Today's Human Resources Pulse
Lateral Associates Now Dominate Biglaw Hiring
In 2025, lateral‑hired attorneys accounted for roughly 48% of associate hires, overtaking new law‑school graduates for the first time. The shift reflects firms’ growing appetite for experienced talent amid heightened client demand and billing pressures, tightening the market for recent graduates.
Home Depot Faces Lawsuit Alleging FMLA Retaliation and Race Discrimination
A former Home Depot sales associate in Philadelphia has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the retailer of retaliating for his request for intermittent FMLA leave and of race discrimination. The complaint alleges that a store manager referenced the employee’s epilepsy during a theft investigation and that disciplinary actions intensified after his medical leave request. The suit cites interference with FMLA rights, retaliation, and a Section 1981 claim, seeking damages, reinstatement, and record expungement. Home Depot has not commented, and the case highlights potential liability for HR practices surrounding medical leave.
Worker Sues Red Bull, Says HR Brushed Off His Racial Bias Complaints
Former Red Bull sales manager Jywaun Williams filed a federal lawsuit on Feb. 15, alleging he was fired because of his race and for reporting racial bias. Williams claims his supervisor repeatedly used the term “boy,” treated him differently from...
Burlington Fires 24-Year Employee over 50-Cent Purchase, Faces Age Bias Suit
Long‑time Burlington associate Ana Teixeira, 59, was fired after a 50‑cent purchase triggered a newly revised discount rule. The retailer had altered its associate discount policy five weeks earlier, barring purchases of 25‑cent final markdown items, but failed to notify...
Company Wants References From “Coworkers You Didn’t Get Along With”
A candidate interviewing for a remote, mission‑driven company faced an extreme hiring process, including 10+ video calls, unpaid work tests, and a request for references from coworkers they didn’t get along with. The article condemns the practice as unreasonable and...
To Attract Top Talent, Consider A Purpose-Driven Culture
Alexander Group, a revenue‑growth management consultancy, argues that attracting top talent in media sales requires a purpose‑driven culture. The firm highlights that the modern account executive must possess advanced technological skills that younger professionals naturally bring. By linking mission‑focused values...
Impact of a U.S. Federal Government Shutdown on E-Verify: February 16 2026
A U.S. federal government shutdown can render the E‑Verify system unavailable, disrupting the connection between SAP SuccessFactors Onboarding and the federal verification service. During a shutdown, employers using SuccessFactors may be unable to automatically confirm employee eligibility, potentially delaying hires....
2025 Q4 Job Market Report: Positive Signs Emerge for Job Seekers
The fourth quarter of 2025 marked the first quarter‑over‑quarter rise in biopharma job postings, with a 10% increase and a 4% uptick in average listings, despite a 14% year‑over‑year decline. Science/research and development roles grew 14% while clinical positions surged...
UK Government Must Extend New NDA Protections to Freelancers to Truly Tackle Misogyny in Music, Say MPs
The UK Parliament’s Women & Equalities Committee is pressing the government to extend the Employment Rights Act’s ban on non‑disclosure agreements (NDAs) to freelancers in the music sector. While the Act now voids NDAs that silence employees reporting harassment, it...
My Boss Asked Me to Reflect on My Conflicts with Coworkers and I Don’t Want To
A university lab supervisor added two development goals to an employee’s performance development review: improve conflict‑management skills by reflecting on past disputes and enhance communication with senior staff. The employee pushed back, arguing the conflicts were resolved and didn’t belong...
Active Employer Involvement Can Cut Workers’ Compensation Costs
Employers who actively manage workers’ compensation claims can dramatically lower expenses, according to Kinetic Insurance’s new guide. Reporting injuries within 24‑48 hours reduces medical utilization and litigation risk, while delayed reporting can increase costs by 30‑40 percent. The guide identifies...
Corporations Are Full of BS
The episode explores a new research paper that introduces the Organizational Bullshit Perception Scale (OBPS), a tool for quantifying employees' perceptions of corporate dishonesty and empty rhetoric. The authors differentiate corporate "bullshit" from lying, defining it as statements made without...
4 Leadership Tricks Managers Get Wrong
Recent research by executive coach Nihar Chhaya identifies four well‑intentioned leadership habits that actually undermine team performance: excessive conformity, overprotecting, an obsessive focus on winning, and treating employees as friends. These behaviors, while meant to help, suppress innovation, limit honest...
Upcoming Roadmap: E‑Sign, Check‑In/Out, Conflict Flags
What it looks like and what’s on the roadmap: 1) E-Sign integration (right now it just sends a copy to the client via email); 2) Check in/Check out functionality (you edit in platform, but would prefer sometimes to edit outside and...
376: Why Human Skills Now Matter More as AI Automates Tasks at Work, with Andrea Iorio
In this episode, Andrea Iorio explains that AI is more likely to automate individual tasks than whole jobs, prompting leaders to rethink role design and workflow. He highlights a global HR survey showing 93% of HR leaders now prioritize soft...
Why Does HR Make It So Hard To Fire People? - Part 1
The episode explores the pervasive myth that HR blocks managers from firing employees, arguing that the real issue is managers' reluctance to follow proper, ethical termination procedures. It explains that HR's role is to enforce thoroughness and fairness, preventing arbitrary...
Chronus Launches Change Adoption Solution to Help Organizations Tackle the Human Side of Change
Chronus introduced a Change Adoption solution that moves organizations beyond one‑way change announcements to real behavior adoption in the flow of work. The platform pairs employees for intentional peer conversations using AI‑powered MatchIQ, guided prompts, and built‑in measurement of mindset...
Senior Designer Wanted for Top DTC Brands
Easy Street Brands is looking to hire a senior designer for one of our portfolio brands. Looking for someone with experience designing website elements, landing pages and ads. Packaging design experience is a bonus. You must have 5+ years experience working with...
AI Wins, Workforce Burns: Address Fear Separately
You can “win” your AI rollout and still lose your workforce. A recent study of 430 manufacturing employees found that even successful AI transformations increase emotional exhaustion. Translation? Your KPIs can trend up, 📈 while motivation trends down. 📉 The...
Disability Discrimination: Manager’s ‘ADD Brain’ Comments Keep Claim Alive
Geisinger Health Plan terminated case‑manager Amber Motko for chronic performance lapses, but a Third Circuit court refused to dismiss her disability discrimination claim because her supervisor repeatedly referenced her ADD diagnosis, including the phrase “ADD brain.” The court ruled Motko’s...
Iceland Launches First Customer Led Colleague Award
Iceland has introduced its inaugural Customers’ Choice Award, allowing shoppers to nominate staff from any of its 1,000 stores for exceptional service. Nominations close on 8 March 2026 and the program is sponsored by Agristo, the retailer’s frozen potato supplier. The...
Don’t Rip and Replace PeopleSoft — Pair It with Emerging Tech Instead
Enterprises are abandoning the notion that legacy ERP must be replaced to innovate, instead treating PeopleSoft as a stable anchor while layering emerging technologies. Hybrid ERP models keep PeopleSoft as the system of record for payroll, finance and planning, and...
Hiring Software Lawsuits: What It Means for Hiring Transparency and Data Sovereignty
A class‑action lawsuit against Eightfold AI has thrust data protection and personal data sovereignty into the spotlight of the recruitment‑tech sector. While the case mentions artificial intelligence, the core dispute centers on how candidate information is collected, stored, and shared....
Spotify to Cut 17% Workforce Despite Strong Financial Performance
Spotify announced a 17% global workforce reduction, affecting roughly 1,500 employees. The move follows a strong third‑quarter performance where revenue rose 11% year‑on‑year to €3.4 billion and the company returned to operating profitability. CEO Daniel Ek said the cuts are needed...
Worker Quits After Safety Concerns Go Unheard; Post Sparks Debate on Workplace Culture
A viral post revealed an employee’s resignation after months of ignored safety warnings, despite repeated requests for a protective tool. Management’s response culminated in a $27‑per‑hour pay increase offer, which the employee declined, citing unresolved safety concerns. The departure marks...
When Political Confrontations Hit Your Workplace: What the Ford Plant Incident Teaches HR
During President Trump’s visit to a Ford plant in Detroit, assembly worker T.J. Sabula shouted “pedophile protector,” prompting a profane exchange that went viral. Ford suspended Sabula, while the UAW defended him under the collective bargaining agreement. The incident highlights...
HR’s Playbook for Including Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in DEI
The article outlines a practical framework for integrating individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) into corporate DEI programs, highlighting the untapped talent pool of over five million working‑age adults in the U.S. It cites research showing that IDD employees,...
MCD Approves Equal Pay for Multi-Tasking Staff; 4,000 Employees to Benefit
Delhi’s Municipal Corporation (MCD) approved a long‑awaited equal‑pay scheme for its Multi‑Tasking Staff, covering roughly 4,000 workers. The corporation earmarked Rs 50 crore in its budget to fund the uniform salary structure. Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh announced the decision will be...
A Welcomed Turning Point for Earned Wage Access
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a December 2025 advisory opinion clarifying that employer‑integrated earned wage access (EWA) is not a loan under the Truth in Lending Act. This guidance removes a major regulatory uncertainty that has limited EWA adoption....
UMass Memorial Health Transformation Journey
In 2013 Dr. Eric Dickson took the helm of UMass Memorial Health as the system teetered on the brink of default and faced declining patient and caregiver satisfaction. He introduced a CEO‑driven lean management system that standardized nine core processes and...
Ashish Goel to Take on CHRO Role at Kajaria Ceramics
Kajaria Ceramics announced the appointment of Ashish Goel as chief human resources officer, effective 13 February 2026. Goel arrives from Essel Group|Zee Media, where he has served as CHRO since 2018, and brings more than two decades of HR leadership...
Quote of the Day by Sanjeev Bikhchandani: ‘Nobody Being Thrown Out… You Should Just Learn 5-15 Useful AI Tools’
Founder of Info Edge, Sanjeev Bikhchandani, says AI isn’t eliminating jobs but requires workers to upskill. He recommends employees master between five and fifteen practical AI tools to stay relevant. The advice emphasizes reskilling rather than fear of displacement. Bikhchandani’s...
IT and Administration Jobs Attract Most UK Applications
UK jobseekers are gravitating toward IT and administration positions, with software engineering roles attracting the most applications per vacancy in Q4 2025. The average salary for software engineers was £61,268, the highest among the top‑ten roles, while receptionists earned £30,805....
Court Throws Out Adverse Action Claim From Employee Sacked "without Just Cause"
The Federal Circuit Court ruled that being subject to an apprehended domestic violence order does not provide protection from adverse action under the Fair Work Act. Judge Lisa Doust dismissed the employee’s claim, finding no reasonable prospect of success. The...
Editorial: Time to Find a Fix for Poaching Suits
The editorial highlights a surge of insurance‑broker poaching lawsuits, ignited by Howden’s aggressive hiring of hundreds of producers from rivals. It exposes a broken industry approach to employee mobility, where firms cling to proprietary data while brokers argue their client...
After 22 Years with TCS, Nitin Naik Joins KISNA as CTO
After more than two decades at Tata Consultancy Services, Nitin Naik has been appointed chief technology officer of KISNA Diamond and Gold Jewellery. In his new role, Naik will oversee the brand’s digital commerce, retail systems, supply‑chain integration and data...
POV: Is Learning Agility a Leadership Essential or Corporate Buzzword?
Learning agility is emerging as a core leadership capability in today’s "never normal" business climate, where disruption, technology shifts, and evolving employee expectations dominate. Executives at Kotak Life, NEC India, and the Aditya Birla Group argue that agility must be operationalised—not...
The Most Limiting AI Success Factor Maybe… Data Center Staffing (Why AIDC Recruiting Is so Difficult)
AI data centers are expanding rapidly, with a projected 57% increase in operational facilities. However, the industry faces a critical talent bottleneck, as experienced AIDC professionals are scarce and most are already employed. Recruiting these specialists requires aggressive poaching, costly...
Infosys Announces Generous Average Bonus Payout of 85%
Infosys announced an average performance bonus of 85% for Q3 FY2025-26, the highest payout in recent quarters. Employees received between 75% and 100% of their eligible bonuses, with many seeing a 15% increase over prior payouts. The bonus will be...
Saudi Arabia Arrests 21,000 for Residency and Work Violations
Saudi Arabia intensified its labour compliance drive, arresting more than 21,000 individuals in a single week across construction sites, housing compounds and transport hubs. The crackdown targets undocumented foreign workers, Saudi citizens who shelter them, and firms that fail to...
Workforce Decisions Ignoring Crucial 'Capability' Assessment
Employers often overlook "capability"—the blend of life experiences, behavioural preferences and natural task affinity—leading to hiring decisions that are "one level too high." Mike Erlin of AbilityMap argues that aligning skills with measured capability in hiring, development and internal moves...
Give Second Chances: Key to Employee Engagement
One of the best tools for employee engagement: second chances. Part of the reason some employees check out is that they’ve been tossed aside after making a mistake. No one has ever let them live it down, and that mistake...
13 Leaders Reveal Proven AI Skills Training Strategies
Recently, we shared great ideas from 12 leaders on how to drive workforce #AI adoption. Here, 13 more share their most effective methods for AI #skills #training. You'll see common ground: Smart strategies, resourceful thinking, strong results➡️ https://t.co/ftzVJt0OwH #learning https://t.co/WCm3YVzfVI
When Chinese New Year Meets Ramadan: How to Celebrate Mindfully at Work
Chinese New Year and Ramadan coincide this year, prompting workplaces to balance festive celebrations with fasting employees' needs. Human Resources Online recommends scheduling CNY events earlier, making participation optional, and acknowledging Ramadan in communications. It also suggests adapting the lohei...
Content Drives Hiring: 10+ Hires From One Episode
Talked to a @BananaCap_ portfolio company this morning who mentioned they hired 10+ people from their @ThePeelPod episode. Insane how much value you can add for founders when you get really dialed in on content.
Remote Full‑Stack Engineer Role: $8k/Mo at SenjaHQ
Love working in @sveltejs? I'm hiring a fullstack engineer for @SenjaHQ $8,000/month, remote (but some sync work), 3-person team, small profitable bootstrapped business Full tech stack in image, application link in reply https://t.co/Ro4i7awA8c
From Engagement to Mindfulness: Why the Real Productivity Crisis Is Invisible
The article argues that the real productivity crisis lies in employee mindfulness and engagement, not operational tools. It defines engagement as the sum of satisfaction and mindfulness, noting that only 23% of workers are fully engaged while 59% quietly quit....
ERA Measures Risk Being a ‘Further Handbrake on Hiring’
CIPD’s Labour Market Outlook warns that the Employment Rights Act 2025 will curb permanent hiring, with 37% of UK employers planning to reduce such recruitment. Overall hiring intentions are at their lowest level since the pandemic, while 74% foresee higher...
Younger Workers Least Likely to Protect Income
Shepherds Friendly surveyed 1,500 workers and found that younger employees are the least likely to have income protection and have the lowest awareness of policy coverage. Six in ten respondents don’t realize the policy can cover mental health, and 69%...
What CIOs Are Doing To Evolve Operating Models And Talent
The episode examines how CIOs are reshaping IT operating models and talent to drive business value, focusing on three recurring initiative patterns: shifting to platform operating models jointly owned by business and technology, strengthening architecture and portfolio management as a...
675: Tom Hardin (Tipper X) - The Largest Insider Trading Case, How Ambiguous Leadership Destroys Culture, Resume Vs. Eulogy Virtues,...
In this episode, Ryan Hawk talks with Tom Hardin, the former "Tipper X" who helped the FBI dismantle the largest insider‑trading case in history. Hardin reflects on how ambiguous leadership (“do whatever it takes”) blurred ethical lines, leading him to...