A new phenomenon is slowly gaining attention in the workplace called quiet cracking, and it’s quietly chipping away at employee morale, motivation, and productivity.

Employers with operations or employees in multiple states face challenges when creating policies that comply with varying state regulations. Many states now have different requirements related to areas like pay transparency and paid time off, and new employment laws are being introduced regularly.

Most of the country has heard by now about the cheating scandal that rattled tech start-up, Astronomer, when their CEO and CPO were caught on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert. The two C-suite executives, allegedly having an affair, were called out by the singer for either just being shy or looking guilty. The moment went viral, resulting in a public relations nightmare for the two employees and their employer. It’s hard to resist the drama of a workplace scandal, but beyond the...

With cell phones and listening devices now a part of everyday life, it’s becoming increasingly challenging for employers, especially HR, to manage situations where employees record conversations at work, from casual talks with managers to formal disciplinary meetings. The following guide outlines what HR professionals should know about when recording is allowed and when it’s not.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are pivotal moments in a business’s lifecycle. M&A activity can reshape your organization in lasting ways. But without a clear communication plan, even the most strategic deal can unravel due to confusion, panic, or misalignment.

Workday bleeds into all hours: Workers slid into the habit of working at all hours during the pandemic, when many worked from home. Though fewer people are fully remote now, many are still toiling into the night and say an expanding load of meetings, emails, and actual work are a big reason.

According to Warren Buffett, success can be measured with just one word – “love” – meaning that wealth and acclaim pale when compared to the depth of our human connections. But what if we reframe that wisdom through the lens of empathy? Instead of asking how much we are loved, we could ask how deeply we understand and respond to others.

The Michigan Court of Claims ruled that Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) law applies to collective bargaining agreements that do not address earned sick time off for workers. The Michigan Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) sued the MI Labor and Economic Opportunity Department (LEO) saying the Department did not interpret ESTA correctly.

If you’ve noticed a younger employee holding your gaze with a blank, unreadable expression, you’re not alone. What’s been dubbed the “Gen Z stare” is making waves both online and in the workplace. Though some dismiss it as a passive, disengaged look, or even a silent form of rebellion, experts suggest that this generational behavior signals something much deeper.

On June 4, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding certain eligibility requirements, including filing, petitions for classification, and change of status relating to the TN (or Treaty NAFTA) nonimmigrant visa classification under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), formerly known as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Many employers focus on enhancing the employee experience by offering perks beyond standard pay and benefits. While these extras require an investment of time and money, they can deliver a strong return if the perks are genuinely valuable to employees and used as intended.

New federal minimum wage? Republican Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) on Tuesday introduced legislation that would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour from the current $7.25 per hour.  If adopted, the bill, dubbed the “Higher Wages for American Works Act of 2025,” would increase the hourly standard wage to $15 starting Jan. 1, 2026,

Since 1978 Michigan has had its own personnel file law that is commonly called the Bullard-Plawecki Employee Right to Know Act (also called the Sunshine in the Personnel File law) that requires employers to allow an employee to access information in their personnel files. It defines what and what is not considered a “personnel record.” The definition is quite broad but contains some exceptions that are not considered personnel records listed below:

You’ve probably heard of “quiet quitting,” but a new trend is quietly reshaping workplaces: quiet cutting. Instead of laying off employees, organizations are increasingly reassigning workers into different roles—often without a promotion, raise, or even much choice in the matter. While this strategy may help companies avoid severance costs or negative PR tied to layoffs, it raises real concerns for morale, engagement, and retention.

With the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), a number of provisions impact employers.  Below is a summary of the major ones.

In a May 2025 blog post, OneDigital examined the best way to transition from a fully insured health plan to a self-funded plan. A self-funded health care plan is one where the employer assumes the financial risk for providing health care benefits to its employees. Instead of paying fixed premiums to an insurance carrier, the employer pays for medical claims out of its own funds.

In the proverbial war for talent, small business leaders can understandably feel intimidated by the prospect of competing with large firms. Big budgets often spell deeper pockets for salaries, signing bonuses, advanced talent acquisition technology, and recruiting staff resources that small employers may not be able to compete with. The prospect of trying to attract available talent away from the gravitational pull of big organizations can be daunting. Yet, history is full of examples of...

Canada increases wage threshold under temporary worker program:  Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has announced an increase in the wage threshold under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), effective June 27, 2025.

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.