The EEO-1 portal opened yesterday, May 20, 2025, and covered employers will have until June 24, 2025, to submit their reports. The EEO-1 Component 1 report is a mandatory annual data collection that requires all private sector employers with 100 or more employees, and federal contractors with 50 or more employees meeting certain criteria to submit workforce demographic data, including data by job category, sex, and race or ethnicity to the EEOC.   

Many working parents today face a tough choice between staying home or paying high childcare costs. In some areas, options are limited, with long waitlists and high prices creating child-care deserts. The challenge is even greater for employees who’ve relocated and no longer have nearby family support. While maternity and pregnancy benefits have improved, the biggest barrier to staying in the workforce is access to affordable, reliable childcare. This is when the biggest drop-off...

There’s no shortage of headlines warning that AI is coming for your job. While that makes for dramatic reading, the truth is a little less scary. In most industries, AI isn’t poised to take over roles entirely. But it is reshaping how work gets done, and the professionals who understand how to use AI tools effectively are quickly gaining an edge.

ASE reviews numerous employee handbooks each year. We recommend that employers review their handbook at least annually to ensure it remains compliant and accurately reflects the organization’s current practices and policies.

As Michigan celebrates Professional Trades Month this May, the spotlight is on the skilled professionals who build and sustain our communities and on the next generation ready to join them. Among them are recent graduates like those with degrees in kinesiology and pre-med studies who are eager to bring their passion and skills into meaningful roles across Michigan’s diverse professional trades sectors.

Is AI taking your job? About 4 in 10 business leaders have laid off employees as a result of deploying AI.

A new trend is emerging in workplaces nationwide: unbossing. Gen Z is showing less interest in traditional leadership roles. At first glance, this might seem like a red flag for the future of business, but it’s actually an opportunity if we’re willing to evolve.

Policies that prohibit recording or taking pictures or video recordings in the workplace are still pretty common in handbooks. Employers may have valid reasons for implementing these policies, such as preventing the capture of confidential or proprietary business information.

The trend for ban-the-box laws continues to grow, so it is surprising that some employers still have pass/fail policies and processes for background checks that eliminate applicants from consideration without any individualized assessment.

Disparate impact is a difficult method to prove discrimination.  Generally, it is a practice or policy that is neutral on its face yet has significant impact on an affected party. The disparate impact analysis was first discussed in Griggs v. Duke Power, 401 U.S. 424 (1971), which held that Title VII “proscribes not only overt discrimination but also practices that are fair in form, but discriminatory in operation”. In 1991, Congress amended Title VII to add Section 703(k),...

Postpartum recovery is a deeply personal journey, but support can make a big difference. Care and resources following childbirth improve a mother's long-term outcomes. These outcomes are better on a physical, emotional, as well as professional level. Yet within the United States, far too many women navigate this complex transition largely on their own.

Brittany Panuccio nominated to be EEOC Commissioner: President Trump has nominated Brittany Panuccio, an assistant U.S. attorney in Florida, to fill one of the three open seats on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Much is being written and discussed lately about the adoption of AI in the recruitment process.  One industry expert recently speculated that recruiters are one of two positions (attorneys being the second) that may be up next to have AI replace major aspects of the role. Some sources estimate that between 35% and 45% of organizations are now utilizing AI in their hiring practices.  However, as the saying goes, “it takes two to tango,” and employers should be aware of...

In a complaint filed with the EEOC, the ACLU alleged that Intuit’s use of HireVue software—part of an AI-driven hiring process—unfairly rejected a qualified applicant due to the system's failure to accommodate the applicant's disability. The applicant, a Native American who is deaf and speaks with a deaf accent, was reportedly denied the opportunity because the AI could not appropriately process their disability-related communication.

Last week the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced (5/1 Field Assistance Bulletin) it will stop enforcing its Biden-era regulations on determining what an independent contractor (IC) is and go back to a standard set in mid-2008. The Biden-era rule laid out six criteria to determine independent contractor status. This rule made it harder to classify a worker as an independent contractor.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. The 2025 theme is “Turn Awareness into Action,” encouraging individuals and communities to translate understanding into meaningful steps toward change. One critical area where this call to action can make a tangible difference is the workplace, where mental health conditions continue to impact employees and organizational well-being alike.

In the relentless pursuit of higher productivity, better retention, and stronger collaboration, many organizations invest heavily in tools, training, and strategy. But amid these efforts, a critical truth often goes unaddressed: people think differently — and those differences matter more than we realize. Welcome to the world of cognitive diversity, an often-overlooked dimension of workplace inclusivity that holds the key to unlocking untapped human potential.

Pharmaceutical costs going to continue driving up health care costs:  In April at the National Republican Congressional Committee, President Donald Trump shared that his administration will announce tariffs on pharmaceuticals "very shortly."

Have you ever left a conversation feeling completely seen, heard, and energized—as if something in you had shifted? That wasn’t just your imagination. Neuroscience now confirms what many of us instinctively know: truly meaningful conversations can actually change brain function.

With the economy in flux, and layoffs at a high not seen since the pandemic, how can employers protect themselves from lawsuits by disgruntled ex-employees?  In a recent case, Raymond v. Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, No. 23-3126 (U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1/7/25), the court reviewed a claim that a group of former employees were selected for termination in a reduction in force (RIF) based on their age, in violation of the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)....

For many positions to be exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) it must meet three tests to be Executive, Administrative, or Professional (EAP) exempt. Exempt positions do not have to be paid overtime at time and one-half (1.5x) or keep records of hours worked. The three exemption tests are:

TalentLMS, a leading employee training platform, in partnership with employee experience platform WorkTango, released a joint study that suggests organizational change is hindered by workers' heightened anxiety, declining trust in leadership, and a lack of support.

HR technology is rapidly evolving, and 2025 could be a tipping point, particularly with the rise of generative and agentic AI. This has been driven by the tremendous growth and use of technology to automate HR operations. While AI continues to evolve, agentic AI represents a giant leap forward beyond traditional AI tools that simply assist.  The term Agentic comes from the idea of an "agent" that exhibits autonomy. It implies that the AI doesn’t just respond to commands...

EEO-1 reporting is scheduled to open May 20th: The portal is scheduled to open on May 20, 2025, and companies will have until June 24, 2025, to submit their reports. On April 15, 2025, in response to Executive Order 14168, Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government, the EEOC filed an Information Collection Request (ICR) with OMB requesting what it classified as a non-substantive change to remove the option for employers to...

Attracting and retaining top talent goes far beyond compensation and perks. Employees crave purpose, authenticity, and the freedom to thrive as individuals. As HR professionals, we have a unique opportunity—and responsibility—to shape the culture, policies, and practices that define the employee experience. So, what does it truly take to build the workplace of your team’s dreams?