Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break

The end of 2026 is coming up quickly, but there is still plenty for employers to think about before the year wraps up. In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass run through an end-of-year checklist for employers, including handbook updates, cold and flu season, workplace holiday parties, accommodations, and remote work considerations. They also talk about newer...

Reverse discrimination isn't a new legal concept, but recent EEOC activity is bringing renewed attention to claims employers may not be accustomed to seeing. In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass unpack a recent message from EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas about anti-American discrimination and discuss how it fits into the agency's broader enforcement pri...

Alcohol and drug issues in the workplace can put employers in a difficult position: act too quickly and you may make assumptions you shouldn’t; wait too long and you could create safety or liability concerns. In this episode of Ground Rules , Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass break down what employers should be thinking about when substance use or suspected impairment enters the workpl...

Wage and hour compliance can get complicated quickly — and getting employee classifications wrong can be costly. In this episode of Ground Rules , Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass break down what employers need to know about exempt and non-exempt employees, including the most common white-collar exemptions, salary and duties tests, timekeeping requirements, and the risks that come wit...

After a recent summary judgment win for one of our clients, we’re taking a closer look at one of the most important—and potentially case-changing—stages of litigation. Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass break down what summary judgment is, why even a partial win can significantly change the course of a case, and what goes into building a strong argument. They also discuss why the polici...

As summer winds down, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass compare notes on the employment law trends that have been showing up most often in their work. In this episode, they discuss the increase in employment claims and litigation, wage and hour issues, ADA and leave-related accommodation challenges, shifting priorities at the EEOC, DOL, and NLRB, the growing role of AI in workplace dec...

Apple’s recent lawsuit against OpenAI puts a spotlight on an issue employers of every size face: what happens when an employee leaves—and confidential information goes with them? Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Laegan Meyers break down the allegations and discuss practical steps employers can take to protect confidential information and trade secrets, from stronger policies and agreements to on...

For the first time, employers may have as many as six generations represented in the workforce—each bringing different experiences, communication preferences, expectations, and perspectives to work. But those differences don’t have to create division. In this episode of Ground Rules , Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass are joined by Ann Smith of Guide and Grow Consulting to discuss how...

This week, Pam Howland and Jennifer Walrath welcome Idaho Employment Lawyers' newest attorney, Laegan Meyers, to Ground Rules . Drawing on her experience defending employers in litigation, Laegan shares what she sees once a workplace dispute reaches the courtroom—and, more importantly, what employers can do now to reduce the chances of ever getting there. From documentation and employee handb...

Every supervisor makes mistakes—but some mistakes are far more costly than others. In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break , Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, Doug Plass, and special guest Megan Renaldo of Renaldo & Co. compare notes on the leadership and compliance issues they see most often when working with employers. Together, they discuss:  Why waiting too long...

The Idaho Human Rights Commission's latest annual report reveals a sharp increase in discrimination and harassment claims—but the numbers tell a more nuanced story than the headlines suggest. In this episode, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass break down the FY2026 IHRC data, including the continued rise in disability accommodation claims, significant growth in pregnancy and sex di...

Many employers think discrimination and harassment training is something you do once, check off the list, and move on. The reality? Employment law, technology, workplace dynamics, and employee expectations are constantly evolving—and your training should too. In this episode of L4L Book Club , Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass discuss why ongoing training is one of the best investments...

 Most employers know depositions are part of the litigation process—but few realize just how much preparation, strategy, and disruption they involve. In this episode, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass discuss the top 10 things that surprise employers about depositions, from marathon questioning and document-heavy testimony to attorney tactics and the importance of preparation. Whether...

Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, but thoughtful strategy will always outlast the latest technology. In the final installment of our three-part AI series, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, Doug Plass, and AI governance and strategy consultant Ally Ross discuss what separates organizations that are successfully leveraging AI from those creating unnecessary risk. The conversation explores wh...

The EEOC released its new National Enforcement Plan in June 2026, and it reads like a roadmap of exactly where enforcement is headed through 2029. I sat down with Jennifer Walrath and Doug Plass to break down what's in it and what it means for you as an employer. This is not a vague document. The EEOC is telling employers and their attorneys precisely which types of cases it plans to bring an...

 What do AI policies have in common with traffic laws? More than you might think. In Part 2 of our AI series, Ally Ross uses a "rules of the road" analogy to explain how employers can create practical guardrails for AI use. The conversation covers policy development, human oversight, bias concerns, documentation, monitoring, and why doing nothing may be the riskiest approach of all.  *Gr...

Summer is one of the busiest hiring seasons of the year, and for many employers, that means bringing teenagers onto the team. But hiring minors comes with unique legal requirements that can catch employers off guard. In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass discuss the top five things employers should know before hiring teens for summer work. From hazardous oc...

In this installment of the Law for Leaders Book Club , Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass break down one of the most common areas where employers find themselves facing claims and lawsuits: employee discipline and termination. Drawing from Chapter 4 of Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits , they discuss why documentation matters,...

Artificial intelligence is moving into the workplace faster than most employers can keep up with — especially in hiring, HR, and day-to-day operations. But with that opportunity comes growing legal and compliance risk. In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass sit down with Ally Ross of Saig Advice to talk about what employers should actually be thinking about...

When an employment lawsuit lands on your desk, most employers expect the facts to speak for themselves and the case to quickly go away. In reality, litigation is rarely that simple. In this episode of Ground Rules, experienced employment litigators Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass pull back the curtain on what employment lawsuits actually look like from the defense side. They discuss...

What are the biggest employment law risks employers should be paying attention to in 2026? In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Megan Egbert break down the top five issues they believe every employer, HR professional, and leader should have on their radar this year. From rising ADA claims and shifting EEOC priorities to workplace incivility, documentation mistakes, a...

A new Idaho law is creating big questions for employers ahead of its July 2026 effective date. In this episode of Ground Rules , attorneys Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Idaho legislator Megan Egbert break down Idaho’s new “Bathroom Bill” (HB 752) and discuss what businesses should be thinking about now. The conversation covers:  What the law actually says   Which employers and businesses may...

In this week's Ground Rules episode, we continue our Law for Leaders Book Club with Chapter Three: Why You Need to Document and What Your Documentation Needs to Say. Here's what we cover: Why a lack of documentation leaves a void, and how that void gets filled by whatever the employee imagines the reason to be Why "we're an at-will state" doesn't protect you if a clai...

AI is changing the workplace—and not always for the better. In this episode, we break down the emerging issue of deepfake harassment, including realistic fake images, audio, and video being used in ways that can create a hostile work environment. We discuss a recent case with a multimillion-dollar verdict, why employers can still be liable even if they don’t know who created the content, and how t...

The Idaho Human Rights Commission saw a major increase in filings this year—but the story doesn’t end there. We’re joined by Ben Earwicker, Administrator of the IHRC, to dive into the 2025 IHRC statistics and trends, including what’s driving the spike, what hasn’t changed, and where employers should be paying closer attention. We cover disability and accommodation claims, shifting workplace dynami...