This Week at Work: An HR and Employment Law Show

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In Episode 359 we welcome Beltway insider Jim Plunkett for a practical breakdown of how recent disruptions are shaping the year ahead for employers.
The conversation explores where employment policy is really being made, why federal agencies may have more influence than Congress, and how shifts at the Department of Labor, NLRB, and EEOC could impact employers in 2026. The panel also takes a look at AI hiring risks, emerging discrimination lawsuits, a rare 27-pay-period year, and the growing divide between state and federal workplace rules.
This episode is essential viewing for HR leaders and business executives who want to understand what is changing, why it matters, and how to prepare before the next wave hits.
Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & what Congress did (and didn’t) do for employers01:31 – Opening banter & why keeping up with policy feels like tennis03:38 – Lawyer on the Clock: AI hiring tools & Fair Credit Reporting Act risks07:32 – Uber & Lyft gender-matching lawsuits: damned if you do, damned if you don’t10:27 – 2026 warning: Why some employers may face 27 pay periods13:52 – Why 2025 felt so disruptive for employers17:38 – When agencies drive employment policy, not Congress19:03 – Independent contractor rules & OSHA heat regulations23:15 – State vs. federal divide on AI and workplace laws26:12 – What’s coming from the NLRB, EEOC & DOL in 2026
Learn more about becoming a member of AAIM at https://aaimea

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Delegation isn’t just about giving work away - it’s how future leaders are developed. With 40% of executives saying leadership development is a serious long-term challenge, we’re asking the BIG question: are leaders actually delegating enough and to the right places? 
Join us with Lauren Patel (AAIM) as we explore delegation in workplaces where leaders must learn to delegate effectively to both humans and AI.
Timestamps: 00:09 – Leadership Development as a 2026 Business Challenge01:32 – Guest Introduction: Lauren Patel02:49 – Lawyer on the Clock Begins03:25 – AI in Hiring and Employment Law Overview07:45 – EEOC Power Shift and Policy Direction14:12 – Lawyer on the Clock Wrap-Up15:35 – Why Leaders Struggle to Develop Future Leaders18:11 – The Real Barriers to Delegation29:52 – Delegate Decisions, Not Just Tasks

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Toxic flattery may sound “nice,” but it’s costing organizations time, talent, and truth. When leaders and tools are rewarded for agreeability instead of honesty, tough questions go unasked, bad decisions stick, and teams stop learning. 
Join us with special guest Kris Gfell (HR Services, AAIM) as we unpack the epidemic of toxic flattery - and how HR can lead a culture that values candor over comfort.
Timestamps: 
00:00 — Why 30% of Employees Don’t Feel Safe Speaking Up01:28 — Welcome Back and Six Years of This Week at Work03:13 — Introducing Toxic Flattery in the Workplace03:58 — Lawyer on the Clock: Major Labor and Employment Updates05:16 — Marijuana Rescheduling and What It Means for Employers08:12 — DEI Programs Under Legal Scrutiny10:30 — State Law Changes Employers Must Know in 202614:49 — Illinois Employment Law Updates That Impact HR19:17 — What “AITA” Culture Reveals About Validation and Feedback29:57 — How Leaders Create Alignment Without Toxic Flattery

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For episode 356, Leaders are increasingly leaning on AI tools - and HR - for guidance, decisions, and direction. When AI and HR act as crutches, leadership capability erodes. When used as coaches, they scale judgment, confidence, and performance. Working alongside company leadership, HR must design training and development that uses AI to reinforce leadership, not replace it.
Timestamps: 00:13 – AI, Coaching, and the Workplace Questions Defining 202603:40 – Lawyer on the Clock Begins: SHRM Ordered to Pay $11.5M in Race Discrimination Case05:54 – Service Dog ADA Lawsuit: Where the Interactive Process Broke Down09:32 – Recap of Department of Labor Guidance in first year of 2nd Trump Administration 14:32 – The “Dumbbell Effect”: How AI Is Reshaping the Job Market21:10 – According to AAIME Hart: Key to Leadership Success Coaching Series 23:40 – Philburt's Phorum is back 24:40 – Matt Wideman: Why Coaching Should Start on Day One of Onboarding29:40 – How AI can help with difficult conversations with your team39:21 – Final Takeaways, Listener Question, and Holiday Wishes
Tune in to learn how to keep coaching as a core leadership skill in 2026.

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For episode 355, Dr. Scott Koeneman - 3rd-degree black belt, Lean Six Sigma expert, hypnotist, and author - joins us to explore the “Great Realignment.” As AI strips tasks away from traditional roles, we ask: What is a job now? What do employers truly need, and what do employees now value in a career? Dr. Scott breaks down why reskilling matters, where human nuance still wins, and how AI levels the playing field for small businesses while challenging large ones. Plus - in a world where even layoffs can be automated - what does it mean to be “let go” today?
Timestamps: 00:42 - Welcome & Show Intro02:40 - Guest Introduction: Scott Koeneman04:00 - Scott’s Book: Quantum Intern Year One04:50 - Veteran Work & Community Involvement06:06 - Lawyer on the Clock: Fed Chairman Press Conference Thoughts16:38 - According to AAIME Hart: Compliance Checklist 20:36 - Four Key Skill Buckets for the Future Workforce29:03 - W2 vs 1099 & Project-Based Work34:37 - AI in Small Business & Main Street Impact
REGISTER NOW! AAIM’s Payroll Tax Update is coming up fast on December 12th! Your best defense against future payroll errors. 
Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/

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For episode 354, we’re joined by Inclusion Thought Leader Fred Falker for a candid conversation about leadership’s role in actually building an inclusive culture. Hint: it isn’t achieved through statements or slogans. It happens through action.
At its core, an inclusive culture should expand the circle, not redraw the lines - and only consistent leadership behaviors make that possible. Plus, a full sweep of this week’s must-know employment-law headlines
Timestamps: 01:03 — Open01:12 — Phil Discusses Employee Misalignment Trends02:41 — Fred Falker joins the show05:39 — Lawyer on the Clock: SHRM, Job Market, NLRB15:34 — AI HR Advisor AAIME Hart Shares Important Updates17:15 — Fred Falker on Changing Workplace Culture26:38 — Phil Discusses the Importance of Business Promises32:43 — Measuring Culture: Employee Experience & Belonging
REGISTER NOW! AAIM’s Payroll Tax Update is coming up fast on December 12th! Your best defense against future payroll errors. 
Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/

Send in your questions to hrask.orgor leave your questions in the chat!
This week on This Week at Work, we sit down with Sam Goodwin: one of the few to visit all 193 countries. In 2019, Sam’s journey took an unexpected turn when he was abducted in Syria and falsely accused of being a spy. Now a speaker, author, and expert on resilience, Sam shares how his experience taught him to lead through chaos, embrace uncertainty, and find purpose in the most unlikely places. 
Don’t forget to register for AAIM’s Payroll Tax Update on December 12th! Your best defense against future payroll errors. 
Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/
Timestamps: 00:36 – Welcome, Preview of today's guest Sam Goodwin 03:01 – Lawyer on the Clock: The Layoff Explosion & What It Means  05:36 – The Hidden Talent Mismatch Problem in the Hiring Market  08:29 – Major Shift at the EEOC: Religious Discrimination Under the Microscope  11:06 – Enforcement Is Back: DEI Programs Face Legal Heat  14:39 – Meet Sam Goodwin: Athlete, Traveler, Author of “Saving Sam”  16:31 – Sam’s Arrest in Syria  20:22 – Surviving Solitary & Life in a Syrian Prison Cell  24:04 – Sam on what led him to Hockey, Faith & Mindset after captivity  28:50 – Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity: Sam’s Three-Step Framework  

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In this episode, Phil and Burt welcome Lauren Patel to explore the urgent need for “Double Fluency” - the ability to not only engage with AI, but also to strengthen the uniquely human skills that AI can’t replicate. Drawing from the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report, they break down what HR and business leaders must do now to prepare their teams for a future where fluency in both tech and soft skills defines success. 
Timestamps: 00:00 – Are You Training Your Team to Think With AI?01:33 – Phil and Burt Debate Robots and “Optimus” at Home03:25 – Why Phil’s Waiting for Elon Musk’s Optimus Robot05:28 – Lauren’s First Reaction to Seeing “Neo” the Robot07:32 – Lawyer on the Clock: The Home Depot Dress-Code Case10:10 – What Counts as “Protected Activity” at Work?17:23 – Starbucks Union Pins and the Future of Dress Codes21:02 – Aaime’s HR Updates: Payroll and Leadership Training22:24 – Double Fluency: Balancing Tech and Human Skills36:21 – Government Reopens: What It Means for Employers
Remember to sign up for AAIM’s payroll tax update that can save your company from any payroll mistakes in the future!
Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/

Send in your questions to hrask.orgor leave your questions in the chat!
When employees miss the mark, it’s often not about skill — it’s about clarity. In this week’s episode, Tanya Zion from AAIM joins Phil and Burt to unpack how the “why” behind decisions gets lost between leadership and employees. Discover how HR can help leaders bridge that gap, so every message connects, every action aligns, and every team moves with purpose.
Timestamps: 01:34 – Welcome and Burt's Win in Court04:45 – The New Trends of Helicopter Parents 05:43 – Lawyer on the Clock14:00 – Supreme Court Showdown Ahead15:30 – Starbucks Strike Brewing17:00 – Goodbye to the Penny21:00 – Aaime Hart with AAIM's 39th Annual Payroll Tax and Fringe Benefits Update 23:00 – Communication Breakdown at Work33:50 – The Power of Purpose
Remember to sign up for AAIM’s payroll tax update that can save your company from any payroll mistakes in the future!
Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/

Send in your questions to hrask.orgor leave your questions in the chat!
Many HR professionals feel stuck in administrative roles. This episode of This Week at Work features Phil and Burt with Kris Gfell (Business Manager at AAIM) to explore how HR professionals can evolve from operational tasks to business leadership. The discussion will cover current HR challenges, organizational needs, and essential skills.
Plus - don’t miss the critical payroll tax update that could cost your company if you’re not ahead of it.
Become a member today! Click the link below:https://aaimea.org/membership/
Timestamps: 01:27 – Halloween Jokes and Payroll Update02:44 – Lawyer on the Clock: EEOC Power Shift08:00 – Government Shutdown Costs Businesses09:12 – Fed Rate Cuts and AI Layoffs13:00 – Fun with NEO: The $20K Office Robot20:23 – Guest Chris Gfell on HR Strategy22:40 – How HR Becomes a Strategic Partner33:06 – Closing: Embracing Change in HR