Five ways pay transparency laws will reshape your HR practices

HR Party of One March 7, 2024

• Posting a fake-wide salary range is a legal and reputational risk
• Workers in several states can now demand pay data before accepting promotions
• Third-party recruiters must follow the same transparency rules you do

ERISA Summary Plan Description Requirements for HR Professionals

HR Party of One March 5, 2024

• Any employer offering benefits must comply with ERISA regardless of size.
• New enrollees must receive a plain-language SPD within 90 days.
• Material benefit reductions require an SMM distributed within 60 days.

USERRA explained: what HR needs to know about military leave

HR Party of One February 6, 2024

• USERRA covers all employers, regardless of size or location.
• Protections start at the application stage, not just on hire.
• Plan proactively for leave and return — notice may never come.

What Key Dates in February Does HR Need to Know?

HR Party of One January 30, 2024

What OSHA is, why it exists, and what employers must do

HR Party of One January 25, 2024

• OSHA was born from disasters that killed hundreds of workers
• Every employer must meet minimum safety standards — or face criminal charges
• Three specific forms determine whether you're legally recordkeeping injuries

US Workplace Posters: What Employers Must Display and Why

HR Party of One January 23, 2024

• Six federal posters are mandatory for every US employer.
• State, city, and county requirements add extra obligations.
• Non-compliance fines reach up to $17,000 total.

Top 1095-C Mistakes Employers Make and How to Prevent Them

HR Party of One January 11, 2024

• Two root causes drive nearly all 1095-C errors: missing forms and IRS data mismatches
• ALEs must cover 95% of full-time staff or face penalties up to $950k for 350 employees
• Onboarding checklists, quarterly reminders, and an HRAS prevent the most common mistakes

Key HR dates and tax deadlines for January

HR Party of One December 26, 2023

• Five IRS forms all share the same January 31st deadline.
• Form 940 is only due January 31st if FUTA wasn't paid quarterly.
• Data Privacy Day on January 28th is compliance-awareness, not a holiday.

How to handle employment verification requests safely

HR Party of One December 19, 2023

• Rehire eligibility alone tells a hiring manager almost everything they need
• References carry defamation risk; verifications keep you legally safe
• Candidates must consent before you contact former employers for verification

What HR needs to know about background checks

HR Party of One November 9, 2023

• Running checks before a conditional offer can violate state law
• FCRA requires a formal adverse-action process before rescinding any offer
• Inaccurate results from identity theft are more common than you think

Form I-9 compliance: what every HR professional needs to know

HR Party of One November 2, 2023

• The 2023 I-9 version is mandatory — older versions are invalid.
• Retention rules differ based on how long the employee stayed.
• Requesting specific documents from employees is illegal.

FMLA explained: eligibility, PTO interaction, and abuse prevention

HR Party of One September 19, 2023

• Employers can require staff to use PTO during unpaid FMLA leave
• Disability insurance carriers can administer FMLA, removing HR burden
• FMLA abuse is litigated — only meticulous documentation proves misuse

Form I-9 compliance: E-Verify enrollment and remote document review

HR Party of One September 12, 2023

• Remote I-9 review is only legal if you're enrolled in E-Verify.
• Once you enroll in E-Verify, every new hire must go through it.
• Remote review requires a photo ID from List B — no exceptions.

Four boundaries HR must hold to avoid liability

HR Party of One August 31, 2023

• Answering employees' financial questions exposes HR to personal liability.
• HR is not a coordinator — taking sides erodes neutrality and trust.
• Benefits questions belong to the broker, not HR.

How to create a social media policy for employee personal accounts

HR Party of One August 10, 2023

• One tweet to 170 followers ended a senior exec's career
• Clear written policies eliminate ambiguity and protect your brand
• Policy must apply equally to everyone, exec to freelancer