At least two proposed bills pending before the New York State Legislature would force employers to conduct bias audits and provide high levels of transparency if they use AI-fueled automated employment decision tools for employment decisions. This is something that NYC’s first-in-the-nation bias audit law was supposed to accomplish but in some ways fell short. These fresh proposals would not only give applicants and employees the right to file lawsuits for alleged violations but would also allow them to sue both employers and the tech developers creating the AI products. What do you need ..read more

More of your employees may be eligible for overtime pay under a new rule that is likely to be finalized in April and could take effect soon. As proposed in August, the Labor Department intends to significantly raise the exempt salary threshold for the so-called “white-collar” exemptions from about $35K to about $55K – meaning your workers will need to earn at least the new threshold to even be considered exempt from OT pay. The White House budget office recently announced that it is reviewing the rule, which is the final step before it is shared with the public. Although the final rule will li ..read more

Why state regulators require fingerprints, personal questionnaires, and detailed financial disclosures before issuing alcohol beverage licenses The alcohol beverage business is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the United States. A wide variety of enterprises engage in the retail sale of alcohol beverages, including hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, golf courses, fraternal organizations, private clubs, supermarkets, gas stations, convenience stores, amusement parks, public sports arenas, theaters, entertainment venues, museums, and universities. Yet, these diverse enter ..read more

Colorado and Washington will likely become the latest states to ban employers from holding mandatory meetings with employees concerning religious or political matters. Such employer-sponsored meetings, known as “captive audience meetings,” require employee attendance under threat of discharge, discipline, or some other penalty, and concern religious or political matters – including whether employees should join a union. If the proposed legislation is enacted, Colorado and Washington would join a growing list of states that ban captive audience meetings. What are the key points employers need t ..read more

Is it the hottest job in corporate America – or is it a passing fad that will fade away in a matter of months? Either way, 2024 will be the year of the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO). This Insight will briefly discuss the exponential growth of CAIO roles over the past year and provide you with five reasons you should immediately run out and hire one – and five reasons why you shouldn’t. What Does a Chief AI Officer Do? A Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer helps align an organization’s strategic goals with AI – an especially tricky proposition given how rapidly the field is evo ..read more

The National Labor Relations Board just ruled that a national retailer must allow customer-facing employees who want to write “Black Lives Matter” on their uniforms to do so – and may have opened Pandora ’s Box when it comes to allowing the public display of political and social causes in the workplace. The February 21 decision applies to both unionized and non-unionized companies, so all employers need to review this important development. Here is a summary and a five-step guide to compliance. What Happened? Antonio Morales worked for a large retailer in the Minneapolis area. He wrote the ini ..read more

2023 was the most devastating year yet for ransomware attacks, with businesses forking over $1 billion in ransom payments for the first time ever – and 2024 is expected to be even worse. Beyond the payments, the average cost of each ransomware attack last year was over $5 million. Given these unprecedented statistics, ransomware attacks could be the largest, looming threat to your business in 2024. This Insight provides a clear five-step plan to help you lower the odds of falling prey to a costly attack. The Basics Ransomware is malicious software that blocks access to computer systems o ..read more

When your team is on the road, how can you make sure you’re doing everything you can to keep them safe? Review travel risk management best practices and how a provider can help you implement them.  INSIDE THIS ARTICLE, YOU’LL FIND: What is travel risk management? The evolving landscape of travel risks Key components of travel risk management The role of a TRM provider In a business landscape increasingly marked by the impact of security risks, from geopolitical tensions to political unrest to natural disasters, ensuring employee safety during business travel is paramount. More than ever ..read more

The day before Valentine’s Day is about “ladies celebrating ladies,” as Amy Poehler’s character on the TV show Parks & Rec put it – it’s Galentine’s Day. But this year, your organization shouldn’t just leave it to women to help celebrate and empower other women in the workplace. You should make it an organizational priority to ensure 2024 is the year that you make clear to the women in your workplace that you are there for them. What are the 10 ways you can use Galentine’s Day to kickstart your newest initiative? Galentine’s Day, Explained The annual festival of sisterhood was bo ..read more

Abstract: Studies have shown that heat emanating from basements, train tunnels, sewers, and other underground systems in major metropolises in the United States and Europe is heating the ground between city surfaces and the bedrock by as much as 27 degrees Fahrenheit. This “underground climate change” is affecting ground soil conditions, causing structural strains on buildings and exacerbating cracks and defects in walls and foundations. Whether property insurance coverage will respond to loss and damage resulting from underground climate change will likely hinge on the application of the “ear ..read more