Hello, Workplace Whisperers! ๐ Octoberโs bringing more than cool breezes โ new regs are rolling in too. Stay sharp this National Cybersecurity Awareness Month with updates to keep your HR playbook compliant and secure.
On todayโs agenda:
๐ 5 key regulatory updates
๐ฌ Ill-prepared employers
๐ Review of Cezanne HR
WEEKLY GOODY
Employee Training Plan
In case you missed last weekโs HR goody โ power up performance with an actionable roadmap.
Only available for download to subscribers.
THE HR SPOTLIGHT
๐ 5 Regulatory Updates Ahead: Riding the Compliance Wave
Surfโs up! Hereโs your mid-month HR check โ rising regulatory waves youโll want to anticipate before they hit.
๐ The situation (aka why you should care):
FTC noncompete ban (proposed / pending legal challenges): The FTC is pushing a near-total ban on noncompete clauses, which could upend how many HR teams craft post-employment agreements.
โNo tax on tipsโ & overtime shifts via One Big Beautiful Bill Act: New IRS proposed regs now allows eligible tipped workers to deduct โqualified tipsโ (retroactive to 2025) โ and the bill also tweaks overtime rules.
State pay transparency mandates expanding: In 2025, multiple states (e.g. Massachusetts) now require job postings to include pay ranges details.
EEOC shift on DEI policies: The EEOC has warned some DEI practices may violate federal discrimination laws, signaling that certain training or affinity group programs could be risky.ย
NLRB and state jurisdiction tug-of-war: New York recently passed a law allowing its PERB to act in place of the NLRB for private-sector claims when the NLRB is stagnant; the NLRB is suing.
โ Your action plan:
Revisit noncompete clauses now
Audit payroll & tax systems
Update recruiting templates
Review DEI programs through a legal lens
Monitor NLRB developments & local laws.
Compliance waves donโt drown good HR โ they make savvy HR more powerful.ย
See our full guide: HRโs Complete Guide to Compliance ยป
TOGETHER WITH ISPRING
๐ง A Step-By-Step Guide to Knowledge Transferย
Whether youโre a multinational conglomerate or a startup, an efficient knowledge transfer system will significantly benefit your organization, driving business results.ย ย
For your knowledge transfer plan to be a success, weโve created a template thatโs available in Word, Excel, and PDF formats. Download and customize the template by filling it with your specifics โ what needs to be done, who needs to be involved and why, what resources are needed, and more.
TODAYโS CULTURE CUE
๐งญ Stay Ahead of the Rule Curve - Set a monthly 15-minute โReg Rundownโ with your team. Review new labor laws, compliance shifts, or EEOC updates togetherโstay informed and risk-proof.
THE HR PULSE
๐ Shutdown Blindspot - Reuters
Whatโs unfolding: The U.S. government shutdown has halted the Labor Departmentโs monthly jobs report, making Septemberโs hiring data temporarily unavailable.
Why it matters: HR professionals now lack critical economic indicators during a volatile period, making workforce planning harder and forcing reliance on private data or internal signals to guide hiring and budget decisions.
๐ค Cautious Hiring After AI - ComputerWorld
Whatโs unfolding: In September, private U.S. employers shed ~32,000 jobs, while also dragging their feet on new hiring โ part of a cautious reshuffle as AI redefines work.
Why it matters: HR leaders must reassess staffing strategies, weigh automationโs role, and lean harder into reskilling rather than reactive layoffs to stay competitive and humane.
โ ๏ธ Jobs on the Chopping Block - HR Dive
Whatโs unfolding: SHRM reports that about 15๏ผ of U.S. jobsโroughly 23 millionโface elevated risk from automation, though most will transform, not disappear.
Why it matters: HR must anticipate job evolution, double down on upskilling programs, and prepare managers to lead employees through the โhow to work with AIโ transition, not fight it.
RESOURCE ROUNDUP
Reworked x Hubstaff
The Lean Advantage: Scale Smarter, Not Heavier
Download the playbook to learn how to grow lean, fast and with less friction.
Grab this playbook ยป
HR Morning
Reducing Ergonomic Injuries
Learn strategies to prevent workplace injuries and eliminate potential hazards.
Download the guide ยป
Deel
Global Mandatory Benefits Policy Template
A customizable template to help you comply with all local labor laws wherever you hire.
See details ยป
COMPLIANCE CORNER
โก๏ธ Sabbath Standoff โ EEOC Sues Apple - HR Grapevine
Whatโs unfolding: The EEOC filed a lawsuit against Apple, claiming the company denied a Jewish employeeโs request for Sabbath accommodation and then fired him in retaliation.
HR implications: HR must recheck religious accommodation policies and response protocols nowโdenying sincerely held religious practices can trigger Title VII risk.
โฑ๏ธ Overtime Tightrope โ DOL Updates Pay Rules - HR Dive
Whatโs unfolding: The Department of Labor issued opinion letters clarifying that workers at โoperationally integratedโ businesses must have their hours combined for overtime.
HR implications: Payroll teams must revisit wage models to ensure there are no misclassification or excluded premium pay. Adjust systems before audits catch mistakes.
๐ท๏ธ Franchisors May Escape Joint-Employer Risk - Mondaq
Whatโs unfolding: The proposed American Franchise Act would narrow the joint-employer standard to only when a franchisor exerts direct, immediate control over core employment terms.
HR implications: Franchise systems may see reduced liability under labor and wage-hour law, but HR teams must revisit contracts, operating manuals, and oversight practicess.
TREND WATCH
๐ฌ Ill-Prepared Employers Caught Off-Guard by Labor Tactics
Source: Littler 2025 Labor Survey Report
Digesting the data: Recent findings suggest many U.S. employers are surprisingly ill-prepared to face more agile, modern labor strategies unfolding across industries. Organizations are struggling to respond when workers push new frontsโwhether itโs coordinated activism, alternative bargaining models, or creative use of social media to spotlight workplace issues. The upshot: many HR departments are reacting rather than proactively steering.
Outlook for HR: For HR leaders, this isnโt just a warning โ itโs a call to evolve. Expect labor pressure to show up in unexpected forms: viral campaigns, โstay-at-home dayโ protests, or organizing efforts that bypass traditional union channels. Sharpen your listening systems, upgrade feedback loops, and anticipate not just formal complaints, but social ones.
The future of labor isnโt scriptedโand neither should your HR posture be.
UPCOMING EVENTS
On-demand, Virtual - Deel
H-1B: Planning for the Changes
A break down of whatโs known, whatโs still unknown, and how you can begin to prepare.
Watch the webinar ยป
Oct 12, In-Person (Forth Worth, TX) - HRSouthwest
The 2025 HRSouthwest Conference
Network, grow, and discover the latest HR products and services.
Register for the event ยป
Oct 27-29, In-Person (Orlando, FL) - Gartner
Gartner HR Symposium
Discover HR topics and emerging trends around the HR landscape.
Sign up ยป
HR TECH WATCH
๐ A Review of Cezanne HR: Your All-in-One People Platform
Why we selected it: A modular, globally capable HRIS beloved by mid-sized orgs, Cezanne HR is winning fans for its configurability, cloud design, and hands-on support.
Key features:
People Management Core โ central hub for employee records, org charts, and HR workflows
Recruitment & Onboarding โ configurable pipelines, offer letters, and seamless lifecycle transitions
Performance, Compensation & Succession โ goal tracking, pay planning, career paths
Global & Compliance Tools โ multilingual, multi-company support with audit trails, GDPR, document workflows
Pros:
Advanced set-up - Highly configurable to your HR processes
Reliable support - Strong support (implementation is included)
Transparent price - Predictable pricing with no hidden add-ons
Easy updates - Cloud architecture with automatic updates
Wide coverage - Robust global / multi-country support
Online security - Secure by design (ISO27001, encryption, audit logs)
Cons:
Uneven coverage - Payroll module is limited (focuses more on payroll in UK)
Less local support - U.S. market presence is smaller, so local support / features may lag
Complex customization - Some advanced features or integrations might require customization
HRAddict rating: โ
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โ 4.5
Cezanne HR offers a clean, flexible HR system that scales across borders and adapts as your organization grows.
This is an independent review using aggregated insights and publicly available data.
BREAKROOM
SMART READS
๐ฑย Promoting Sustainability in the Workplace
๐ค Employer of Record: Benefits & Examples
๐งโ๐ Guide to Recruiting an Intern
