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FMLA Riddle: When is an FMLA Violation Not a Violation?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) continues to baffle lawyers and HR professionals. But sometimes a riddle brings welcome news, as we see in a recent decision from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (the federal court of appeals covering Texas). Read on. Where’s the Beef? Virginia Adams worked for Columbia/HCA Hospital. She […]

HRDA Frankly Speak: CPO of Cardinal Group Companies Thinks of AI as an Exoskeleton

The rise of AI has inspired both hope and fear in the workplace. Its ever-changing abilities and the shifting legal landscape leave a lot of workers and HR professionals in a nervous state. While executive leaders search for ways to implement AI as effectively as possible, some still question whether the workforce will become less […]

Cardinal Group CPO on Why AI Is a ‘Human Advantage’

The rise of AI has inspired both hope and fear in the workplace. Its ever-changing abilities and the shifting legal landscape leave a lot of workers and HR professionals in a nervous state. While executive leaders search for ways to implement AI as effectively as possible, some still question whether the workforce will become less […]

Health Plan Surcharges Pose Litigation Risks for Employers

Many employers implement wellness programs into their employee health plan offers. Wellness programs have varying designs but commonly offer premium discounts to participants who are tobacco-free or achieve certain biometric thresholds encouraging healthy living (LDL cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, BMI). Noncompliant programs have become a frequent target for employees’ lawyers, arguing certain designs violate nondiscrimination […]

Employers Beware: Blanket Policies Prohibiting Workplace Recordings May Violate the NLRA 

In the past, employees recording audio or images in the workplace might resort to the use of a bulky tape recorder, a hidden “wire,” camera, or other device secured in a purse, on their person, or even a hard hat.  Now that smart phones with professional-grade audio and video capabilities are an integral part of […]

Employers in so-called ‘sanctuary cities’ need to prepare for increased ICE enforcement

As many readers are certainly aware, President Donald Trump has resumed and intensified immigration enforcement efforts. In the most recent wave of action, the president issued an Executive Order (EO) directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to publish a list of all sanctuary jurisdictions. DHS recently released its list, which includes states, cities, and […]

Faces of HR: Lena Finch’s Blueprint for Thriving Workplaces

Lena Finch‘s career path wasn’t a straight line to the HR department. She kicked things off in customer service, handling frustrated callers and learning the true meaning of empathy under pressure. Little did she know, those early days were shaping her into the exceptional HR leader she is today. “Those early days taught me how […]

How HR Teams Can Meet New Workplace Expectations this Summer

Over the past several years, there has been a revolution in how employees work. The COVID-19 pandemic drove an overnight shift to remote work, and many employees became accustomed to the flexibility and freedom this shift provided. While a growing number of companies are now requiring employees to return to the office, this doesn’t mean […]

remote work

Federal Report Shows Remote Work Trumps RTO 

In 2025, a growing number of major employers are mandating full-time returns to the office. Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Dell, and Goldman Sachs have all implemented five-day-a-week office mandates. Similarly, the federal government has followed suit; by early 2024, over 400,000 federal employees were required to be in the office at least two to three days […]

Supreme Court Eliminates ‘Background Circumstances’ Test for Title VII Claims

In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has formalized and affirmed the legal standard for employment discrimination claims for nonminority groups under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. What Changed? Typically, in Title VII cases, employees must show they are members of a protected class, they were qualified for the job […]