Tag: news

At Public Meeting, FTC Indicated Intent to Prosecute Unreasonable Noncompetes

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 […]

EntertainHR: Celebrating the Best in Workplace Investigations 

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 […]

5th Circuit Throws Down on Use of AI

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, […]

With Court Orders, Know Your Legal Obligations and Risk Considerations

Court orders can have direct and enforceable consequences in the workplace. While these matters arise from an employee’s personal life, employers are often legally obligated to comply with court orders and must do so without engaging in or exacerbating the underlying dispute. Failure to understand these obligations can result in statutory penalties, civil liability, or […]

The Hidden Cost of Silence: How Low Psychological Safety in the Workplace Undermines Compliance, Culture and Growth 

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. […]

At Public Meeting, FTC Indicated Intent to Prosecute Unreasonable Noncompetes

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 […]

Can You Fire Employees Who Don’t Return FMLA Forms?

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 […]

HRDA Frankly Speaking: Adam Hickman on AI & Leadership

The world seems to be changing at a faster rate every single day, and employees taking the brunt of the change, and fearing for the future. Job loss is rampant, economic uncertainty looms around every corner, and no one truly knows if their same job will be around tomorrow. So, how do leaders guide their […]

Guns at Work: Keeping Employees Safe in Troubling Times

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), nearly two million American workers report experiencing some type of workplace violence annually. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), homicide accounted for nearly 9% of all on-the-job fatalities in 2023 (the most recent data available). Suicide accounted for another 5%. With civil […]

Nurses Aren’t Burned Out, They’re Being Burned by the System 

A growing body of workforce data is pointing to an uncomfortable truth. Nursing burnout is an active threat to workforce stability across healthcare. In a recent survey issued to registered nurses nationwide, 53% of respondents reported seriously considering leaving the profession at least once a month over a six-month period. This level of recurring intent to exit […]