Author: Benjamin J. Naylor, Attorney, Snell & Wilmer LLP

Managing artificial intelligence in the workplace

The last several years have seen artificial intelligence (AI) become mainstream in the workplace. Today, HR professionals widely use AI tools for recruiting, onboarding, and administering leave and benefits. Managers use generative AI to assist with their administrative and supervisory responsibilities, such as writing performance reviews. Engineers use AI to write or check code. And […]

How to Alleviate Burnout: A Look into the Healthcare Industry

As burnout continues to weaken the workforce at hospitals across the country, CEOs must take action to create a sustainable environment for their employees. According to more than 20,000 physicians and more than 32,000 nurses surveyed for a KLAS Arch Collaborative report, improving staffing and aligning leadership with staff were the number one and number two […]

CEOs Targeting Generative AI to Reduce Workforce in 2024

As workforce challenges continue to confound healthcare organizations, nearly one in five CEOs anticipate utilizing generative AI this year to cut down on staff, according to a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). However, PwC’s annual global survey, which interviewed 4,702 CEOs across the world, found that healthcare leaders are less likely to turn to generative AI than […]

marijuana

A Cautionary Tale Regarding the ‘Reasonable Belief’ Doctrine

On January 31, the Sixth Circuit published a cautionary tale regarding the “reasonable belief” doctrine involving an employer that fired a disabled employee for a positive drug test for “marijuana.” Airgas USA Sued for Disability Discrimination Over Employee’s Hemp Use In Fisher v. Airgas USA, LLC, Fisher was an operation technician who used power tools, worked […]

EEOC’s Pregnancy Accommodation Regulations Are Broader Than You Think

Anyone scrolling YouTube in the evenings has likely come across a humorous video of men trying their luck at a “period pain” machine, which simulates the pain and discomfort many women experience on a monthly basis from menstruation. In the videos, the men are usually in agony by the time the highest setting is applied, […]

Child Labor Continues to Be a Significant Problem in 2024

According to the Department of Labor (DOL), recent years have seen an enormous increase in the amount of child labor violations within the United States. For example, the DOL found child labor violations affecting 5,792 children in fiscal year (FY) 2023, up from 3,876 in FY 2022. In response, Congress, the Biden administration, and the […]

4 Tips to Success for Incoming CEOs

Whether you’re stepping into the role of CEO at a new organization or stepping up at the same place, gauging how to make an immediate impact can often be challenging. That’s a situation Phil Wright knows all too well after logging his first few months on the job at Memorial Regional Hospital South, which he […]

Ask the Expert: PUMP the ‘Breaks’ on Disciplining Nursing Mothers

Question: We have an employee who is currently breastfeeding and having issues with her performance. She’s reserving our mother’s room four times per workday for an hour each time. Is there a way to navigate this excessive use of the accommodation according to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)? We’re concerned about her ability to get […]

What Employers Can Learn from the UAW and Big Three Strike

In mid-September, the United Auto Workers (UAW), which represents nearly 150,000 auto workers, began targeted strikes at certain factories and warehouses around the country run by Ford, GM, and Stellantis NV (formerly Chrysler), the “Big Three” automakers. Although auto strikes against the Big Three aren’t unprecedented, this recent strike had two novel aspects. First, it […]

DOL Publishes Final Rule Regarding Independent Contractor Classification Under FLSA

Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final rule on employee or independent contractor classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This new rule, effective March 11, 2024, closely follows the DOL’s 2022 proposed rule, rescinding and replacing the 2021 Independent Contractor Status Under the FLSA Rule (2021 IC Rule). The 2021 […]