Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Daniel C. Stockford The long-running saga of sexual harassment in the City of Westbrook Fire Department has come to an end with large settlement payments to two female firefighters. Under the settlement agreement, firefighter Kathy Rogers is set to receive about $480,000, while her colleague, Lisa Theberge, will receive about $370,000. Rogers and Theberge […]
Yesterday’s post detailed what deep-learning artificial intelligence (AI) is, as well as its benefits and drawbacks for learning and development (L&D) professionals. Today’s post will cover more information about how you can implement deep-learning AI and upcoming trends.
Surging changes to workplace laws understandably have employers suffering from whiplash. Historically, employment laws have shifted when presidential administrations have changed. A May 1, 2025, announcement by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) about its intended approach to the classification of individuals as independent contractors is a recent example. Background on Independent Contractors A number […]
You have several employees you’ve caught red-handed violating a company rule that your employee manual says may justify termination for a first offense. When questioned, one admits to the wrongdoing; the others deny it. Can you fire the employees who lied but retain the other employee with a lesser disciplinary measure? According to a recent […]
by David L. Johnson Recently, a Pennsylvania YMCA stopped showing cable news shows on the TVs in its gym because they were prompting political squabbles among its members. When filtered into the diverse workplace, passionate opposing political viewpoints can harm productivity and morale and even create liability issues for employers. Sometimes political discussions can morph […]
The United States won its freedom in the Revolutionary War when a ragtag army made up of state militias from the colonies defeated the mighty British Empire. How could this have happened?
A federal judge had granted conditional approval to a $226.5 million settlement that would resolve claims that FedEx misclassified its drivers as independent contractors. U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen said his approval was only conditional because only about 77 percent of the 2,016 class members have filed claim forms, and because of disagreements about how […]
In early 2016, the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released an Administrator’s Interpretation addressing joint employment under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA). In conjunction with this release, the DOL also issued a new fact sheet on the Family and […]
Summer begins on Wednesday, June 21, and in preparation for a fun-filled summer, Jimmy Fallon recently highlighted the worst summer jobs Twitter users have experienced. These tweeters were definitely not having fun summers when they worked at these jobs, but here’s to hoping they’ve all moved on to bigger and better things! Here are a […]
It’s the season of cardboard cupid decorations festooning cubicles and desks sporting little bowls of heart-shaped candies inscribed with messages such as, “Be Mine,” and “Love.” Valentine’s Day can provide a fun break from winter blahs around the office, but it’s also a reminder of a potential legal hazard — office romance. Employers struggle to […]