Marijuana has been made legal at the federal level, or has it? Some marijuana products were reclassified by the U.S. Department of Justice on April 23, 2026. However, that did not make all forms or uses of marijuana legal at the federal level.

As the federal government is pursuing a more laissez-faire approach to AI regulation, the states are picking up the slack. The two most recent states with AI regulations are Colorado and Connecticut. 

May is mental health awareness month: With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, a recent survey by Monster of the latest report assessing workplace mental health trends found about 59% of workers say their job harms their mental health at least monthly.

Artificial intelligence was supposed to simplify work. Automate repetitive tasks. Increase productivity. Free employees to focus on higher-value, more strategic work. In many ways, it has. But for some employees, AI may also create a new kind of workplace strain.

The question of whether or not to include salary ranges on public job postings is age-old, with well-reasoned arguments both for and against. Legislation has settled the debate in 11 states and counting with pay transparency requirements specifically for external job postings.  Many employers in the remaining 39 states still wrestle with this question, trying to balance pros and cons while at the same time striving to achieve the primary goal of attracting qualified talent to the...

Under the Supreme Court’s Muldrew doctrine, any term or condition that could impact or affect the employment opportunities of an employee, even when there are no visible changes to pay or benefits, could possibly lead to discriminatory discharges.  Some harm must still be demonstrated, but plaintiffs are no longer required to prove that the harm was “significant,” “substantial,” or “material.” In effect, the threshold for bringing discrimination...

Recent enforcement activity by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is sending a clear message to employers: compliance with the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is not optional or open to interpretation. Since the law took effect and the final rule was issued in 2024, the agency has actively pursued litigation against organizations that fail to meet their accommodation obligations. For HR professionals, these cases offer practical insight into where risk is highest and where...

Giving gifts in the workplace can be a meaningful way to strengthen relationships, recognize achievements, and build morale. Whether it is coworkers celebrating personal milestones or employers showing appreciation to their employees, organizations are leaning into how thoughtful gifts can strengthen their culture. This can be a fun and innovative way to add value, but it is still important to remain professional, inclusive, and to set and respect the boundaries of your organization and its...

EEOC looking to eliminate EEO-1 (and similar) reporting: Since 1966, employers with 100 or more employees have been required to file the Standard Form 100, known as the EEO-1 Report, annually. On May 14, 2026, the EEOC sent proposed regulations to the White House that would rescind EEO-1 reporting – RIN: 3046-AB37 Title: Rescission of EEO-1, EEO-2, EEO-3, EEO-4. EEO-5, and Reporting Requirement Under Title VII, the ADA, GINA, and the PWFA.

Every generation believes it is living through unprecedented change. In many ways, we are. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how organizations hire, communicate, analyze data, train employees, and make decisions. The speed of adoption can feel overwhelming, especially for leaders trying to balance innovation with stability.

In last week’s article on HR strategies that drive organizational success, the focus was on aligning HR priorities with business goals and defining the talent, performance, rewards, and technology strategies that shape outcomes. This week shifts to execution. HR processes are the repeatable ways work gets done across managers, locations, and employee groups. They act as the operating system for the employee lifecycle – turning strategy into consistent action. Every effective...

The sudden shutdown of Spirit Airlines after 34 years has quickly become more than a financial story. For HR and business leaders, it is a case study in how culture, leadership decisions, and workforce planning can converge with consequences that unfold rapidly.

During our most recent This Month in Charts webinar, we highlighted two separate reports that each point to a significant shift in the U.S. labor market. Released in early 2026, one from the Federal Reserve Board and the other from the McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility, both paint a challenging picture for the future of the U.S. economy and HR functions.

Regulating AI and determining who should oversee it has become a major focus of the current administration. On July 23, 2025, President Trump issued three significant Executive Orders related to AI alongside the release of Winning the AI Race: America’s AI Action Plan. Together, these initiatives outline four primary policy objectives:

Smaller employers are gaining access to pooled 401(K) style retirement benefits: Finance companies are expanding their offerings of pooled employer plans, a relatively new 401(k)-style retirement arrangement that allows multiple small businesses and nonprofits to participate in a single, jointly administered system.

As wearable technology becomes more common in the workplace, employers and employees are increasingly leveraging devices like smartwatches, biometric trackers, and sensor-enabled safety gear to improve productivity, enhance safety, and support employee wellness. But the same tools that generate value also create complex compliance challenges.

May is Mental Health Month, and this year Mental Health America is encouraging people to focus on creating “more good days, together.” A good day does not have to mean perfect, productive, or stress-free. Sometimes a good day simply means feeling calm, supported, hopeful, or able to manage what is in front of you.

Although political fighting is at an all-time high in Washington DC, both parties are in agreement with tackling the joint employer conundrum.  The Department of Labor promulgated its proposed rule for joint employment. The regulation, titled Joint Employer Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, contains guidance for when "horizontal" joint employment exists and four factors for...

Companies strive to do things better, cheaper, and faster but sometimes it is better for business to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Take the time to consider what unintended consequences could come up when putting policies and practices into place. Many employment decisions become legal decisions, yet how many employers look at their decisions that way when enacting or updating their policies and procedures?

HR strategy plays a central role in shaping how organizations grow, compete, and sustain performance over time. Rather than focusing solely on administrative responsibilities, modern HR functions are expected to align closely with business priorities and contribute directly to organizational outcomes. This begins with a clear understanding of company goals and translating them into a workforce strategy that ensures the right people, skills, and structures are in place to support long-term...

With AI recruiting, is diversity in trouble? AI is already deeply embedded in hiring. It screens résumés, helps match candidates to roles, drafts outreach, and increasingly shapes how employers and applicants connect.

Every so often, it’s worth stepping back and asking a simple question: Are we actually as advanced as we think we are? A recent piece in The Wall Street Journal revisited The Jetsons, the 1960s cartoon set in 2062, and compared its vision of the future to where we are today. It’s a fun exercise, but also a surprisingly useful one for anyone thinking about AI and the workplace.

Michigan has enacted significant updates to the Youth Employment Standards Act (YESA) that affects how employers hire, schedule, and manage employees under the age of 18. These changes were enacted through Public Act 196 of 2024 (House Bill 5594). HR professionals should focus on phased compliance following current rules now while preparing for substantial system and scheduling changes in 2026.

A memorandum dated April 17, 2026, directed to the Chief Acquisition Officers, et. al., by the Executive Order 14398 (EO 14398 or EO) of March 26, 2026, titled “Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors” clarifies EO requirements that required a clause to be included in all federal contracts and subcontracts starting on April 25, 2026. EO 14398 specifically establishes that agencies should not do business with contractors that engage in any racially discriminatory...

For many U.S. employers, the H‑1B visa program has long helped fill hard‑to‑hire roles in specialized fields like engineering and information technology. These positions often require skills that are in short supply in the U.S. labor market. Throughout my career in technical recruitment, there were many times when hiring a candidate who required visa sponsorship appeared the only option to get the role filled with a qualified hire, despite reservations about the cost and potentially...