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 One recurring issue we continue to see is outdated “no gambling” language.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 Yet many companies still rely on ad-hoc processes or outdated assumptions about legal validity.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.

Data breaches are no longer a threat limited to credit cards or customer records. Today, job applicant data has become an increasingly attractive target for hackers. Resumes, addresses, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers are collected all in one place, creating a treasure trove for identity thieves. For employers, the stakes are high: breaches can expose applicants to fraud while leaving organizations vulnerable to lawsuits, regulatory fines, and reputational damage.

For employers who run payroll bi-weekly, a salaried employee’s annual salary is typically divided across 26 pay periods, corresponding to 52 weeks of work. However, roughly every 11 or 12 years, a 27th pay period occurs. This situation will arise again in 2026.

A recent survey by New York-based corporate wellness platform Wellhub highlights a growing trend among executives: investing in employee wellness pays off. The survey, which included 1,500 CEOs earlier this year, found strong support for programs that boost employee health, engagement, and productivity.

In a case recently decided by the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers New York, the court ruled that mandatory anti-bias training can support a claim for a racially hostile work environment if it repeatedly portrays a specific race in negative or stereotypical terms. Not all implicit bias training is leading to an EEO charge, but the facts in this case are similar to the trainings that were present in trainings banned during President Trump’s first administration.

How much for the 12 Days of Christmas? The cost of celebrating Christmas is climbing again. Now in its 42nd year, the PNC Christmas Price Index® (PNC CPI) reveals that the cost of the gifts from the classic holiday carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" has risen 4.5% compared to last year, outpacing the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (BLS CPI) October year-over-year reading of 3.0%.

Earlier this fall House Resolution 5267 was introduced for consideration by Congress. The bill is called the American Franchise Act (AFA). It seeks to clarify and establish consistency around what a joint employer technically is.

Bereavement leave offers employees time off to grieve following the death of a loved one – allowing them to mourn, settle affairs and participate in memorial activities. While not guaranteed by federal law in the U.S., it is increasingly recognized as a key element of compassionate employer policy.

Workplace language policies often raise challenging questions, particularly when an employee uses a racial slur when they are part of that race. Employers must balance maintaining a respectful environment with understanding the context in which certain words are used. The case of Murray v. Verizon Wireless LLC, No. 24-273 (U.S. District Court for Eastern Pennsylvania, 10/8/25), highlights this issue, examining whether an African American employee’s self-directed use of a racial slur at...

For many HR leaders, there is a persistent disconnect between the significant investment a company makes in employee benefits and the level of awareness employees actually have about that package. This gap is more than a communication problem. It represents a strategic risk. When employees do not understand the full value of what they receive, it can affect their wellbeing, their performance, and ultimately your ability to retain them.

As part of the Apprenticeship Wall Project launched in 2024, Michigan has started placing interactive “apprenticeship walls” in high schools to make registered apprenticeship pathways easy to find and follow. Each wall highlights 12 to 18 in-demand occupations and includes QR codes that link students to short videos, program details, application pages, and local employer contacts. The Michigan Department of Education funds the project and Eaton Regional Education Service Agency...

Unexpected medical expenses scare employees: Four in five Americans worry that an unexpected medical expense could derail their financial goals, while more than a quarter of this group say that a bill of less than $1,000 would cause financial hardship. Younger generations are especially anxious, with nearly 90% of Gen Z and millennials saying an unplanned medical cost would disrupt their financial plans, compared to just 56% of baby boomers.

Collaboration is one of the strongest drivers of meaningful progress in how we solve problems, make decisions, and move our work forward. When people bring together different perspectives, challenge assumptions, and freely exchange ideas, we reach solutions none of us could find on our own. That level of teamwork does not happen by chance. It requires a psychological safety environment.

The workplace has undergone a major transformation over the last decade, but the most dramatic shift has happened in what employees expect from their employers. Today’s workforce across generations, industries, and job levels is no longer motivated solely by salary, stability, or traditional benefits. Instead, employees are seeking three core elements that increasingly influence whether they join, stay, or leave an organization: purpose, flexibility, and personalization.

As many organizations continue nudging employees toward more in-person time, some have decided to get creative. A few have gone beyond free coffee or casual Fridays and are experimenting with perks that range from clever to unexpected. Ford recently made headlines for selling $6 rotisserie chickens in its cafeterias to encourage workers to return. They are not alone in taking an unconventional approach.

Depending upon the Administration in Washington, every few years labor law reform legislation gets introduced in Congress. Among other proposed legislation, the Democrat’s had their Protect the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) that would have thrown many pro-labor requirements into national labor law.  Now it’s the Republicans’ turn.

Whether it’s Teams, Zoom, Slack or another tool that has an AI note taking feature, using the feature could lead to liability.  In a recent lawsuit that was filed in August 2025, Brewer v. Otter.ai, in the federal Northern District Court of California, Brewer alleges that Otter.ai recorded, accessed, and used the contents of private conversations without obtaining proper consent.

Do you have a “bad apple” employee?  To distinguish if someone is a “bad apple,” you have to observe their behaviors and how that impacts the team. You’ll probably have a hunch if there’s a bad apple in your batch.

Artificial Intelligence is expanding its role in human resources, moving beyond its initial applications in recruitment and hiring to encompass compensation analysis and job description creation. AI-powered tools make generating job descriptions and postings remarkably straightforward – requiring only a clear prompt and subject matter expertise to verify accuracy.