Tag: news

Spotting the Red Flags: The Legal Risks Posed by Employer Use of AI

AI is rapidly transforming and becoming increasingly integrated into employer’s decision-making. Employers are leveraging AI tools to streamline hiring, manage employee performance, draft contracts, policies, or other legal documents, and even to answer complex legal questions. But as the adoption of AI in HR accelerates, so do the risks. For employers in particular, which have […]

Closing the Feedback Gap: Why Leadership Development Is Falling Short 

Leadership development is a priority for most organizations, yet meaningful performance outcomes are only seen when the learning is applied into real-world, day to day leadership habits. One of the most persistent barriers is the gap in how feedback is delivered and acted upon.  Recent research from Borderless shows that while 96% of employees believe regular feedback helps them improve, nearly half say […]

Failure: The Secret Sauce of Gen AI Strategy 

Generative AI rewards those who embrace constant iteration. Instead of fearing errors, treat them as essential data. Every strange output reveals how the system thinks, providing the edge you need to master the tool.   AI offers the rocket fuel that propels innovation forward and enables organizations and teams to overcome challenges and manage risks. This is especially true […]

Consider These Tips for Complying with EEOC Priorities

Employers would be well-served to review their policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that they are in line with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) current focus and priorities.  Pay Attention to EEOC’s Targets The watch words of “equity versus equality” underpin the EEOC’s targets for enforcement actions. According to official and unofficial statements made […]

1st Circuit Says Discrimination Claim Can’t Be Based on a PIP

It used to be pretty well settled in Massachusetts (and many other places) that an employee couldn’t win an employment discrimination case without proving their employer’s allegedly discriminatory actions caused them to suffer meaningful harm—i.e., that the “adverse employment action” their employer took against them was “material.” That changed back in 2024, when the U.S. […]

Best of SPARK HR Podcasts: Part 2

Over the past few months, we’ve had the pleasure of previewing the many fantastic HR leaders set to speak at SPARK HR in the HR Works Podcast, learning the ins and outs of what HR professionals need to know in order to succeed in the modern workforce. The insights were actionable and engaging, and we […]

HRDA Frankly Speaking: The AI Outcomes of SPARK HR

AI is everywhere, but it often feels like its hidden behind a veil of shadow and mystery. Thankfully, Jenessa Disler, Sr. Director of Talent and Succession at McKesson, went on stage to dispel myths and discuss how HR leaders can approach AI in HR and their culture with clarity and compassion. As an HR leader who […]

Florida AG Challenges NFL’s Rooney Rule

Over the last several months, we’ve witnessed increased attacks by the federal and state governments over employers’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. It seems that the National Football League (NFL) is the most recent organization to find itself in those crosshairs. The Rooney Rule In 2003, the NFL adopted the Rooney Rule at the […]

SPARK HR Day 2 Recap: Empathy is the Name of the Game

The sun and fun of SPARK HR was well underway as Day 2 of our conference kicked off. From Disney to Chick-fil-A, the world’s premiere HR leaders took the stage to shine a light on what the HR world needs, and how to flourish in the field. The thing they all agree on? Empathy is […]

EEOC Provides Guidance on Telework as a Reasonable Accommodation

In February 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued guidance titled “Frequently Asked Questions from the Federal Sector about Telework Accommodations for Disabilities.” Although it’s targeted toward federal agencies, the guidance draws on standards also relevant to private employers covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Alternative Reasonable Accommodations The ADA entitles qualified […]