This Week at Work: An HR and Employment Law Podcast

The Cost of Toxic Flattery - and How to Restore Honest Leadership

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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

Leaders Are Leaning on AI & HR: Coaches vs. Crutches

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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.

What Is a Job? After AI Strips Away Tasks, Here’s What Remains

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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/

Fix Culture Fast: Change What Leaders Do, Not What They Say

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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/

Turn Uncertainty Into Opportunity: Leadership in Crisis With Sam Goodwin

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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  

Lead Smarter: Leverage the Humanity AI Can't Replace

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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/

The Real Reason Employees Miss the Mark and How Leaders Can Fix It

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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/

Making the Shift: HR Operator to HR Leader

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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

Women Are Losing Pay – What Employers Can Do

Episode 349: New research shows women’s earnings are falling further behind - but the reasons go beyond bias. With return-to-office mandates, childcare costs, and promotion patterns, Phil, Burt, and fan favorite Mikey Mac unpack what’s really driving women’s declining pay. They’ll also share what employers can do right now to close the gap, retain key talent, and build trust through fair compensation strategies.
Timestamps: 00:08 – Opening Topic:  women earn $0.81 for every dollar men earn.01:32 – Government Shutdown: how the NLRB and EEOC slowdowns are affecting employers.02:54 – Special Guest Returns: Compensation expert Mikey Mac joins the show.04:29 – Lawyer on the Clock: Thrive Inc. case expanding NLRB remedies for unfair labor practices.08:19 – Federal judge strikes down Biden-era protections under the Affordable Care Act.11:01 – HR Reminder: Illinois’ personnel file access law and why employers must stay compliant.16:51 – Main Discussion: Phil and Mike dive into the gender pay gap and why it’s widening again.19:01 – Companies offering “return-to-office” pay incentives and how it may worsen pay inequity.23:08 – Families spend up to 24% of income on daycare, influencing women at work. 26:12 – Should pay be based on competency or tenure? The panel debates what’s fair and legal.33:31 – Payroll tax and fringe benefit updates for 2026 and how to join AAIM’s December sessions.

How AI Is Rewriting The Manager's Role

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This Thursday on This Week at Work, we’re joined by KVJ, founder of Tough Day, the AI workplace advisor reshaping the way managers manage. From the conference circuit to the C-suite, there’s a growing realization: AI isn’t just about automation - it’s about elevation. Phil shares his CEO Conference wake-up call, KVJ breaks down how Tuffy helps managers lead in real time, and Burt explores the legal and human side of AI in the workplace. If you think AI is a “someday” tool - you’re already behind.
00:08 – Phil fires up on AI’s impact on management00:50 – Burt’s workplace news: “Artificial Labor” in the Senate01:48 – Blues talk and catching up with Phil & Burt03:16 – Previewing today’s guest on AI innovation04:37 – Meet KVJ: Founder of Tough Day and “Tuffy”07:10 – How Tuffy helps managers handle real workplace issues17:30 – Behind the scenes: “Wizard of Oz” testing20:05 – Lawyer on the Clock: “Well… that depends.”31:02 – The “Aloha Spirit” story that boosted adoption34:35 – How to learn more about Tuffy + episode close