Disney is revamping its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs to better align with business outcomes, according to a note sent to employees this month. This shift includes changes to content disclaimers and a rebranding of certain initiatives.

With Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) being at the forefront of the current administration’s actions, a question has arisen of whether the Civil Rights Act of 1964 will be rewritten or amended to cover DEI issues.  Specifically, on January 20, 2025, President Trump issued the Executive Order 14168 "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," that establishes a government position that transgender and...

Artificial intelligence is transforming workplaces at an unprecedented pace, and HR professionals are at the forefront of this shift. From recruitment and onboarding to performance management and workplace productivity, AI-powered tools are becoming essential for modern HR teams. As companies embrace AI, HR leaders must evolve their skill sets to oversee its deployment and ensure ethical, compliant, and effective integration within the workforce.

With the passing of Valentines Day last week, it makes some sense to review and discuss employer fraternization policies. Does your organization have such a policy? Many employers do not. Those that do, have a range of policies on office romance. Some policies (anti-fraternization) prohibit all forms of romantic or personal relationships in the workplace. Some anti-fraternization policies only restrict (understandably) relationships between supervisors and subordinates. More “romance...

Your employer sent you to a conference, or maybe you decided to attend a conference on your own. Either way, you have taken time out of your normal work schedule to go offsite to learn and improve yourself. Now what? It is easy to go back to the office and jump right back into the daily grind, but there are things you can do to make what you learned at a conference stick and incorporate them into your daily routine.

Michigan unemployment contribution rates published: Contribution rates for employers with three or more years of experience will continue to range from 0.06% to 10.3% in 2025. The maximum rate of 10.3% includes a 6.3% maximum chargeable benefit component, a 3.0% maximum account building component, and a 1.0% maximum nonchargeable benefits component.

Every business faces periods of high demand—tight deadlines, nonstop requests, and a team working at full speed to keep things running smoothly. In addition to that, there are external stressors that affect both the business and its employees.  Right now, there are many political uncertainties, at both the state and federal levels, that are affecting businesses as well as employees. During these times, it’s important to remember that behavior is contagious, especially under...

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule updating H-1B visa eligibility requirements and other changes. They say it will give employers greater flexibility in employing skilled foreign workers.  The new rule took effect January 17, 2025.  This rule is a follow-up of the 2023 proposed rules to modernize the H-1B process and definitions.  The following summarizes some of the changes.

During a recent ASE Talent Management Circle of Peers meeting, a member shared their success with organizing an employee book club. The club includes around 10 participants from various levels of the organization, from C-level executives to line supervisors and hourly associates. They have experienced numerous positive benefits as a result of the book club.

Non-exempt/hourly employees that travel on behalf of their employer may incur hours worked and must be paid for travel time. Last week, the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals rendered a decision finding home health aides should have been paid for time traveling between client homes. This is reported to cost them $7million.

Managers play a crucial role in guiding employees through their career development while also serving as key communicators between various departments and their teams. One of their most essential responsibilities is facilitating clear and effective communication, particularly when onboarding new employees.

Top skills recruited for employment include AI: HR managers have cited AI abilities as the most important hard skill in resumes in 2025, according to a new report, which indicated how AI is transforming the hiring needs of workplaces.

Shaking up the government as promised, President Trump fired National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Member (and former acting Chair) Gwynne Wilcox and EEOC Commissioners Charlotte Burrows (former Chair) and Jocelyn Samuels (former Vice Chair) last week.  All three were Democrats.  With the firings, neither the EEOC nor NLRB have quorum.  The NLRB cannot decide cases or take any agency actions, and the EEOC cannot issue guidance, institute rulemaking, or approve filing of cases;...

Employee engagement is essential for organizational success. While data collection is common, effective action on that data is what drives real improvement.  Drawing from a February 2025 Entrepreneur article, "Closing the Loop on Engagement: 3 Tips for Turning Employee Survey Data into Actions," and expanding on its ideas, here are key strategies to transform insights into impactful engagement initiatives.

On January 20, 2025, on his first day in office, President Trump issued several sweeping executive orders intended to advance his immigration agenda. These measures will undoubtedly lead to an increase in immigration enforcement operations within the United States. 

According to the TalentLMS Annual L&D Benchmark Report, employees fear their job skills are becoming obsolete, and employers are not providing training fast enough to keep pace with change. The data also reveals significant gaps in workplace learning along generational lines and survey respondents suggest a pressing need for improved leadership and management training.

Each year the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releases their data on union “growth” rates. For decades, the rate has declined and continued to do so in 2024. Last week the BLS reported that the number of unionized workers as a percentage of the total workers (both private and public employment) fell to 11.1%. In fact, the unionization rate fell for both the private sector and government workers in comparison to 2023.

New executive order mandates FCA liability for illegal DEI: The EO requires that agency leaders “include in every contract or grant award”:  (1) “A term requiring the contractual counterparty or grant recipient to agree that its compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of [the FCA]”;

As someone who has seen firsthand the impact of adaptability, I wanted to share with you five insights recently posted on hbr.org that create a competitive advantage by fostering change agility within organizations. I think 2025 will be a year of change for many of us, so this felt very timely.

Last week President Trump ordered federal workers back into the office. His Executive Order directed federal agency leaders to “as soon as practicable” take “all necessary steps” to end remote work arrangements. This executive order is only applicable to federal workers. Private employers, even those that are federal contractors or subcontractors are not covered by this executive order. But this may continue to create impetus for private employers to start doing more...

On January 21, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity." This order revoked Executive Order 11246, originally signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965 and amended in 1967. EO 11246 had been a key legal tool used by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) within the U.S. Department of Labor to promote diversity and address bias and discrimination among federal contractors. As of...

Recent studies highlight a concerning rise in occupational fraud and dishonesty, signaling the urgency for organizations to implement robust deception detection training. The ability to identify deception has become a critical skill for HR leaders.

Cybersecurity is no longer a luxury but a necessity for organizations of all sizes. Only 34% of originations have a formalized cybersecurity program with an average cost of a cyber breach is $290,000.

Massachusetts requires pay reporting required by February 3: If you have operations in Massachusetts with over 100 employees, you are required to submit EEO-1 reports to Massachusetts.  For more information go to Workforce Data Reporting FAQs | Mass.gov.

President Trump, as promised during his campaign, signed a number of Executive Orders (EO) on his first two days in office. The following are a list of those that were rescinded which may impact HR. The revocation of EO 11246 is the biggest news of all as it has been around 60 years and the basis for affirmative action by federal contractors.  The revocation of EO 11246 was buried in the EO that put all government DEI personnel on paid leave (which was the headline for most newspapers).