Category: EntertainHR

Posts focus on what not to do in the workplace, based on examples from television, film, and other popular media.

Office Christmas Party–strategies to avoid the legal fallout

You may be wondering why I selected to write about a movie that is not yet in the theaters.  Truthfully, I do not need to see the movie to write about its relevance to HR issues. In fact, all that’s necessary is to read the title—Office Christmas Party. Yes, we are in Human Resources. What […]

Yes, Cher, you can ‘Turn Back Time’—you’ll just have to pay for it

By the way, if you haven’t heard, the Cubs won something called “the World Series.” Our long, national nightmare—arrogant Cubs fans—has now officially begun. Now, onto things that actually matter.  This past weekend, we rolled the clocks back. And though we got an extra hour of sleep (well, you may have—I have two children under […]

Employers haunted by Halloween

Happy Halloween! We hope you are getting only treats today and no tricks. But in keeping with the holiday spirit, today’s post highlights some unintended tricks employers may face from Halloween.    Many employers will have already hosted a Halloween office party or allowed employees to dress up today to celebrate, but the Halloween festivities, whether […]

Terminating the walking dead employee: What would Negan do?

Like many of you, I am still reeling from last night’s brutal season opener of The Walking Dead. Looking at the episode through the lens of an employment lawyer, a few thoughts came to mind: first, Negan’s managerial style is a tad harsh; second, he could really use some training on positive motivation techniques; and […]

Hurricane

Hurricane season brings unique employer issues

In the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, evacuation orders are lifting and recovery efforts are in their early stages. Employers are facing a number of storm-related issues as they prepare to resume normal operations. Here are just a few of the questions employers are asking.  1.  Does the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) require me to pay […]

What we learned: talent placement lessons from UT football and U.S. Ryder Cup team

Sports are about players making plays. Coaches and managers can break down film, scheme, and motivate all they want. But, when the game is on the line, execution is all that matters. As the ole ball coach said, “It’s not about the X’s and O’s, it’s about the Jimmy’s and Joe’s.” This truth was on […]

NASCAR’s racing to defend race discrimination lawsuit—is your company ready?

Earlier this week, news broke that NASCAR is being sued for alleged racial discrimination. NASCAR insists the case has no merit, but only time will tell the outcome. When the rubber meets the road, will your business be ready to defend against a race discrimination lawsuit? Fortunately, there are steps every business can take to […]

From sports and entertainment to politics and social justice—when worlds collide in your workplace

It’s everywhere. Whether you like it or not, you can’t escape it. While the topics of politics and social justice are undoubtedly important discussions to have in our country, the reality is that they now seem ever present. Consider, for example, two popular entertainment outlets many individuals usually go to in order to “escape” from […]

North Korea has banned sarcasm. Whatever.

In case you haven’t seen the news, no, the title is not a joke. The last word, however, is probably illegal now in North Korea (not that I worry much that this post is making it through the Hermit Kingdom’s web filters). First, a little background. North Korea’s government, as we all know, displays two consistent […]

Occum's

What did Ryan Lochte do? 8 tips for waterproof investigations

Despite the conclusion of the 2016 Summer Olympics, Ryan Lochte is still “under water” with questions still looming after Rio police reports that the American gold-medal Olympian fabricated a story about being robbed at gunpoint in Brazil. Lochte initially reported that he and three other U.S. swimmers—James Feigen, Jack Conger, and Gunnar Bentz—were robbed at gunpoint […]