The HR Specialist

07/13/2026

The EEOC has said it will not require employers to report their employment demographics via the annual EEO-1 report employers have been filing out for years. It recently notified the White House that it planned to end the requirement. Now it has also announced that it will imminently release a notice of proposed rulemaking that... View Article

07/13/2026

Most employees, if asked, would likely say they don’t think it’s appropriate for their employers to control what they do in their off hours – as long as they’re not breaking any laws. Yet, plenty of employers take a dim view of off-the-clock behavior that goes viral, worrying that their reputation is at stake or... View Article

07/13/2026

Recent data from the Census Bureau analyzed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis reveals a surprising fact. Despite the push by employers – including the federal government – for workers to return full-time to the office and forego telework, the number of workers aged 16 and over who report teleworking at least part of... View Article

07/13/2026

In the last day of its 2025-26 term, the Supreme Court handed the White House an immigration win. The court ruled that DHS can withdraw Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for citizens of countries DHS previously deemed unsafe. TPS status came with protection from deportation and included Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) – essentially work permits. Without... View Article

07/13/2026

Question: “We are a childcare center and employ several Somali citizens who had Temporary Protected Status when hired and they provided their work authorization documents when they filled out I-9 forms last year. What’s our next move? Do we really have to fire them?” A.P., MN Answer: Maybe. But there are a few steps you... View Article

05/31/2026

When a reduction in force moves from discussion to action, the biggest risk isn’t the decision itself—it’s how it’s carried out.