HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story!

Send us Fan Mail Most CEOs might not fire their entire HR team. But when Ryan Breslow, CEO of Bolt, did just that, the headlines sparked outrage. He claimed HR was “creating problems that didn’t exist” and insisted that once the department was gone, those issues simply vanished.  But is that story as simple as it sounds? Or is there a deeper lesson about leadership, culture, and the real role HR p...

Send us Fan Mail Most HR professionals aren't prepared for the seismic shift happening around discrimination laws and missing it could cost you millions. What if your workplace policies are unknowingly trending toward unconstitutional practices, risking hefty fines and legal battles? This episode reveals the surprising changes to disparate impact guidelines, the real story behind recent legal...

Send us Fan Mail Most workplaces are ignoring the silent killer of culture that’s hiding in plain sight: tolerance. In this eye-opening episode, HR experts John Thalheimer and Chuck reveal why avoiding tough conversations about performance and behavior can be a leader’s biggest mistake and why sometimes, firing is the kindest move of all. Why do workplaces with disengaged, disorganized, and seemin...

Send us Fan Mail Most HR conversations overlook the real drivers behind employee retention and wage satisfaction. What if the secret isn’t just about raising minimum wages, but understanding why people stay or leave? This episode dives deep into the hidden forces shaping compensation and workplace culture—revealing surprising insights on how pay, benefits, and environment influence your team'...

Send us Fan Mail Most HR advice misses the real secret to building thriving teams and it’s not just about training or benefits. On this episode, leadership guru John shares a powerful, simple framework for transforming your workplace from the inside out. Discover how clarity, capabilities, and capacity can be the game-changers for your team’s decision-making, motivation, and energy. John reveals h...

Send us Fan Mail When a medical facility told a new mother that she could take a couple of minutes to pump ONLY if they were well-staffed, it wasn't a benefit they were withholding. They took away her rights. While it's easy for managers to feel that following the law is getting in the way of the operation, it's important for them to understand how the law works and where there isn&...

Send us Fan Mail When your employees experience moments of friction that make them question their relationship with their job or the company they work for, you want to make sure there's enough "love in the tank" to sustain their relationship with the job. How do you get ahead of these moments of friction to make sure the overall satisfaction in the job outweighs the frustrations the...

Send us Fan Mail Having a solid succession plan at your company can not only help you have the right people to fill a role and provide clarity for your employees, but it could also save you from a lawsuit. In today's story, you'll see that even the EEOC couldn't escape a court battle when an employee claimed their succession plan was exclusionary and violated their own laws. Were th...

Send us Fan Mail Internships have long been seen as stepping stones in careers, but recent developments have raised serious questions about their structure and compensation. As corporate America grapples with evolving norms, young professionals must navigate this changing landscape. In this episode, we’ll explore the current state of internships, the implications of recent legal cases, and what yo...

Send us Fan Mail When a patient requests that they re-assign a home-health nurse because they didn't want them to be black, the company made a dangerous and costly agreement to try and make the customer happy. Can customers make requests based on discriminatory reasons and, if they do, how do you handle it? Support the show Our new book... The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now A...

Send us Fan Mail Office gossip is an unavoidable fixture of the work environment and can even have benefits to the relationships your teams build. But when does it cross the line? When is concern around gossip just a manager's ego talking? And what does gossip actually point to as the real issue in the workplace? Listen to Chuck and John break it down for you on this weeks episode with a five...

Send us Fan Mail When Coca Cola hosted a company-sponsored networking event for female employees, the flag was raised to the EEOC for discrimination. So does this mean that women's retreats and networking groups have seen their final days? Not exactly. How you approach these events can make all the difference; from who you invite to how you advertise it, it's important to be mindful ever...

Send us Fan Mail When you have a legitimate reason to terminate an employee, can they still sue you? The answer may make you feel uneasy. While you can't stop a lawsuit from coming your direction, you can be prepared with a solid defense if you have the right documentation.  Support the show Our new book... The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to UltimateGuidetoH...

Send us Fan Mail AI is here and there are ongoing court cases to determine the legality of using it for screening candidates. While the courts work to determine their position, there are steps and ways of thinking that HR professionals need to keep in mind. Don't wait for AI to happen  to  your organization - prepare for how you can use it safely. Support the show Our new book... The Ultimate...

Send us Fan Mail Chuck and John discuss the latest news in the HR world, including impacts of the weather, a recent EEOC decision, a shift to return to office response, and a changing job market. Could 2026 be the year of the great turnover? Find out what it could mean for you and your company.  Support the show Our new book... The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE!  Go to...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: Can an employee be disciplined for misuse of intermittent FMLA? Can you change someone’s ADA accommodations? What do we have to pay for when it comes to USERRA? What are the biggest mistakes with handling discrimination complaints and how do you avoid retaliation? C-Sui...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to part two of the Employment Law series, where the team looks at changes coming to the laws *you need to know about* in 2026. In this episode, follow along as the team provides some guidance on the following issues:  - The impact of the National Labor Relation Board reaching quorum. - Independent Contractor classification may be in flux with the Department of Labor d...

Send us Fan Mail Part 1 - The start of the year is bringing a lot of uncertainty for those in HR. We are expecting a lot of change from a federal level and are waiting to see what the impact will be. Listen to what Chuck and John suggest you keep an eye out for as we head into the start of the year with the following topics: Changes to independent contractor statuses may be leading companies to hi...

Send us Fan Mail As we all prepare to wrap up our 2025 and head into 2026, we take a moment to reflect on some of the most important issues that have faced Human Resources professionals this year. It has been quite the year for everyone as we adjust to a new administration putting unprecedented policy changes in place. As you plan for the start of your next year, take time to listen to the key pie...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Hot Topics, the team touches on the following topics and more: Rolling layoffs are becoming more of a trend. Reducing the workforce 50 or fewer employees at a time could be a way for companies to save face and avoid reporting requirements. What are the implications of this on the remaining workforce? Studies show increases in anxiety are just the tip of the iceberg. P...

Send us Fan Mail After an employee asks for an accommodation of working from home due to mold concerns, things get complicated. But in this instance, you'll see how important it was that the employer recorded all of their efforts taken along the way when they say that working from home is not a reasonable accommodation.  Follow along with the team as they review the important steps to take wh...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: 1. We’ve had a couple of sexual harassment complaints that don’t seem serious. Do we HAVE to investigate all of them? 2. A male says that he has a religious belief that he cannot work alone with a woman. Is this an accommodation that we must abide by? 3. What do you do...

Send us Fan Mail When two sisters who own a Dairy Queen are on the receiving end of a pay violation lawsuit, they are stunned. They’ve worked hard to create a “second chances” work environment and always paid their employees on time - even giving employees advances when they need it. They quickly learned that the lawsuit wasn’t for neglecting to pay their employees, but rather the frequency at whi...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: Can you create a policy about tattoos and piercings? Can we leave details out of the handbook that we want to handle case-by-case? Can a anxiety from a workplace incident be considered a disability and require reasonable accommodation? Support the show Our new book... T...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s Hot Topics, Chuck and John talk about the following topics and more: - Companies implementing AI training across their teams - Planned salary increases for 2026 are holding steady to this year. How do we provide value for employees to retain them? - Four-day work weeks seeing a bump in employee productivity and satisfaction. Lumen SEO is taking it to the next level...