Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A final rule from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) means employers can expect a much tougher time justifying a worker’s status as an independent contractor—a fact that has big implications for the gig economy and has attorneys who advise employers urging caution. The final rule, announced on January 9 and scheduled to be published in […]
Question: Do employees have to be employed for 12 months or work 1,250 hours to qualify for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), or do they qualify as soon as they begin employment? Answer: The PWFA applies to employees as soon as they begin employment, and it also applies to applicants. Under the federal PWFA, […]
Yesterday’s Advisor featured attorney Susan Schoenfeld’s tips for reducing FMLA abuse and fraud; today, five strategies that work, plus an introduction to the guide we call The FMLA Bible.” Schoenfeld, a Senior Legal Editor for BLR’s human resources and employment law publications, offers five strategies for reducing FMLA abuse in your organization. 1. Make Training […]
Adding to yesterday’s post, here are more tips on how to create new and more effective training programs, along with some other best practices for undoing the bad effects of bad training.
On April 23, 2026, the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration took the most consequential step in federal cannabis policy in more than five decades, placing FDA-approved cannabis products and state-licensed medical marijuana into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. A DEA hearing beginning June 29, 2026, will consider whether broader rescheduling, including recreational […]
Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its much-anticipated decisions about the COVID-19 vaccine mandates issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for employers with at least 100 employees, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for healthcare workers. In a 6-3 decision, the Court reimposed a “stay” (or hold) on […]
An innovative company in San Francisco not only has a unique way of securing new products but also an out-of-the-box way to get its employees carried away—literally.
by Dan Oswald The other day, I brought in a couple dozen donuts for a meeting we were having at the office. Since it was the first week back to work in the new year, I must admit I was curious about how many of those donuts would get eaten. How resolute would my colleagues […]
The growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to fundamentally disrupt the labor market, but not necessarily or always in the way most casual observers might assume. While AI and other technologies always have the potential to displace human workers, in many (if not most) cases, the motivation is actually to complement human […]
Bite-sized learning has been much discussed in the training world, but for all of its demonstrated benefits, it hasn’t been quick to be adopted in a traditional training world. FranklinCovey’s Matt Murdoch and Treion Muller have some thoughts on the power of bite-sized learning—and tips for trainers who want to use it.