Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: Can you terminate an employee just for a bad attitude?What should you do when an employee walks off the job mid-shift?Can quid pro quo harassment happen between coworkers? Visit TeamAtHRStories.com to see all of our workshops and offerings to help you feel confident in your HR decisions. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edit...

Send us a text Racial harassment, DEI confusion, and legal landmines—this episode dives into the HR challenges small businesses can’t afford to mishandle. From a $200K court ruling against an HR team that brushed off serious complaints to how one company legally retooled its DEI program after Trump’s executive order, we break down what to do (and what not to do). Join Chuck and John as they dive into these questions and more: What should HR do when an employee reports racial harassment by cow...

Send us a text There has been no shortage of policy updates this year and it's enough to make any HR pro's head spin. Join the team as they go through the key ones to be aware of and discuss the proposed changes that you may hear about through the remainder of the year. Visit TeamAtHRStories.com to see all of our workshops and offerings to help you feel confident in your HR decisions. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILA...

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: We have someone out on military leave who is supposed to return soon. We want to keep the person we brought in to cover for themHow do you handle managers who don’t want to do what needs to be done to enforce policies?What do you do when someone refuses to take their lunch break then demands to be compensated for that time?What can we do to push our HR departments forward...

Send us a text Chuck and John are back this week with part 2 of what is keeping HR professionals awake at night. Catch up on the ins and outs of the issues of today so you can walk into your job with the confidence and knowledge needed to tackle them like a pro. Visit TeamAtHRStories.com to see all of our workshops and offerings to help you feel confident in your HR decisions. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE! G...

Send us a text Part 1 of 2 - Do you have sleepless nights, stressing about all of the things you need to take care of in your workplace? Working in HR, there are endless lists of important details that human resource professionals are responsible for. From employee burnout to difficulty in recruiting, to handling ever changing political landscapes, in Part 1 of this two-part series, the team will talk about how to navigate these issues and show up like a pro in your workspace. Visit Te...

Send us a text Join the team as the jump back to an episode from last summer where they talk about how to keep you and your employees safe during the summer heat and avoid costly mistakes that can lead to serious harm. We'll see you back next week for a brand new episode. Visit TeamAtHRStories.com to see all of our workshops and offerings to help you feel confident in your HR decisions. Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is ...

Send us a text What happens when a company's dress code walks straight into a lawsuit? In this eye-opening episode, Chuck and John unpack the real-life legal battle between a cocktail server and MGM National Harbor over mandatory high heels, disability discrimination, and a rigid appearance policy. This isn’t just about shoes. It’s a cautionary tale for HR professionals and small business owners alike. We break down the legal pitfalls of gendered dress codes, the requirements of the ADA, and ...

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: 1. Can you require a doctors note for someone who continually calls in the day after a holiday weekend? Our PTO policy doesn’t require it but it happens every time. 2. Is it an HR issue if someone brings particularly fragrant food into the break room? 3. Can we lower someone’s pay if they move to a cheaper remote work location? 4. Can I take leave to take care of m...

Send us a text John Thalheimer and Chuck Simikian unpack the growing crisis of burnout and chronic stress among HR professionals and business leaders. With recent federal actions, such as workforce reductions and the rollback of affirmative action policies, HR leaders are navigating more pressure than ever. You’ll learn: What burnout really looks like in the workplaceThe link between DEI policy changes and HR stressHow to build resilience while supporting your teamPractical tools like boundar...

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: What should an HR employee do if they’re experiencing retaliation in the workplace but feel like they can’t go to management?How do you handle compensation for someone getting demoted while pay bands changed?Can someone be an independent contractor for the same company they work for full time if the work is out of scope of their normal job?Are there any rules regarding th...

Send us a text The Trump Administration has signed a flurry of executive orders - some of which have direct impacts on the workplace. It’s critical, now more than ever, to pay attention to changes and updates that are coming your way. In today’s episode, Chuck and John review some new documents released by the EEOC that are providing clearer guidance around how to legally approach DEI in the workplace. Andrea Lucas, the EEOC Acting Chair, released 11 Tips for Lawful DEI, listed below: Audit J...

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: What’s the smallest increment of time that you have to count towards overtime?How do you handle PTO fairly in terms of seniority? Is there a policy that you have for senior employees over new hires?Can part time employees be given comp time instead of getting paid overtime? Visit TeamAtHRStories.com to see all of our workshops and offerings to help you feel confident...

Send us a text This is a case you can’t afford to ignore. When AccentCare, Inc. paid a less-experienced male nurse more than a seasoned female nurse—and then fired her when she complained—the EEOC took action. In this episode, we break down the lawsuit, the five critical lessons for employers, and why Equal Pay Day (March 25) is a wake-up call. From pay transparency to retaliation risks, we’ve got everything you need to protect your organization—and your people. In the HR News segment, the te...

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: We have an employee who has been out numerous times for a medical issue but he will not provide any supporting documentation or take FMLA. How can we proceed if we need to take action to have someone fill the role?We have someone who quit due to undisclosed PTSD being triggered by behaviors in the workplace. How do I address this with those who caused this, especially if ...

Send us a text In this episode, we dive into the shocking case of Reena Mathew, an HR Business Partner at Santander Consumer USA, who was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan and fired after announcing her pregnancy. Was it a case of performance management—or pregnancy discrimination disguised as poor performance? Chuck and John break down the timeline of events, the questionable "exculpatory paper trail," and the lessons HR professionals need to learn about documentation, timing, and eth...

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: I’m newly taking over HR duties and it’s a mess. Where do I start?We have an employee that wants to take 8 weeks of unpaid leave for personal medical needs. They want to use PTO to cover benefit deductions but they won’t have enough for the leave. What do I do?Employees have been stealing time and getting away with it. We have a new manager and need help figuring out wher...

Send us a text In today’s episode, you’ll follow along with a CHRO who was tasked with tackling hybrid work challenges, boosting employee well-being, and building a future-ready workforce. Listen as Chuck and John talk through these ways to come out on top of these challenges: ✅ “Collaboration Week” – Fixing hybrid work disconnect ✅ Mental health & burnout solutions that work ✅ Upskilling & leadership development strategies ✅ Winning the war for top talent with DE&I See more from ...

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: How do you deal with the death of an employee?How do you convince executives to support HR?How do you recognize birthdays and anniversaries?HR is hard - BambooHR is easy! See for yourself with a free demo at BambooHR: https://shorturl.at/E7kkF Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE! Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.co...

Send us a text In this episode, Chuck and John break down the Cunningham v. Department of Defense case, where a qualified employee’s promotion was denied due to subjective interview evaluations. Gwendolyn Cunningham, despite her expertise, was passed over for a new leadership role, leading to claims of bias and a legal battle. Listen in as Chuck and John discuss the lessons for HR professionals on documentation, transparency, and balancing technical skills with leadership qualities in hiring ...