Tag: HR compliance

Despite Title, New DOJ Anti-DEI Guidance Not Just For Federal Funds Recipients

It’s no secret that 2025 has seen a dramatic shift in the federal government’s view of the value and legal validity of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives. The latest guidance from the Department of Justice (DOJ) is directed at recipients of federal funding, but all businesses can use it to learn about […]

4th Circuit Decision Highlights Changed Adverse Employment Action Standard

The Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis set the stage for an increase in claims arising out of circumstances in which an employee experiences a change in their working conditions that doesn’t rise to the level of a pay cut, demotion, or termination. The effects of the Court’s decision were […]

Act Now! Anonymous Reporting Hotline Can Strengthen Legal Defenses and Mitigate Risk

Workplace misconduct—whether sexual harassment, wage violations, or immigration-related risks—can expose employers to costly litigation and reputational harm. But one tool is increasingly proving to be a powerful shield: the anonymous employee hotline. Hotlines don’t just help companies identify problems early—they can also play a critical role in establishing legal defenses. From preventing harassment claims under […]

Despite Title, New DOJ Anti-DEI Guidance Not Just for Federal Funds Recipients

It’s no secret that 2025 has seen a dramatic shift in the federal government’s view of the value and legal validity of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives. The latest guidance from the Department of Justice (DOJ) is directed at recipients of federal funding, but all businesses can use it to learn about […]

metoo

Love on the Clock: 4 Tips for Managing Workplace Relationships 

From iconic on-screen couples to tangled webs of fictional workplace drama, office romances have long captured the public’s imagination. But these storylines reflect a very real dynamic that employers often face and must address.   Romantic relationships in the workplace are common and complicated, often bringing with them issues like favoritism, conflicts of interest, and […]

What You Should Know About ‘No Taxes on Tips’ Tax Relief for Your Tipped Employees

On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. One of its provisions has been dubbed “no taxes on tips” and provides a tax deduction of up to $25,000 for tips received by employees. The provision is retroactive to January 1, 2025, so certain payroll and reporting changes […]

Employee Surveillance: Learn How Far You Can Go

“Why does it feel like somebody’s watching me?” Remember the old song with Michael Jackson singing this lament in the chorus? Employees in our current technological age may share this sentiment. More and more employers are conducting various modes of surveillance in the workplace, including video cameras and cybersecurity that tracks email and website traffic. […]

An HR Leader’s Guide to Elevating the Employee Handbook

Employee handbooks are meant to be a compliance cornerstone. Yet new research from Brightmine shows many organizations may be falling behind in keeping them current. Fewer than half (48%) of HR professionals surveyed feel very confident that their organization’s handbook accurately reflects all current employment law requirements that are applicable to their company. A handbook […]

Affirmative Action Plans: Are Those Still a Thing?

There have been changes to the requirement for federal contractors to have affirmative action plans (AAPs) since the Trump administration came into office.  In Executive Order (EO) 14173 “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” issued on January 21, 2025, the administration rescinded EO 11246 and required the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to “immediately […]

Private Sector Employers Weigh Supreme Court’s Ban on Nationwide Injunctions

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Trump v. CASA that banned federal district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions was met with mixed feelings among employer groups. Some of the most well-known injunctions were sought by employers—against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) vaccine mandate, federal contractors’ minimum wage, certain expansive pregnancy regulations, and […]