Tag: benefits

Job Redesign Is HR’s Real AI Mandate Now  

A recent eight-month field study at a 200-person U.S. tech company found that AI work expanded employees’ responsibilities, pushed work into breaks and evenings, and increased multitasking. The authors treat that pattern as a warning. For HR leaders, the more useful conclusion is sharper: AI does what serious productivity tools usually do. It raises capacity, then the […]

OMB Approves EEO-1 Rescission

On June 9, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) concluded its review of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) proposal to rescind its reporting regulations and data collection forms (EEO1, EEO-3, EEO-4 and EEO-5). The conclusion was a surprise to many groups, which had been granted […]

New Fast Track Bargaining Bill Remakes Law, Splits Republicans

A divided House passed a bill that would impose strict bargaining timelines and final contracts on employers and labor groups when negotiating a first union contract. The Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA) would empower arbitrators to impose final contract terms without a vote by either labor or management. Twenty Republicans joined 210 Democrats in supporting […]

Twenty Attorneys General Sue Over Federal Contractor DEI EO

On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, a coalition of 20 states and the District of Columbia filed suit in the federal district court for the District of Maryland challenging the actions taken to implement Executive Order (EO) 14398, “Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors.” The lawsuit alleges the actions exceed statutory authority and were issued without […]

Requiring PTO Use Before Unpaid FMLA Leave is Allowed, But Note State Requirements

Q: Can we require employees to use accrued paid time off (PTO) before taking unpaid Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, or must we provide FMLA leave and allow them to take PTO during the leave if needed? Under the FMLA, employers may require employees to use accrued PTO, such as vacation leave, personal […]

The Phrase That Will Get Every HR Pro Talking: Skills Supply Chain 

As AI transforms the workplace faster than most organizations can adapt, HR leaders are facing the challenge of building a workforce strategy that operates with the same precision and agility as a supply chain. The proof is in the data. Skillsoft’s Workforce Readiness Report recently found that while 86% of employees use AI tools at work, only 24% feel fully […]

Texas Court Green-Lights New Claim Against Poaching CEO

On June 9, our federal court of appeals gave the go-ahead to a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) lawsuit made personally against a CEO accused of masterminding the theft of competitors’ trade secrets. In an increasingly competitive business environment, new tools are welcome in fighting unfair practices.   What is RICO?  Back in 1970, […]

marijuana

Cannabis Reclassification is a Turning Point: HR and Compliance Teams Must Be Ready 

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 […]

Depression and Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: An Increasing Employer Challenge

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) most recent published annual reporting, claims for disability-related discrimination (38%) outpaced race (34%) and sex (26%) related filings. Indeed, in the past three reporting years, the number of charges filed claiming disability-related discrimination increased by 34% (25,004 to 33,668), more than in any other filing category. Disability […]

HRDA Frankly Speaking: Let Surveys Tell a Story

Engagement surveys are a point of contention for everyone. Employees think they’re a waste of time, managers have to wrangle data into something meaningful, and the entire process feels tedious. But what if these surveys, if done right, could tell a story that actually lets a workplace grow and change to the needs of the […]