If you were having the worst day of your life and reached out for help, would you be surprised to learn that an AI tool might actually offer you more compassionate support than a trained human counselor? Recent research suggests this might be the case.

Understanding the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is essential for employers to stay compliant and avoid costly mistakes. Yet, even well-meaning practices like using a “working interview” or paying employees different rates for different types of work can trigger violations if not handled properly. Recent enforcement actions and Department of Labor guidance serve as reminders that missteps – especially around compensation during hiring or calculating overtime – can...

IBM recently made headlines after revealing that artificial intelligence now handles 94% of its routine HR tasks. Hundreds of roles have been replaced by AI, but the company isn’t shrinking. Instead, IBM reports more than $3.5 billion in productivity gains across 70 business units over two years, and leaders say this transformation is fueling growth and reinvestment – not just cost-cutting.

HR departments are under mounting pressure to control costs, particularly in employee benefits and HR operations. A recent AON report underscores this trend, projecting healthcare costs to rise by 9.2% in 2025, up from 8% the previous year. This reinforces the reality that HR remains one of the largest cost centers in most organizations. A recent article from WTW, “Recalibrating Employee Benefits: How Companies Are Delivering Value in a Cost-Constrained World,” calls for a shift...

On June 6, 2025, the U.S. District Court issued a long-awaited final approval of a $2.8 billion settlement in the blockbuster Grant House, et al. v. National College Athletic Association, et al., No: 5:20-cv-3919, ( U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, June 6, 2025) antitrust case that allows for direct sharing of revenue between NCAA colleges and universities and thousands of student-athletes. NCAA rules “prohibit student-athletes from receiving anything of...

Is the company picnic dead? Long a staple but in recent years fading, company picnics have been a morale booster and networking opportunity for employees.

On 7/1/2025 the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) submitted a rescission of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regulations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  This rescission complies with the requirements of Executive Order 14173 which revoked Executive Order 11246, the affirmative action executive order.  These regulations are the next-to-final nail in the affirmative action Executive Order 11246 coffin. 

The hiring landscape in 2025 is a balancing act. On one hand, employers must be thoughtful, thorough, and strategic in hiring the right candidates. On the other, they’re racing the clock, because when hiring stalls, top candidates often disappear. According to a recent Robert Half report, 93% of hiring managers say the process now takes longer than it did just two years ago. In a competitive labor market, that delay could mean getting ghosted by top talent.

Career growth can no longer follow a one-size-fits-all path. Employees are seeking more than just promotions – they want meaningful development, purpose-driven opportunities, and support that reflects their individuality. To truly reimagine career growth, organizations must embrace a fresh, human-centered strategy that engages people at every level.

The PRO Act bill threatens to fundamentally change the National Labor Relations Act in favor of organized labor. Last week, Rick Allen (R) Georgia introduced a more modest bill that provides some labor law breaks to employers. Congressmen Allen, who is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, introduced the Employee Rights Act bill.

Excessive heat can lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and serious health consequences, so proactive measures are essential. Below are key steps to keep your workforce safe and maintain productivity.

CareerBuilder + Monster filing bankruptcy: CareerBuilder + Monster, which once dominated the online recruitment industry, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday and said it plans to sell its businesses. 

What separates people who consistently deliver from those who fall short? The NeuroLeadership Institute recently set out to uncover what accountable people do differently at a cognitive level. They found three key mental habits that make a measurable difference in accountability: syncing expectations, driving with purpose, and owning your impact.

The hybrid work model is no longer a temporary solution or a pandemic response. For many organizations, it’s a permanent fixture. ASE’s recently released 2025 Remote Work Pulse Survey found that 48.2% of Michigan organizations report offering formal remote work options for all or part of their workforce. 

If you are a federal contractor and engage in any diversity or DEI activities, the answer is yes.  In Executive Order 14173, President Trump wrote that contractors may be subject to FCA claims based on their DEI activities.  Although there are conflicting rulings on the DEI certification by courts in the 4th and 7th Circuits concerning both the 14173 and 14151 certifications, once the DEI certification comes into effect, it could be a field day for plaintiff attorneys, and it...

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers workers that “with or without reasonable accommodation can perform the essential functions of the employment position that such individual holds or desires.”  But what about a former employee that is disabled and impacted by an employer’s change to benefits after the person is no longer employed?

Virtual Reality, once just a gaming phenomenon, has entered the workforce and with technology rapidly advancing, companies are now viewing VR as an effective training, onboarding, and upskilling tool. VR training can be useful across any industry, and many like the health care, construction, retail, or manufacturing industries, have already seen success and use cases.

Employees want financial benefits: Fewer than 2 in 5 employees believe someone cares about them as a person at work or respects them, according to the Morgan Stanley at Work’s 5th annual report “State of the Workplace Financial Benefits.”

Every June, the U.S. observes National Safety Month, a campaign led by the National Safety Council to focus on reducing leading causes of injury and death in the workplace, on the roads, and in our communities. It's a time to reaffirm our commitment to safety and express appreciation for the workers who make safety a daily priority.

Employers are familiar with the process of making reasonable accommodation in the workplace. Maybe your new employee needs a special chair due to a back problem or a special keyboard for an employee who has a neurological condition. But do you have a process/policy in place for an applicant or employee who requires accommodation for employment drug testing? If you don’t, you should.

Among many other things, summer brings a wave of high school, college, and graduate students connecting with employers to gain valuable, hands-on experience through internship programs.

From the service dog to the emotional support peacock and ferret, employers are receiving more requests from employees who want to bring these animals to work.  Title I of the ADA prohibits disability discrimination in the employment context and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees.  But Title I is silent in reference to service and emotional support animals. 

For the class of 2025, graduation should mark the beginning of exciting career opportunities. Instead, many new grads are facing a difficult reality: the job market is not welcoming them with open arms. While the overall U.S. unemployment rate remains relatively steady, recent college graduates are experiencing some of the highest jobless rates seen in a decade, excluding the pandemic-era spike.

Who smokes up? Boomers, especially women Boomers: Researchers at UC San Diego and NYU discovered that marijuana use by Americans aged 65 and older increased by nearly 46% from 2021 to 2023, according to an NYU press release.

Each year, ASE publishes Michigan’s most comprehensive compensation survey. The 2025 results are in, and they reveal a clear trend: wage growth is beginning to stabilize.