Author: Alyssa Lankford, Attorney, McAfee & Taft

Artificial Intelligence Use Continues to Rise in Employment

As 2023 wound down, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by employers showed no sign of slowing down. Rather, you should prepare for an increased use and presence of AI in employment decision-making, as well as employee engagement. Intersection of Technology and Employment Law Throughout 2023, an increasing number of states and cities began limiting the […]

What to Expect from the EEOC in 2024

In 2023, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finally received its full slate of commissioners with three Democrats (Chair Charlotte Burrows, Vice Chair Jocelyn Samuels, and Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal) and two Republicans (Commissioners Andrea Lucas and Keith Sonderling). In addition, the EEOC now has a confirmed general counsel for the first time since 2021. Employers […]

Long-Term, Part-Time Employees Become Eligible to Make 401(k) Deferrals

Effective January 2024, long-term, part-time employees will become eligible to contribute pre-tax earnings to 401(k) plans. Read on to learn more. Facts This is a change from current rules which give employers the option to limit plan participation to employees who have completed a year of service (usually the preceding 12 months), working 1,000 hours […]

Rule vs. NRLB: Telsa Dress Code Hums Along at E-Car Plant

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (the federal appeals court covering Texas) recently gave a green light to a dress code rule at a Telsa facility manufacturing electric cars. Read on. Dress for Success The Telsa facility gave each production employee what it called Team Wear: four black shirts and a black sweater, each […]

Planning for Success: HR Managers’ Guide to New Year’s Resolutions

The new year is a time when many people set professional goals. As a human resources (HR) manager, the new year might usher in a time of change for your workforce as you roll out new policies, aim to repair broken systems, or set goals to achieve in the upcoming year. So how can employers […]

Severance Payout: Lessons from Texas A&M’s $75 million mistake

Even if you’re not a sports fan, you’ve likely heard of this severance payout received by former A&M football coach, Jimbo Fisher. While you will never deal with this type of buy-out, the saga teaches us a great deal about hiring decisions, employment contracts, and, well, human nature. Jimbo’s the One! The following facts are […]

Embracing Failure: What Can Employees Learn from Falling Short?

We all want to avoid failure whenever possible, but the reality is nobody’s perfect, and we’re all bound to fail repeatedly over time. In a world that often celebrates success while shunning failure, understanding how to constructively deal with setbacks is crucial, and it’s a key ability employers should seek to empower their staff with. […]

Onboarding and Training for a Rekindled Remote Work Era

While companies like Amazon make headlines for their back-to-the-office mandates, the reality is that working from home (WFH) is not going away, with a large portion of U.S. workers reporting that they would quit or look for another job if ordered back to an office. This is forcing organizations to reconsider the way they onboard […]

Best of HR Work Break 2023

HR Work Break takes a quick, but close look at everything Human Resources—listeners can learn something new, take our expert’s advice to heart, or simply stay abreast of today’s trending topics. As we say goodbye to 2023 and look toward 2024, let’s check out some of our favorite HR Work Break episodes from the past […]

The (Preventable) Reason Virtual Meetings Are So Exhausting

Why is it that remote meetings can feel so exhausting? After all, many meeting attendees these days are literally able to simply roll out of beds and log in. That’s in sharp contrast to the “old days” of spending an hour getting ready for work and taking a long commute just to make it to […]