Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
As HR professionals, and really as people, we opt to be nice and polite when dealing with anything in the workplace. But what happens when that blanket “agreeable”-ness produces a stagnant and stale environment instead of something productive? When the status quo becomes more harm than good, how can you break the mold? Amira Barger, […]
People decisions are some of the most scrutinized decisions organizations make. Pay adjustments, promotions, bonuses, and headcount choices are no longer quiet HR moments, they are visible, questioned, and often challenged. Employees expect fairness and transparency. Finance leaders expect discipline and predictability. Managers are asked to balance empathy, accountability, and cost often all at once. This shift matters because it […]
The Department of Labor (DOL) rang in the new year with some new guidance for employers covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This time, the DOL addressed whether an employee’s travel to and from medical appointments qualified as FMLA-protected time. Example Scenario An employee who works from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. […]
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a half-day program on January 27, 2026, focused on employee noncompetes. The FTC indicated its intent to pursue prosecution of agreements that violate antitrust or otherwise inappropriately limit employee choice. However, the commission is not reproposing the prior rule banning all noncompetes. If workers have issues, the agency suggests […]
Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are getting ready to cast their ballots ahead of the fast-approaching 98th Academy Awards. Final voting opens on February 26th and closes on March 5th, ten days before the golden statuettes are awarded to the winners. This year’s final Oscar voting is especially noteworthy: Academy members must watch all the films nominated […]
The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all Texas employers) brought the hammer down on February 18 in an opinion written by Chief Judge Elrod. Glad I was not the nail. Show-cause order issued What is a show-cause order? It’s an order issued by a court to a lawyer essentially saying, […]
Every leap in hiring technology has promised transformation. Most have delivered only incremental progress. Despite decades of digital upgrades – from newspaper classifieds to online job boards, faxed résumés to LinkedIn profiles – the basic logic of recruiting hasn’t changed. Companies still grow their teams the same way they always have: one job post, one recruiter, one […]
As organizations enter the new year focused on driving growth and elevating performance, a critical risk continues to go overlooked: the absence of psychological safety in the workplace. Psychological safety is a foundational requirement for effective compliance, sound decision-making and strong business performance. When employees don’t feel safe to speak up, organizations lose visibility into risk, culture erodes and innovation slows. […]
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a half-day program on January 27, 2026, focused on employee noncompetes. The FTC indicated its intent to pursue prosecution of agreements that violate antitrust or otherwise inappropriately limit employee choice. However, the commission is not reproposing the prior rule banning all noncompetes. If workers have issues, the agency suggests […]
Q: If an employee takes sick leave but hasn’t completed and returned a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) form, can the employer lawfully terminate employment? Both employers and employees have responsibilities when FMLA-qualifying leave is involved, including timely notice and compliance with employer policies. To assess what happens when an employee takes potentially FMLA-qualifying […]