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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.

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John Thalheimer and Chuck Simikian unpack the growing crisis of burnout and chronic stress among HR professionals and business leaders. With recent federal actions, such as workforce reductions and the rollback of affirmative action policies, HR leaders are navigating more pressure than ever.

You’ll learn:

• What burnout really looks like in the workplace
• The link between DEI policy changes and HR stress
• How to build resilience while supporting your team
• Practical tools like boundary-setting, mindfulness, and peer connection
• Why burnout is a leadership and culture issue, not just a personal one

Whether you're a CHRO, HR manager, or team leader, this episode offers actionable insights to help you protect your well-being and lead through change.

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. What should an HR employee do if they’re experiencing retaliation in the workplace but feel like they can’t go to management?
2. How do you handle compensation for someone getting demoted while pay bands changed?
3. Can someone be an independent contractor for the same company they work for full time if the work is out of scope of their normal job?
4. Are there any rules regarding the way time is tracked for hourly employees?

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

The Trump Administration has signed a flurry of executive orders - some of which have direct impacts on the workplace. It’s critical, now more than ever, to pay attention to changes and updates that are coming your way. In today’s episode, Chuck and John review some new documents released by the EEOC that are providing clearer guidance around how to legally approach DEI in the workplace. Andrea Lucas, the EEOC Acting Chair, released 11 Tips for Lawful DEI, listed below:

1. Audit Job Descriptions – Cut unnecessary degree or experience requirements.
2. Audit Ads and Interviews – Keep questions and language neutral.
3. Standardize Interviews – Use consistent scoring and avoid vague “fit” questions.
4. Formalize Promotions – Structure the process so everyone understands how to advance.
5. Inclusive Mentorship – Don’t limit opportunities by race or gender.
6. Universal Leadership Training – Offer to all eligible employees.
7. Support First-Gen Pros – Help those new to professional fields (a neutral group).
8. Individualized Training – Base it on job role, not race or gender.
9. Privileged Audits – Use private internal audits to spot issues.
10. Broaden Recruitment – Widen your outreach—no quotas.
11. Rethink Culture – Address policies that unintentionally exclude (e.g., overtime, inflexibility).

In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:

• Bumblebee (you may know them from the can of tuna in your pantry) is getting sued for practices on fishing boats provided by the company under the American Trafficking Act. How will this impact other US-based companies with international employees?
• A welder with a reasonable accommodation related to diabetes had his request declined. Now it’s in the courts. Remember to approach your accommodation requests with a reasonable mindset and train your managers to not fall into easy traps that can cost the company a serious fine.
• A recent Gallop poll looks into why Americans are working less. Burnout could be

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. What’s the smallest increment of time that you have to count towards overtime?
2. How do you handle PTO fairly in terms of seniority? Is there a policy that you have for senior employees over new hires?
3. Can part time employees be given comp time instead of getting paid overtime?

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

This is a case you can’t afford to ignore. When AccentCare, Inc. paid a less-experienced male nurse more than a seasoned female nurse—and then fired her when she complained—the EEOC took action. In this episode, we break down the lawsuit, the five critical lessons for employers, and why Equal Pay Day (March 25) is a wake-up call. From pay transparency to retaliation risks, we’ve got everything you need to protect your organization—and your people.

In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:

• Discrimination based on gender is still illegal despite Executive Orders issued over the past several weeks.
• Pressure to return to work when on FMLA - a case currently in the courts that we should all pay attention to.
• Gallop poll reveals US employees to new opportunities. Are you providing these key factors in your workplace to attract top talent?
• Recommended Reading - Talk by Allison Wood Brooks

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. We have an employee who has been out numerous times for a medical issue but he will not provide any supporting documentation or take FMLA. How can we proceed if we need to take action to have someone fill the role?
2. We have someone who quit due to undisclosed PTSD being triggered by behaviors in the workplace. How do I address this with those who caused this, especially if they’re really great workers?
3. We’ve had an employee make unauthorized charges on the company card. How do we handle trying to get the funds back?

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

In this episode, we dive into the shocking case of Reena Mathew, an HR Business Partner at Santander Consumer USA, who was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan and fired after announcing her pregnancy. Was it a case of performance management—or pregnancy discrimination disguised as poor performance?

Chuck and John break down the timeline of events, the questionable "exculpatory paper trail," and the lessons HR professionals need to learn about documentation, timing, and ethical management practices.

In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:

• Expected increase in I-9 audits and ICE raids in the workplace - as an HR rep, what is your role in this?
• A new analysis of AI user prompts shows 57% of prompts entered are for augmenting work rather than automating. Are we any closer to AI replacing jobs?
• Hiring on skills versus hiring on past work experience.

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.