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  • 🔍HR Under Review, Onboarding Checklist, AI Doom Loop - Jul 28, 2025

🔍HR Under Review, Onboarding Checklist, AI Doom Loop - Jul 28, 2025

Is your AI audit-ready? Mastering onboarding, and jobseekers' overreliance on AI—plus more juicy HR insights.

July 28, 2025

Hey, HR Champs!đŸ”„ With more states cracking down on AI compliance, it’s time to ask: Is your HR tech bias-free, audit-ready, and playing nice? Let’s review the tools, trends, and truths.

On today’s agenda:

🔍 AI in HR under scrutiny

🔄 AI doom loop in recruitment

🏩 OnPay review

FEATURED RESOURCE
Employee Benefits Renewal
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THE HR SPOTLIGHT

🔍 HR Under Review: Is Your AI Bias-Free and Audit-Ready?

AI is quickly becoming HR’s most-used assistant—but it might also be your riskiest hire. With states like New York and California already rolling out AI audit laws, the pressure’s on to make sure your tools are fair, legal, and bias-free.

Here’s what every HR leader needs to know before the compliance cops come knocking.

⚠ The situation: Rules Are Catching Up to the Robots

  • AI audit laws are no longer just theory. NYC’s Local Law 144 now requires companies to audit AI hiring tools within the first year of use. [NYC Gov]

  • California, Illinois, and other states have followed suit, with more considering similar legislations, particularly to address AI-related discrimination in the workplace. [LexisNexis]

  • HR professionals listed data privacy and security as their top concern regarding AI, followed by compliance with data protection laws and regulations [Trailant]—yikes. 

✅ What HR can do: Stay Audit-Ready

  • Ask vendors for bias audit reports and transparency policies

  • Document everything: how your tools are used, tested, and monitored

  • Train teams on ethical AI use and watch for “automation bias”

If your AI can't explain itself in plain English, it might be time to update your tech stack.

📌Ready to audit your policies?
Get started with HRAddict’s Guide to Cultivating a Culture of Ethics Compliance »

TODAY’S CULTURE CUE
📋 Audit Your AI Job Descriptions: Review 5 recent job posts for gendered or biased terms. Use a bias-checker tool to flag language that may skew AI screening.

TOGETHER WITH iSPRING

đŸ€—Welcome New Hires with a Free Onboarding Checklist

According to Gallup, only 29 of new hires feel fully prepared and supported in their roles after onboarding.

Hiring new employees requires significant time, effort, and resources. When onboarding is poorly managed, it frustrates both employers and new hires, affecting the entire team's productivity.

To help new hires settle in and keep your company’s reputation strong, download this free employee onboarding checklist. It outlines essential steps to take before the first day, on day one, and throughout the first weeks and months:

THE HR PULSE

💾 Wages Beat Inflation—Finally - HR Dive

  • What’s unfolding: Wages in the U.S. have officially outpaced inflation. This shift signals greater purchasing power for employees—something that hasn’t been consistent since the pandemic began.

  • Why it Matters: Employees are feeling the market shift and may be more inclined to negotiate or jump ship for better offers. Make sure your pay practices remain competitive by benchmarking wages often and adjusting total rewards accordingly.

🌮 Olipop Says Yes to Unlimited PTO - The HR Digest

  • What’s unfolding: Functional soda brand Olipop just recommitted to its unlimited PTO policy, saying the move helps build trust and prevent burnout. 

  • Why it matters: Unlimited PTO is like a dream—or a trap—depending on how it's managed. If you’re considering unlimited PTO, track actual usage, model healthy behavior from the top, and address “time-off guilt” in your culture.

đŸ•”ïžâ€â™‚ïž Deepfake Applicants Target Remote Roles - CNBC

  • What’s unfolding: Employers are seeing a rise in AI-powered deepfake applicants using tools to fake identities, credentials, or even live video interviews.

  • Why it matters: HR and TA teams must strengthen their identity verification processes—especially for fully remote roles. Consider adding multi-step ID checks, requiring camera-on assessments, and using secure platforms that flag deepfake patterns.

RESOURCE ROUNDUP

HR.com
Smart Employee Feedback Tool
Unlock leadership and employee potential with AI-powered performance management. Free with memberships.
See templates »

The HR Booth
Return to Work Interview Guide
Learn the framework and structure to hold return to work interviews with employees.
Download the ebook »

AIHR
AI Strategy Framework for HR Leaders
The guide to effectively integrate, manage, and scale AI technologies across HR processes.
Grab the guide »

COMPLIANCE CORNER

🎭 States Drop Trans Lawsuit - HR Dive

  • What’s unfolding: 18 conservative states have dropped their legal challenge to EEOC guidance on gender identity after a federal court vacated those provisions—making the lawsuit effectively moot.

  • HR implications: HR pros should continue enforcing respectful workplace practices while monitoring that guidance may shift again if agency leadership or court decisions evolve.

đŸ™ïž CA Funds Labor Code Enforcement - Nat Law Review

  • What’s unfolding: The California Labor Commissioner’s Office awarded local prosecutors millions in grants to improve enforcement, potentially resulting in more audits and penalties for employers.

  • HR implications: Make sure your team reviews (or updates) local labor code compliance—especially around pay and scheduling—or risk enforcement action, ideally before new requirements take effect.

🚗 Portable Benefits for Gig Workers - KWCH

  • What’s unfolding: Capitol Hill Lawmakers introduced legislation to create a legal “safe harbor” so companies can voluntarily offer portable benefits like retirement and health coverage to gig workers without misclassification risks.

  • HR implications: HR leaders should track this legislation—it may offer new ways to support contingent staff and reduce benefit gaps, though participation isn't required and employers should plan for voluntary models.

TREND WATCH

 đŸ”„ AI-geddon? Hiring in a Doom Loop

Digesting the data: A recent Greenhouse survey spanning 2,200 job seekers in the U.S., U.K. and Ireland shows that 7 in 10 jobseekers feel the job market is brutal and only 7 think it favors them. Candidates report that AI makes it harder to stand out—with 67 using AI tools to stay afloat and about one-quarter saying automation actually obscures their uniqueness.

Many applicants are leaning on AI for everything from interview prep to faking work samples or submitting bots during applications. This has created a cycle: hiring automation drives candidate reliance on AI, which in turn drives more automation and friction for HR processes.

Outlook for HR: This evolving loop means HR professionals must pause and humanize recruitment by rebalancing AI automation with real human touchpoints and structured assessments to let genuine skills shine. Transparency about AI use, clear communication throughout the process, and robust bias checks are no longer nice‑to‑have—they’re essential to prevent attracting ghost resumes or damaging trust.

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 30, Virtual - Fisher Phillips
AI Hallucinations: What Employers Need to Know When Your Bot Makes Stuff Up - How to spot, stop, and survive AI-generated nonsense before it becomes your next problem.
Save your spot »

July 30, Virtual - Deel
Scaling Your Business Globally: Challenges, Strategies, and Opportunities - A 45-minute roundtable webinar featuring Deel experts and leaders from Virtuoso.
Register for this webinar »

July 31, Virtual - SHRM 
Evolve to Solve: Unlocking the Power of Multigenerational Workforces - A timely conversation on how organizations can thrive by embracing generational diversity.
Sign up »

HR TECH WATCH

🏩 A Review of OnPay: Payroll Made Painless

Why we selected it: OnPay is top-rated payroll & HR software—easy, affordable, and packed with tax automation and HR tools, making it a favorite for small to mid‑sized U.S. businesses.

Key features:

  1. Unlimited payroll runs:  at no extra fees

  2. Automated tax filing: federal, state & local, guaranteed accuracy

  3. Employee self‑service portal: for pay stubs and forms

  4. Integrated HR tools: onboarding flows, e‑signing, compliance audits

Pros:

  • Beginner-friendly interface: Intuitive, quick interface that's easy for non‑specialists

  • Transparent pricing: Base fee + per‑employee; no hidden charges 

  • Reliable support: Expert support with high satisfaction ratings 

  • Multi-state payroll: Garnishment handling included 

  • Built‑in reporting customization: Via Report Designer 

  • Scalable integrations: With QuickBooks, Xero, benefits, time‑tracking tools

Cons:

  • No app: No native mobile admin app—just a mobile‑friendly site

  • No auto-trigger: No automatic, completely hands‑free payroll triggering

  • Fewer integrations: fewer than enterprise platforms—may not suit complex workflows

HRAddict rating: ★★★★☆ 4.8
User‑friendly and affordable, OnPay handles payroll, taxes, HR onboarding, and benefits in one platform—with no surprises or hidden fees.

This is an independent review using aggregated insights and publicly available data.

BREAKROOM

SMART READS

🧭 ​Management Styles for Effective Leadership

đŸ«  How to Combat HR Burnout

đŸšȘ Tips for Conducting an Exit Interview

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