Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break
Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break
Podcast Description
Hosted by seasoned attorney Pam Howland, alongside attorneys Jennifer Walrath and Doug Plass, Ground Rules delivers employment law insights in bite-sized weekly episodes. With decades of courtroom experience, this dynamic trio has seen the costly consequences of legal missteps for employers—and they're here to help you avoid them.Perfect for business owners, HR professionals, and supervisors, this podcast is your go-to guide for staying ahead of the curve on employment law, fostering compliant workplaces, and keeping your business out of the courthouse. Grab your coffee, tune in, and gain practical tips to protect and empower your team.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers a range of employment law topics including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), EEOC trends, and litigation strategies. Episodes explore specific issues such as the implications of recent executive orders on DEI practices, effective workplace investigations, and changes in employment law anticipated for 2025, providing actionable advice for maintaining compliance.
Hosted by seasoned attorney Pam Howland, alongside attorneys Jennifer Walrath and Doug Plass, Ground Rules delivers employment law insights in bite-sized weekly episodes. With decades of courtroom experience, this dynamic trio has seen the costly consequences of legal missteps for employers—and they’re here to help you avoid them.
Perfect for business owners, HR professionals, and supervisors, this podcast is your go-to guide for staying ahead of the curve on employment law, fostering compliant workplaces, and keeping your business out of the courthouse. Grab your coffee, tune in, and gain practical tips to protect and empower your team.
In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam Howland, Doug Plass, and Jennifer Walrath are joined by our summer intern, Alisha Hopkins, for a timely look at how artificial intelligence is changing hiring—and where employers can stumble. From real-world misfires (like Amazon’s resume-screening example) to the EEOC’s iTutorGroup settlement and a fast-evolving patchwork of state and local rules, we unpack the legal risks, what’s on (and off) the books federally, and practical steps to use AI responsibly in recruiting.
Key Takeaways:
- Bias isn’t hypothetical: AI can mirror historical inequities in training data and disadvantage protected groups—even when discrimination isn’t intended.
- Liability still lands on employers: Companies can face claims if their AI screens out candidates unlawfully (e.g., the iTutorGroup settlement).
- Laws to know now: Illinois’ AI Video Interview Act and NYC’s Local Law 144 (bias audits + notice) are already in effect.
- What’s coming next: California (Oct. 1, 2025), Illinois (Jan. 1, 2026), and Colorado (Feb. 1, 2026) add expansive obligations like audits, risk management, and reporting.
- Do this today: Conduct regular bias/impact audits, build a risk management and human-oversight layer, disclose AI use to applicants, and offer alternatives when possible.
*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*
Registration is open for our Workplace Investigations Workshop on September 25—a half-day, hands-on workshop for HR professionals, business owners, and leaders who want to handle investigations with confidence and compliance. Register Here!
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Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit – arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!
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