All Episodes
Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw — 231 episodes
Cell Phone Reimbursement: The Compliance Trap You Can Fix
Last Chance Agreements Done Right
Contreras v. Green Thumb: When Being Wrong Still Wins
Investigations Under Pressure: Getting It Right When It Matters Most
AI-Drafted Complaints: A New Workplace Reality
Bereavement Leave: It’s Not About Good Intentions
Should You—or Shouldn’t You? Providing Employment References in California
Arrested — Now What? The Fair Chance Act and Hiring in 2026
Payroll is Not a Defense: Regular Rate Mistakes That Trigger Lawsuits
Handcuffs in Disguise: The Stay-or-Pay Agreements That Could Cost You
You Stay Out of Court Long Before There’s a Lawsuit
The Leader is the Risk: How Small Decisions Turn into Big Problems
Top 10 Lessons from the EmployersLawyer 2026 Employment Law Update Webinar
When the News Comes to Work: ICE, Minneapolis, and Managing Political Conversations in California Workplaces
$103 Million and Counting: When Workplace Statistics Convince a Jury
Why You Must Update Your Employee Handbooks Every Year
Managing Employee Leaves in California Without Getting Sued
Employment Law Trends to Watch This Year
A Few Thoughts About the New “Know Your Rights Act” Notice
California Employment Law in the New Year: Your Tasks for Day One
Unpaid Wage Judgments: Penalties Triple Under SB 261
Cal-WARN 2.0: New Layoff Notice Obligations (SB 617)
Pay Equity 2.0: California Expands Transparency Rules (SB 642)
Goodbye, Stay-or-Pay: The End of Retention Repayment Agreements (AB 692)
Know Your Rights: California’s New Annual Notice Requirement (SB 294)
Performance Reviews That Work—And Keep You Out of Court
Workplace Violence Prevention: The Clock Is Ticking
Politics, Protests, and the Workplace: What Employers Can—and Can’t—Do
The Problem With “Nice”: How Kindness Can Complicate Leadership
Leave Laws on the Rise: Sick Leave, CFRA, and Paid Family Leave Updates
Pay Transparency Rules: Posting Ranges and Reporting Pay Data
Cannabis at Work: Navigating California’s New Protections
Remote Work as a Reasonable Accommodation
Title IX Investigations and Interviewing Children
The Rise of Retaliation Claims: What’s Driving Them and How to Respond
Investigations Under Pressure: Getting It Right When It Really Counts
When Personal Lives Cross Professional Lines
The New Face of DEI: Compliance vs. Culture
Documentation Disasters: How to Write It Right (and Avoid Legal Nightmares)
What Keeps You Up at Night? Top Wage-Hour Traps for 2025
From Feedback to Fallout: How to Deliver Performance Reviews Without Creating Legal Risk
When Employees Behave Badly: Accountability Without Breaking the Law
Ghosting, Gaslighting, and Gen Z: New Workplace Behaviors, Old Legal Risks
Resignations, Rage Quits, and Retaliation: What Counts as Protected Conduct?
After the Supreme Court Speaks: What 2025’s Decisions Mean for Employers
The ‘Soft Quit’ Epidemic: Can You Discipline Disengagement?
AI at Work: Who’s Liable When the Algorithm Discriminates?
How to Avoid the Top 10 Wage-Hour Mistakes
Summer Perks for “Good” Employees
Yes, Annual Workplace Violence Prevention Training is Required!
The Return-to-Office Mandate for State Employees
How to Create Enforceable Meal Period Waivers
What IS the Private Attorneys General Act?
Summer is Coming! Rules for Hiring Minors
An Action Plan for ICE Visits
Reluctant Employees: Time to Say “Goodbye”?
Your EEO Compliance Training is Probably Stale
Audit Your Form I-9s Before It’s Too Late
Compensation Equity and Pay Scales
Understanding the EEOC’s New Guidance on DEI Programs
Yes…Leaves of Absence and Reasonable Accommodations AGAIN!
Why You Must Audit Wage-Hour Compliance
Lessons Learned from Trump’s Employee Termination Practices
More About DEI…
Politics at Work
Immigration Compliance After January 20
Is DEI Dead?
What Does Trump’s EEO Executive Order Mean?
More Time Off Protections for Qualified Employees
A Different Spin on Internal Investigations
A New Era for Union Organizing
Key HR Resolutions for 2025
End-of-Year Tune Up!
The Gift that Never Stops Giving: Pay Transparency for Remote Workers
A Wrinkle in Time: “Captive Audience Meetings”
A Little Gratitude Goes a Long Way!
The Risks of Modified Duty Programs
New California Employment Laws for 2025
The Do’s and Don’t’s of Policy Drafting
Breaking Down AI in the HR World
“The Great Detachment”
Etiquette Training at Work?
Employees in Crisis: Your Role in HR
Violence at Work: Critical Prevention Steps
Policy/Procedure 101
HR Integrity: Sometimes It’s Easier Said than Done
Social Media “Investigations”: A Cautionary Tale
Tik Tok and the Workplace
What is a “DEI Hire”?
Workplace Retaliation: Understanding and Preventing It
Why EEO Compliance Training Matters
Internal Investigation Insights
Learning to Say “No”
Reasonable Accommodations Decoded
Leaves of Absence Decoded
Understanding Your Itemized Wage Statements
PAGA Reform is Here!
Wage-Hour Compliance 101
Happy Anniversary!
The “Right to Disconnect”
Good News About Wage Statement Penalties!
Understanding the New Reproductive Loss Leave Law
The Dangers of Criminal History Inquiries
The “New” Approach to Performance Management
Why You Must Stop Rounding!
Understanding the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Why Being a Leader Can Be So Hard!
Dealing with “Entitled” Employees
Always Address Leaves of Absence and Accommodation Case-by-Case
The 32-Hour Workweek: Hmmm…
Don’t Lie About a Termination!
When is it Time to Let Go?
Investigations Gone Wild!
The Scoop About Form I-9s
Who is a “Mandated Reporter” in the Workplace?
The Most Common (and Most Expensive!) Mistakes in LOA Administration
Workplace Ethics: A Primer
SB 553 Workplace Violence Prevention Compliance
The Scope of “Associational” Discrimination
Leave Management 101
EEO Training that Actually Works!
New Paid Sick Leave FAQs Are Out!
Top 10 Ways to Stay Out of Court in 2024
Using Artificial Intelligence for Good
The Unhappiness Quotient at Work
Independent Contractor Challenges on the Rise
Workplace Holiday Considerations
Strategies for a Compliant 2024
Post-Investigation Mediation: Why It’s Critical
Small Business Woes
Why You Need a Handbook Tune-Up
New Workplace Violence Prevention Requirements
California’s New Paid Sick Leave Mandate
Generational Issues at Work
Interview Questions that Matter
Hiring Effective HR Leaders
What is “Fairness”?
Managing the Rumor Mill During Workplace Investigations
Caveat Emptor: Choose Your Vendors Wisely
New Approaches to Conflict Resolution
Artificial Intelligence at Work: Be Careful!
The U.S. Supreme Court’s New Religious Accommodation Rule
Dish Out Some Praise Today!
Why You Need to Understand How California Sick Leave Works
New Form I-9 Requirements and Optional Remote Document Verification Process
Vaccination Accommodation Developments
What Should You Do When the Government Comes Knocking?
When You MUST Investigate an Internal Complaint
Understanding DEI(B) Programs
Hiring Etiquette for HR Professionals
Navigating Dress Code Challenges
Team Building 101
Staying in Your HR Lane
There’s No Such Thing as a “Good” Employee with a “Bad” Attitude
Remote Worker Challenges
What is a Wage Order?
Understanding “Workers’ Compensation Leave”
Why Can’t Everyone Be Classified as “Exempt”?
Performance Management in the REAL World
The Top 5 Ways to Stay Out of Court
How to Respond to Layoff Fears
Using Strategic Thinking to Drive Success
More California Meal Period Guidance
Come On…It’s 2023!
Key Leadership Insights
Critical New Restrictions on Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Provisions
Mandatory Arbitration is Back!
Documentation: It Can Help You or Hang You
Pregnancy Leave Traps
How to Deliver Bad News
Pay Scales 101
How to Teach Soft Skills
Implementing a Dynamite Performance Management Process
The Focus for 2023? Retention!
Workplace Trends for 2023
Happy (Almost!) New Year!
The 12 Days of Workplace Wishes
DEI (and B!): Practical Considerations
“Personal” Relationships at Work
Pay Scales Now Required in Most Job “Postings”
How to Deal with a Challenging Leader
Should You Save Employee Interview Notes?
Remote Work and “Camera On” Policies
California’s New 2023 Employment Laws in 15 Minutes
The Importance of “Temperature Reads” at Work
More Paid Sick Leave Complexities
“Pot” Protections Coming!
What is “Quiet Quitting”?
What Documents Belong in a Personnel File?
How Far Can Employers Go to Eliminate Potential Conflicts of Interest?
Be Kind!
Putting Leave Requests in the Right Box
Pets at Work
The Importance of Wage and Hour Audits
The “ABCs” of Independent Contractors in California
COVID-19 Workplace Refresher
Tips for Employee Recruitment and Retention in an Impossible Market
The DOL’s Recent “Retaliation” Bulletin
Employer Liability for COVID-19 Deaths
Rest/Meal Period Premiums: Wages or Penalties, and Who Cares?
The ABC’s of DLSE Conferences and Hearings
The Interaction Between Workers’ Compensation and Employment Laws
Arbitration Agreements and PAGA Claims: Good News for Employers
Don’t Be Such a Bully!
You Don’t Have to Pay Me!
What IS the “Regular Rate of Pay” and Why Does It Matter?
Performance Reviews: A Valuable Tool if Done Right
Arbitration Agreements: As the World Turns
A 4-Day Workweek? The Real Scoop
Hiring Minors: How to Stay Out of Trouble
Employment Litigation: Perspectives from the ‘Other Side”
The Investigation Report: How to Write It, Who Gets a Copy, and Why to Keep it Confidential
The Role of Confidentiality in Workplace Investigations
When to Bring in an Outside Investigator
Trends in Workplace Investigations
The EEOC’s New COVID-19 Caregiver Guidance
Dress and Appearance Policies
Workplace Gambling
DFEH Pay Data Reporting Deadline
Equal Pay Rules
What the Heck? Why Are Leave of Absence Laws So Complicated?
Supplemental Sick Leave for 2022 Part II
Supplemental Sick Leave for 2022
The Truth About Independent Contractors
COVID-19 and Substance Abuse at Work
Disability Protections for COVID-19 Illnesses
Rest and Meal Breaks – It is Not About Lunch!
Sexual Harassment Prevention: It is Not Just About Sex!
New Document Retention Requirements
Job Description Clean-Up
Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw, Kick Off