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Ask the Expert: When Do Employees Qualify for Pregnancy Accommodations?

Question: Do employees have to be employed for 12 months or work 1,250 hours to qualify for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), or do they qualify as soon as they begin employment? Answer: The PWFA applies to employees as soon as they begin employment, and it also applies to applicants. Under the federal PWFA, […]

 “Ghost Jobs”: What’s Up with That?

The term “ghosting” originally surfaced to describe relationship situations where someone suddenly ends communication or contact with another, with no explanation. It has since extended into professional settings, including the workplace. For instance, during the hiring process some employers have discovered that they have been ghosted by candidates who start, but don’t finish, the process—and […]

Faces of HR: Cheryl Naumann’s Serendipitous Journey from Student to CHRO

Cheryl Naumann, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at the University of Phoenix, is a seasoned HR leader with a passion for fostering talent and driving organizational success. Her journey into the world of human resources began serendipitously. While pursuing a degree in Human Resources (HR), Naumann seized an opportunity to interview the head of HR […]

3 Steps Employers Can Take to Promote Pay Equity Through Data and Transparency

Over the last decade, numerous laws have been enacted across the U.S. to advance pay equity and transparency in the workplace. Pay data reporting laws, in particular, have gained significant momentum, becoming a key driver of progress toward fairer compensation practices.   Several U.S. states, including California and Illinois, have enacted pay data reporting laws, while […]

Bite, No Bark: 8th Circuit Recognizes Limitations on Certain ADA Accommodations

In attempting to assess the complicated balance between an individual employee’s need for a service animal and the requirements of clients, customers, patients, and the workplace as a whole, the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all Iowa employers) has weighed in over the last several months with discussions in two […]

Recent Data Shows Employers Souring on Gen Z Workers 

It’s a simple fact that Gen Z will continue to represent an increasingly significant proportion of the workforce. They already represent roughly one quarter of workers, and that percentage will continue to grow as more Zoomers enter the workforce and more Boomers and Gen X retire. This generational shift is part of basic demographics.  But […]

Entertain HR: Double Dribble—The Popularity of Women’s Basketball No Match for Potential Work Stoppage 

Sunday night was a sports lover’s dream. Game 6 of the National League Championship series pitted a team from New York against a team from Los Angeles (and by virtue of the latter’s victory, a World Series appearance against the other New York team). Sunday night football between the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers featured two […]

Religious accommodations: Where do we stand?

Last summer, in Groff v. DeJoy, the U.S. Supreme Court upended the analysis used to determine whether and how employers must accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs. In the year since, there have been some applications of Groff’s reasoning in lower court cases, and here are some takeaways you can apply when working through an employee’s […]

Empowering the Workforce: Strategies to Boost Employee Voter Turnout in 2024 

With the 2024 election on the horizon, companies are uniquely positioned to foster civic participation among their workforce. Many employees view their employers as trustworthy sources of information, often more so than government entities. This perception creates an opportunity for businesses to promote voter engagement through targeted “Get Out the Vote” (GOTV) campaigns. By leveraging […]