Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) recently decided in Mullin v. Doe that federal courts generally lack authority to review Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decisions to terminate temporary protected status (TPS) designations. This decision clears the way for DHS to move forward with terminating TPS protections for several countries. Here’s what employers […]
For much of the 19th century, the United States was hobbled by widespread government corruption. “To the victor go the spoils” supplanted a government “of, by, and for the people.” Only a national disgust with post-Civil War era corruption led to the creation of a nonpartisan civil service. Despite occasional slips (Teapot Dome), the federal […]
On May 29, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued four new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) opinion letters. Two of them—FLSA2026-5 and FLSA2026-8—address questions that come up frequently for employers managing exempt classifications and timekeeping practices. Below is a summary of each. Dual-position Employees Can Retain Exempt Status […]
With Pope Leo XIV releasing an encyclical back in May, largely condemning the use of generative AI, we’ve seen cases begin to surface of employees asking for religious accommodations to exempt them from using AI in their roles. And employers are having to comply. As AI use grows, so too does it’s many compliance issues. […]
In response to a request from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Andrea Lucas, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on June 9 issued an opinion declaring the EEOC’s current guidance on disparate impact under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to be unconstitutional. Background The concept […]
AI Hiring Tools Can Violate FCRA A recent lawsuit filed in California should raise serious concerns to any employer using artificial intelligence (AI) to screen applicants. The lawsuit, Kistler et al. v. Eightfold, AI Inc., claims the platform scraped personal data on over a billion workers, assigned each applicant a scored ranking, and filtered out lower-ranked […]
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 […]
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, […]
Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing centers on Basgiath War College, an elite military academy that produces elite dragon riders capable of defending Navarre. While Basgiath exists in a fantasy military state rather than a contemporary workplace, an HR department dropped into Navarre would likely shut down the Riders Quadrant before lunch. Basgiath is full of lessons for real-life employers, to ensure their workplace adheres to the workplace, safety, […]
Tyrese Manigault, Senior Manager of Employee Engagement of NASCAR, opened up a discussion during SPARK HR on the future of DEI, AI’s effects on leadership, and how leaders view legacy. In his panel, he broke down just how important it is for HR professionals to own up to what they can’t control, and approach what […]