HR Management

Paging all humans: The FLSA & the FMLA still need you

07/17/2024

Artificial intelligence has taken firm hold in American workplaces. By far, the focus is on how generative AI will either streamline tasks or supplant employees altogether. The Department of Labor isn’t buying the employees-will-soon-be-replaced talk. Human oversight is still necessary to the proper functioning of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act, the DOL concluded.

Prepare to pay up if you insist on English fluency or prohibit other languages on the job

07/15/2024

While English is the dominant U.S. language, it certainly isn’t the only one spoken in our multicultural society. In fact, employers that insist on English fluency or prohibit speaking another language at work may find themselves running afoul of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and other employment laws, as one employer recently discovered.

HR’s big artificial intelligence question: Does AI candidate screening discriminate?

07/10/2024

AI skeptics and a growing cadre of plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that instead of preventing hiring bias, relying on an AI algorithm may actually bake discrimination into the selection process. That’s what is alleged in one recent complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission and another with the EEOC.

Require bosses to contact HR before telling employee to participate in EAP

07/08/2024

Employee assistance program referrals can help workers deal with small mental- or behavioral-health problems—for example, showing up for work hungover—before they balloon into mental- and behavioral-health crises, such as developing alcoholism. Bosses are often the ones who talk to troubled subordinates about availing themselves of EAP services. However, they must take great care when they have those conversations.

Consider this: Management topics heard at SHRM

07/08/2024

Here is some of the management advice Managing People at Work editorial director Tara Taffera heard at the Society of Human Resource Management Annual Conference and Expo that you may want to consider.

OSHA proposes first national heat-protection rule

07/03/2024

OSHA has released a proposed rule intended to protect workers from the significant health risks of extreme heat. A DOL statement said the proposed rule would help protect approximately 36 million workers in outdoor and indoor work settings and substantially reduce heat injuries, illnesses and deaths in the workplace.

Supreme Court rulings could trigger massive increase in HR-related litigation

07/01/2024

A pair of Supreme Court decisions issued June 27 and 28 dramatically reined in the authority of federal agencies to enforce the law, with potentially huge implications for HR professionals.

Republicans introduce bill to ban DEI in federal agencies

07/01/2024

The Dismantle DEI Act purports “to prevent racism in the Federal Government.” It would prohibit government agencies from presenting any program or funding any initiative that “asserts that a particular race, color, ethnicity, religion, biological sex, or national origin is inherently or systemically superior or inferior, oppressive or oppressed, or privileged or unprivileged.”

Bridging the gap between HR and employees

06/26/2024

The recent HR Perceptions Report by MyPerfectResume has unveiled a concerning trend in workplace dynamics, highlighting the urgent need for HR departments to reassess their approach and rebuild trust with employees. The findings offer valuable insights for HR professionals seeking to enhance their effectiveness.

Despite backlash, employer DEI programs enjoy public support

06/24/2024

Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court last year outlawed affirmative action in college admissions, conservative culture warriors have had corporate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in their crosshairs. As a result, many employers have begun rebranding and revising their DEI initiatives. Despite the backlash, the American public generally favors corporate DEI efforts, according to new polling by The Washington Post and Ipsos.