ASE recently surveyed 149 ASE member companies across Michigan, and the results confirmed what many of us have been feeling. The top three challenges expected for 2026 were attracting and retaining talent (49.7%), economic uncertainty (44.3%), and employee engagement or workforce issues (30.9%). With 44% of you naming economic uncertainty as a top challenge, I know this is weighing heavily on your minds as you plan for the year ahead.

Is your social feed full of “remember 2016?” posts? Playing off that trend, we thought it would be fun to look back at the headline article published in EPTW this week in 2016, “Can Lack of Daylight Affect Performance?” Ten years later, plenty has changed, but for those of us in the Midwest, winter still looks and feels the same. Cold mornings, short days, and heading to and from work in the dark are still part of the routine for many. The question we asked back then...

Executive Order 14173 reshaped the compliance landscape for federal contractors and employers more broadly. The order revoked EO 11246 on contractor affirmative action, directed a 90 day wind-down period with agencies operating under class deviations until the FAR Council takes action, and introduced new False Claims Act exposure by requiring contractors and grantees to certify nondiscrimination compliance. It also placed DEI-related practices across all employers under increased scrutiny...

Many employers invest heavily in employee training and development, and to protect these investments, they often use "stay‑or‑pay" clauses also known as Training Repayment Agreements (TRAPs) which require employees to repay training costs if they leave voluntarily within a specified period. These agreements, while once widely accepted, are now increasingly challenged due to evolving state laws and legal scrutiny.

Starting April 18, 2026, New York State will limit employers’ ability to use credit checks in employment decisions, joining a growing number of states and cities that have enacted similar restrictions. Previously, only New York City had prohibited most credit checks for hiring and employment purposes, but the new amendment to the New York State Fair Credit Reporting Act extends these protections statewide. Like other jurisdictions, the law prohibits employers, labor organizations, and...

Not every state adopted the tax deductions for overtime and tips: Although Michigan has, not all states adopted the tax deduction, such as Illinois and California.  Employers are not required to break out tips or qualified overtime on W-2s for 2025. They may include qualifying overtime on the W-2 if they choose, but it’s optional for 2026 (it would be a manual process). However, employers must still provide employees with a statement showing the amount of overtime and tips that...

Cybersecurity teams have identified an undercover network of hackers targeting HR and Payroll Systems. They started out hitting the education and manufacturing industries, but with 200 interfaces and over 500,000 users targeted and attacked already, they are increasingly expanding. Named the Payroll Pirates, these cybercriminals will target an employee’s payroll record to steal their credentials and redirect pay. They hijack processes and steal wages rather than steal data, and often...

Understanding how employees experience work continues to be a top priority for HR leaders. A new national report from Sogolytics offers timely, data-backed insight into what is shaping employee satisfaction, trust, and retention as organizations head into 2026.

2026 is shaping up to be a year of major shifts in employer‑provided benefits thanks to the recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). While much of the early attention focused on overtime pay and tax changes, the legislation also brings important updates for benefit plans, flexible spending accounts, and family‑focused savings vehicles.

As organizations enter 2026, talent strategies are being reshaped by artificial intelligence, economic caution, and rising demands for employer flexibility. What were once considered experimental practices are now becoming operational necessities, and employers that fail to adapt risk falling behind.

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) has updated and expanded on the pay reporting required in 2026. Pay reporting is due May 13, 2026.  The CRD published preliminary reporting sheets and FAQs for employers with 100 or more employees who have locations in California.  The employee count is based on total employees (full-time, part-time, etc.) in the U.S., including California.  The requirements also include a separate report by employers who engage labor contractors.

The labor marketplace is changing: Belt-tightening is overused corporate jargon, but it is particularly apt at the moment. The midsection of America’s workforce is getting squeezed.  Not accomplished enough for senior leadership roles but too experienced (and expensive) for the front-line positions artificial intelligence hasn’t replaced, many mid-career professionals suddenly find themselves in no-man’s-land.

As I sit down to reflect on another year of serving Michigan's employer community, I find myself returning to a question that many of you have asked me: "What resources do you rely on to stay sharp as a leader?" The truth is, even after decades in this role, I'm constantly learning. And one publication that consistently delivers practical wisdom is Harvard Business Review (HBR). HBR recently published “Our Favorite Management Tips from 2025,” and I wanted to...

The question of docking an exempt employee has been raised on hotline calls over the past month.  As a general rule, an exempt employee cannot be docked unless it is for five consecutive business days, but there are exceptions to this general rule.

As organizations look ahead to 2026, HR leaders are navigating a workplace shaped by rapid change, economic pressure, and evolving employee expectations. HR is no longer just supporting the business, it is helping lead it. Based on McLean & Company’s 2026 HR Trends Report, the following ten priorities highlight where organizations must focus on building resilient, high-performing workplaces in the year ahead.

HR professionals often find themselves balancing two truths: policies that “wipe clean” after a set period such as rolling attendance systems and employees whose past performance patterns still matter. While policy may require prior infractions to fall off formally, effective coaching requires managers to understand and use historical context without violating fairness or policy intent. The challenge is helping managers coach employees in a way that acknowledges the past while...

Human resources professionals are now dedicating substantial portions of their workday to managing artificial intelligence technologies. These tools assist HR teams with internal communications, employee engagement initiatives, recruitment processes, and workforce development.

IRS new mileage rate $.725 per mile: On December 29, the IRS announced that the standard mileage rate for business travel is increasing to 72.5 cents per mile on January 1, 2026, up from 70 cents in 2025. The IRS also announced the following 2026 rates for other purposes: 20.5 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the armed forces; and 14 cents per mile driven in the service of charitable organizations.  These rates apply to electric...

ASE reviews, updates, and develops employee handbooks. One recurring issue we continue to see is outdated “no gambling” language. Roughly one in six handbooks still includes this rule, often buried in the Standards of Conduct or Rules policy.

As digital workflows become the norm across corporate America, electronic signatures have moved from a convenience to a necessity. From onboarding paperwork to vendor contracts and internal approvals, e-signatures streamline operations, reduce administrative overhead, and accelerate decision-making. Yet many companies still rely on ad-hoc processes or outdated assumptions about legal validity. For employers looking to modernize while staying compliant, establishing a clear and...

There is a 400,000 shortage of manufacturing employees today.  This issue has been ongoing for years.  Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), at its peak in June 1979, manufacturing employment represented 22% of total nonfarm employment, but that share had fallen to 9% by June 2019.  This downtrend coincides with the changing of the U.S. economy over time from manufacturing to service based.  Since 2000, the loss was magnified to over 4.7 million jobs.

Many employer representatives such as managers, operations, and human resources who are new to background screening think that the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which is governed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), doesn’t apply to them because they are not running credit checks. All parts of the background are consumer reports under the act regardless of credit checks being included or not.

For the final article of the year, let's have some fun with a not-so-serious topic: how holiday music affects productivity at work. Some tunes can keep your team in the zone while spreading seasonal cheer. Others might make everyone more focused on cookies than on deadlines.

Michigan UIA going live next year with their new system: The new system is going to be implemented in two phases. This phased approach is industry best practice. Phases allow for more manageable rollouts, focused testing, and reduce the risk of disruption for employers and claimants.

As HR professionals and organizational leaders, we know that one-on-one meetings are fundamental to effective management. Yet despite their common place in corporate culture, many managers conduct these sessions in ways that serve their own needs rather than their employees' needs. This misalignment represents one of the most significant missed opportunities in talent management today.