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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:

1. What should HR do when an employee reports racial harassment by coworkers?
2. "We’ve invested in a lot of DEI efforts over the last few years. With all this political pushback—especially the new executive order from President Trump—should we scale things back, or is it safe to continue?"
3. Can you offer flexible remote work without sacrificing productivity or culture?
4. Harassment, Discrimination, and Franchise Risk: What’s a Small Business to Do?

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!

Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.

Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.

You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast

Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!

Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.

The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

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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 AVAILABLE!

Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.

Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.

You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast

Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!

Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.

The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

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Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions:

1. 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 them
2. How do you handle managers who don’t want to do what needs to be done to enforce policies?
3. What do you do when someone refuses to take their lunch break then demands to be compensated for that time?
4. What can we do to push our HR departments forward?

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!

Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.

Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.

You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast

Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!

Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.

The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

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!

Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.

Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.

You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast

Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!

Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.

The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

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 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!

Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.

Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.

You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast

Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!

Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.

The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

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 now AVAILABLE!

Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.

Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.

You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast

Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!

Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.

The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

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 the importance of honoring medical accommodations. With real court rulings, evolving workplace fashion trends, and clear HR compliance tips, this episode will help you audit your dress code policies, avoid discrimination claims, and stay ahead of costly employment law violations.

The team also touches on the following topics and more:

• Poorly formatted resumes can be the death of your job application
• There’s an apparent lack of will to work - how to make sure you’re creating an environment that people want to work in and, more importantly, stay in!
• The difficulty of pushing unpopular HR policies and the rise of HR being forced to push policies they don’t agree with.

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!

Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.

Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.

You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast

Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!

Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.

The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

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 my sister who I am legally responsible for?
5. If a person is off work for the day and they answer emails or do work without being asked to, do we have to pay them?

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!

Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.

Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.

You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast

Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!

Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.

The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.