Beginning December 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) will significantly expand its social media screening practices to include all H-1B Nonimmigrant Worker visa applicants and their H-4 dependents applying for visas at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad. The H-1B visa allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign workers for professional jobs that require specialized
Jury tags SHRM for $11.5 million in discrimination lawsuit
$11.5 million!
That’s the number a jury needed to send a very loud, very clear message to the Society for Human Resource Management — the self-proclaimed standard-bearer of HR “best practices.”
Last week’s verdict against SHRM — $1.5 million in compensatory damages and a staggering $10 million in punitive damages — is not just a
Independent contractors and noncompete agreements do not mix
I’ve always believed that noncompetes and “independent contractor” status don’t mix. Now I have an appellate opinion to back me up.
In Reliant Services v. Brown, a construction-staffing company tried to enforce a noncompete against a punch-list worker it had consistently called an independent contractor. Reliant wanted to stop him from doing the exact
AI in Hiring: Smart Safeguards HR Teams Need for 2026
The reality HR is facing
More candidates are turning to AI for resumes, cover letters, and interview prep. Surveys in 2024–2025 show hiring teams are seeing a flood of applications and mixed quality, with many managers wary of AI-generated content.
- 38% of job seekers send 20 or more applications per week, and 54% of hiring managers
The most puzzling HR litigation strategy you’ll read this week
Every so often a litigation strategy comes along that just makes you stare at the screen, shake your head, and think, “Did a lawyer really decide this was the best idea, and how much did they bill for it?”
SHRM — the world’s largest human resources trade group and an organization that literally brands itself
California’s 2025 Employment Law Changes
Introduction
California enacted several new employment laws in 2025, including enhanced penalties for wage and hour violations, expanded pay data reporting requirements, broadened sexual harassment protections, stronger pay equity and transparency measures, measures addressing tip theft, restriction of employee loan repayment, expanded time off and use of sick pay benefits, additional personnel records requirements, and
If you aim to hit the legal floor, your workplace will always miss the mark
If your defense to a harassment complaint starts with “well, technically…” you’ve already lost — even if you win the lawsuit.
A recent Sixth Circuit decision, Wargo v. MJR Partridge Creek Digital Cinema, is the latest reminder that “not illegal” is a terrible benchmark for acceptable workplace behavior.
The court held that the manager’s
Preparing for 2026: The Top Compliance Steps Employers Need and How AI Will Transform Wage-and-Hour Management
As we move toward 2026, California employers—especially in hospitality—are navigating one of the most complex wage-and-hour landscapes in the country. The 2024 PAGA reform brought meaningful relief, but only for employers who take their compliance obligations seriously and can prove it.
At the same time, technology and AI are beginning to transform what compliance looks
Should You Ban AI at Work? Why Employers Need a Better Strategy in 2026
AI use in workplaces is growing quickly. A 2025 global study of more than 32,000 workers across 47 countries found 58 percent of employees report using AI at work, with roughly a third using it weekly or daily. Tech Xplore+1
Many employees say AI improves efficiency, idea generation, and work quality. McKinsey & Company+1
But this
James Sherer Participates in Panel on AI in Attorney-Client Relationships During NJSBA Symposium
Partner James Sherer’s comments on the growing use of AI in the legal profession were noted in a Nov. 21, 2025, article for Law360 titled “NJ Experts Warn of Evolving AI Pitfalls at Bar Symposium.” Sherer took part in a panel discussion on navigating the changes that AI has brought to attorney-client relationships during the