This Week at Work: An HR and Employment Law Podcast

Policy Ping-Pong: Sick Leave Uncertainty Serving HR a Curve

Have questions? Submit them at hrask.org.Be sure to download your key takeaways from this episode: https://tinyurl.com/bdhwt9m3
This week on This Week at Work, Phil and Burt dive into Missouri’s evolving paid sick leave situation—where laws were passed, rolled out, and then quickly rolled back. They unpack how HR leaders can manage unused leave, protect morale, and build flexible policies that hold up when legislation shifts. Even if you're outside Missouri, the lessons here are universal. Don't miss this essential conversation for every HR professional.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Missouri’s Paid Sick Leave: Passed, Implemented, Repealed
0:47 – HR Chaos: Now What Happens to All Those Policy Changes?
2:46 – Meet AAIME Hart: AI-Powered HR Assistant in Action
4:04 – Prison to Programmer: Can You Really Work Remotely From Jail?
8:19 – The Legal Fallout of Missouri Prop A Repeal
9:17 – Lawyer on the Clock: EEOC Sued Over LGBTQIA+ Protections
14:13 – DOL’s Self-Audit Program Returns: What It Means for Employers
17:13 – Prop A Breakdown: What’s Changing for Missouri Employers
23:04 – August 28th Deadline: What Happens to Accrued Sick Time?
31:04 – Employment Law Update Preview & Registration Details

PHASE 3: LEAD IT! Integrating AI at Work

Have questions? Submit them at hrask.org.
Download our "READY. AAIM. PHIRE!" takeaway sheet for all the key insights from this episode. Click the link below: https://tinyurl.com/3zs43mhu On This Week at Work, we’re exploring how to integrate AI - and Aaime Hart - into an everyday workflow that benefits your organization. Lauren demos how Aaime can unlock powerful insights from exit interview data, and we unpack why leaders must take ownership of both their organization’s AI strategy and their personal conduct, especially in light of the recent CEO/HR dating scandal.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome to This Week at Work00:46 – AI Strategy: From Tools to Transformation01:41 – Recapping AI & HR Week with Lauren Patel03:13 – Meet AAIME Hart: Safe AI for HR Professionals05:16 – Hot Topic: Coldplay Scandal & Leadership Ethics07:22 – Creative Ways HR is Using AI Today09:58 – Transforming Exit Interviews with AI15:08 – The Real Story Behind "Training" Feedback24:10 – From Data to Action: AAIME’s Turnover Reduction Plan26:06 – One-Pager for Leadership: AI-Powered Insights

Phase 2: ALIGN IT! Integrating AI at Work

Have questions? Submit them at hrask.org. This week, we share the results from AAIM's phase 1 of “trying it”. because in doing so, we found a real opportunity to align AI with our services. Introducing Aaime Hart - an HR chatbot built on reliable sources our members already trust. She will actually help YOU align AI with YOUR COMPANY. #aaimehart
Timestamps: 
0:00 – Welcome to AI & HR Week: Phase 2 – Align It
1:35 – AI vs. AI: Who's Really Hiring Who?
3:25 – Candidates Using Bots to Apply & Interview
5:15 – The Ethics of AI-Powered Applicants
6:22 – Meet Aaime Hart: AI Built for HR Pros
9:50 – How Aaime Hart’s Sources Make Her Trustworthy
12:15 – Aaime’s Strengths, Limits, and Safe Use Tips
14:40 – Demo 1: Create an HR Audit Checklist with Amy
17:45 – Demo 2: Build a High-Potential Employee Plan
22:00 – Create Justifications, Find Training & Go Strategic
Get Key Takeaways From This Episode: tinyurl.com/2rhs4k9f

Phase 1: Try It! Integrating AI at Work

Send your burning questions to hrask.org
Join us for a special episode where we dive into the evolving relationship between HR and AI. You’ll get a fast-paced preview of what’s ahead during AI in HR Week, along with expert insights on how AI is transforming hiring practices, reshaping compliance strategies, and helping leaders make smarter, more strategic decisions.
Whether you're just starting to explore AI or already integrating it into your workflow, this episode will show you how to use AI with HR, not instead of it. Learn how to lead the way in an era where technology can enhance, not replace, the human side of HR.
 
Timestamps:
2:51 – Welcome Back: Why AI Is Changing the HR Landscape
4:45 – AI Across Generations: Lessons from an 80-Year-Old
7:12 – AI Tools for HR Pros: GREE Launch Teaser
11:42 – Phil’s Phired Up
16:22 – Burning Questions
21:53 – Lawyer on the Clock
24:43 – Microsoft Saves $500M, Slashes Jobs with AI
29:05 – Trade Schools on the Rise Among Gen Z & Alpha
33:22 – Upskilling or Replaced? White Collar Risks Ahead
36:01 – Wrap Up: Try It, Align It, and Get Ready for What’s Next
 
Click the link to download key takeaways from this episode: https://tinyurl.com/33ty9pf6
 
#AIinHR #ThisWeekAtWork #FutureOfHR #HRAutomation #AILeadership #HRLeadership #HRTech #AIinHRWeek #HRInsights #AIDoesNotReplaceHR #LeadershipDevelopment #HRStrategy #WorkplaceCulture #AAIMEA #OrganizationalChange #HR

1 In 5 Work Outside Their 9-5...Managing The "Side Gig" Trend

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New data shows that 1 in 5 full-time workers has a side gig, and 60% are thinking about starting one. Whether you’re seeing signs of distraction or just want to get ahead of the curve, this episode will help you move from reaction to strategy, so you’re not caught off guard.
Phil and Burt also discuss legal considerations around dual employment, and even OSHA heat standards. Plus, a Lawyer on the Clock spotlight on SCOTUS rulings and a lawsuit involving…Chucky the doll?
 
Timestamps: 
00:00 – Welcome & Side Gigs Overview
00:44 – What is Moonlighting Today?
03:32 – Phil’s Personal Experience with Side Hustles
05:01 – Why Employees Moonlight: Passion or Paycheck?
08:03 – Working Two Jobs at Once
10:20 – Employer Handbook Gaps on Outside Work
13:34 – Need for Updated Workplace Policies
15:20 – Phil’s Phired Up: Manager Guidance on Side Gig Performance Issues
22:05 – Lawyer on the Clock: OSHA Heat Standards Explained
27:22 – SCOTUS Ruling on Gender Affirming Care for Minors
29:26 – The Chucky Lawsuit: Pranks & PTSD
32:12 – July 4th, Favorite Holidays & Wrap Up
 
Download key takeaways from this episode: tinyurl.com/545zz445
 
#SideHustle #GigEconomy #FutureofWork #WorkplaceTrends #ProactiveLeadership #OrganizationalChange #ThisWeekAtWork #AAIMEA #HRStrategy #PeopleFirst #TalentManagement #WorkLifeBalance
 

HR Helper: Just Add AAIM's Secret Sauce!

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On This Week at Work, we’re serving up something special - HR Helper: Just Add AAIM’s Secret Sauce! Phil and Kris Gfell are revealing the top HR outsourcing moves of the year, ranked and explained. From policy panic to comp confusion, we’re breaking down why more organizations are saying “no thanks” to HR headaches and tapping into expert help - by the hour.
Click here for key takeaways from this episode: https://shorturl.at/tT6Vo 
Timestamps: 00:00 – Show Intro00:08 – Phil’s Phired Up: Outsourcing HR00:40 – What to Expect This Episode01:39 – Juneteenth and the Working Majority02:55 – Guest Introduction: Kris Gfell Joins the Conversation05:04 – Why HR Compliance Often Gets Pushed Aside10:03 – Prioritizing Compensation in Outsourced HR12:08 – Quiz Time: Phil Gets Put on the Spot13:15 – Top Member HR Support Requests Revealed17:03 – The Real Reasons Companies Outsource HR24:48 – Helping the HR Team of One29:26 – Final Thoughts and How to Get Support

Paying Competitively is a Trap in Today’s Talent Game | Special Guest: Michael Maciekowich!

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Today, we’re facing a tough truth about compensation: if your strategy is built on averages, the best you can do is attract and retain average talent - because your stars won’t stick around. As roles become more complex and job titles lose clarity, pay certainty becomes your new competitive edge. The real question is - can we build a strategy so effective that pay never shows up in the exit interview?
Get your download of key takeaways from this week's episode: https://shorturl.at/zOFdg
Timestamps:
10:11 – Phil’s Phired Up
12:47 – Is the 52% Stat Misleading
16:13 – Rethinking Pay Strategy
17:48 – Competitive vs Fair Pay
20:09 – Hybrid Roles and Compensation
22:22 – Burning Questions: Preventing Poaching
26:01 – Burning Questions: Pay and Exit Interviews
27:20 – The Manager’s Role in Retention
31:17 – Lawyer on the Clock: No Reverse Discrimination
36:10 – BLM Apron Case and Workplace Expression

Byte‑Sized Jobs, Big‑Picture Pay: Compensation in the Age of AI

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As AI redefines how work gets done, what does it mean for compensation? On this episode of This Week at Work, we explore how employers can rethink pay strategies in a world of task-based roles, gig-style contributions, and rapid workforce shifts. Join hosts Phil and Burt as they unpack the big question HR leaders need to ask, “How do we build a compensation strategy that helps us stay competitive and attract talent during this workforce shift?”
Timestamps:
1:31 - Introduction
2:58 - 50% of White Collar jobs may be eliminated by programming in 1-5 years
4:03 - Burt's Take on the 50% elimination
5:00 - Phil's Phired Up: AI and Compensation
6:30 - AI Robot Malfunction
7:40 - Burt on AI helping in the workplace
9:50 - The Lamp Lighter Article Analogy
11:00 - Burt on AI, Robotics, and the Manufacturing Industry
17:29 - Burning Question: How to build a compensation strategy to stay competitive
18:37 - Become an AAIM Member
24:12 - Lawyer on The Clock: DOJ Eliminating DEI
26:50 - OFCCP Elimination, Budget Cuts, Vets Program and the Department of Labor
32:20 - Wrap Up

Rethinking Compensation: Pay Well, Not Competitively

Download your compensation cheat sheet here: https://shorturl.at/OcOYG
Send your burning questions to hrask.org
Ep. 329 This Week, Are you paying to win or just to survive? In this week’s episode of This Week at Work, Phil and Burt flip the script on “competitive pay” and reveal why average compensation is costing you top talent. They’ll unpack why your well-meaning raises might be fueling turnover, how inflation is sabotaging morale, and what it really takes to build a compensation strategy that retains your best people. Join us as we challenge outdated pay norms and share actionable steps to rethink, realign, and actually reward your workforce. It's not about paying more, it's about paying smarter.
Timestamps:
00:53 – Intro & Episode Theme: Benchmarking Pay in 2025
03:18 – Why Phil’s “Phired Up” About Compensation
06:13 – Competitive Pay vs. Paying Well
09:17 – The Three-Part Quiz: Defining and Implementing "Paying Well"
20:09 – Lawyer on the Clock: Missouri’s Paid Sick Leave Repeal
27:03 – Trump-era Firings & Supreme Court Decision
30:45 – Phil’s on Phire Cheat Sheet, Upcoming Compensation Events & Final Thoughts
31:58 – Wrap-up & How to Join the Movement

Engagement 2.0: Redefining What It Means to be Productive

Send your burning questions to hrask.org Ep. 328 This Week, Phil and Burt tackle confusion in the new workplace: Are we measuring the wrong things? As discussed last week, employees are happier with flexibility, yet engagement, and productivity, are trending down. It’s time to rethink what productivity really means in the age of remote work. Join us for a provocative conversation about redefining success, aligning expectations, and building a culture that supports both autonomy and accountability.
Timestamps:
01:46 – Intro: Productivity vs. Activity in a Hybrid World
03:22 – Gallup & Forbes Stats: Why Manager Trust Is Broken
04:54 – Why Measuring HR Productivity is So Hard
07:20 – Visibility Bias: Why Remote Work Breeds Distrust
08:54 – How to Fix Broken Productivity Metrics
09:53 – RECAP: Missouri Paid Sick Leave Law Fallout
11:47 – Employer vs. Employee Perspectives on Policy
16:46 – Burning Question: Should You Share Personnel Files?
19:58 – HR Strategy Lightning Round: How Should We Define Productivity?
26:13 – In-Office vs. Remote Resentment and How to Handle It
27:56 – Lawyer on the Clock: No Tax on Tips, Independent Contractors, EEO-1 Data Cautions
35:19 – Final Thoughts and How AAIM Supports Your HR Team