Sixteen starters in the men’s NCAA March Madness tournament began their college careers at a different program. Michigan State was the only Sweet Sixteen team with all five starters originating at the university. Four teams retained four of their five starters. For all remaining teams, at least two starters transferred from a different school. Player transfers are part of what makes March Madness so exciting. Transfers allow competition to […]
As the global Return to Office (RTO) debate continues to heat up, HR leaders are caught in a “tug-of-war” between executive mandates for physical presence and a workforce that has redefined “security” as autonomy. While leadership often views the office as a tool for surveillance, employees increasingly see the commute as a tax on their […]
The federal statutes prohibiting employment discrimination, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), establish specific periods during which employees must act to timely pursue a claim. In a recent decision, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (which encompasses Maryland, North Carolina, South […]