Wendy Walker, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Rodney E. Gould was a participant in an all-day New Hampshire Human Resource Law 2025 webinar covering the latest changes in human resource law in New Hampshire. The program was originally broadcast on May 15 but becomes available on-demand on May 29. The topics he discussed include: · Hiring and firing: Factors crucial for HR functions. · Crafting legally compliant job descriptions. · Drafting offer letters, background/credit checks, and other essential key at- hire documents. · Judging the enforceability of non-compete, non-solicit, and confidentiality agreements. · Reviewing legally defensible disciplinary and termination documentation, including performance improvement plans. · Fashioning separation agreements and severance packages. · Handling whistleblower allegations. · Sexual and other harassment claims. Rodney Gould has over 40 years of experience as a litigator. The Smith Duggan Cornell & Gollub LLP partner has also taught as an adjunct professor at various law schools, in addition to extensive writing and lecturing. Again, this webinar becomes available on-demand on May 29. To learn more: https://lnkd.in/gT2yHgaK

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New DOL guidance on FMLA and mandatory overtime ⚖️ The U.S. Department of Labor recently clarified how employers should calculate FMLA leave when employees work mandatory overtime. The key takeaway: include required overtime in the calculation—but exclude voluntary hours. This update helps ensure FMLA entitlements reflect employees’ actual, regular schedules. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e-fPTJdN #FMLA #HumanResources #EmploymentLaw #HRCompliance

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PAID is back! The DOL has reinstated the PAID program, which allows employers to proactively resolve FLSA and (now) FMLA issues. PAID stands for Payroll Audit Independent Determination and is a tool for employers who identify and want to voluntarily resolve a wage or leave issue. If you think your business may have underpaid employees or mishandled leave, this program allows you to self-audit, work with the DOL, and pay 100 percent of what is owed without litigation. There is a lot of nuance that comes with PAID. For example, employees can reject participation, you cannot use it more than once every three years or on an active claim or litigation, and it does not cover state-level claims (non-exhaustive list of exceptions). PAID is an option that some employers may want to consider now that it is back on the table… and not under the table. 😉 (I came up with that dumb wage and hour joke all on my own, without the help of AI. Haha!)

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Discover how seven leading employers partnered in a year-long Employer Learning Collaborative with HealthNEXT, the CDC Foundation and Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health to tackle today’s most pressing workforce health challenges. Read our summary of the peer-reviewed Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM) published report, “Advancing Employer Cultures of Health and Well-being: Lessons for Business Coalitions and Employers,” to learn how a collaborative, evidence-based approach delivers measurable results for employees and business performance. https://hubs.li/Q03jF5Hx0

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Had a great conversation recently with an early-career HR professional looking to break into payroll and it reinforced something I’ve seen over and over again: 🪄There is no single “right” path into payroll (or most areas of HR, for that matter). We talked through a strategy that might surprise some people: Starting in Accounts Payable to build financial fluency, systems exposure, and credibility -then using that as a bridge into payroll. Quite frankly, It’s a smart move. What many don’t realize is that payroll sits at a unique intersection: • Compliance • Finance • HR operations But here’s the bigger issue… In many organizations, payroll falls into a gap: HR assumes Finance owns the numbers Finance assumes HR owns the data And without tight reconciliation processes in place, that gap can lead to real risk - overpayments, compliance issues, and costly errors. 💡 One of the fastest ways to stand out early in your career? Learn how to identify and fix those gaps. It’s not just about processing payroll; it’s about understanding the system behind it. For those navigating their next step: Remain curious and flexible. And don’t underestimate the power of taking a strategic “sidestep” to move forward. There are far more paths from point A to point B than most people realize. #HRLeadership #Payroll #CareerGrowth #FutureOfWork #HRStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment

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The U.S. Department of Labor issues new guidance on determining if a worker is classified as an employee or independent contractor https://ow.ly/WZLO50Wa6Vl #EmployeeBenefits #HRCompliance

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