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In Episode 359 we welcome Beltway insider Jim Plunkett for a practical breakdown of how recent disruptions are shaping the year ahead for employers.

The conversation explores where employment policy is really being made, why federal agencies may have more influence than Congress, and how shifts at the Department of Labor, NLRB, and EEOC could impact employers in 2026. The panel also takes a look at AI hiring risks, emerging discrimination lawsuits, a rare 27-pay-period year, and the growing divide between state and federal workplace rules.

This episode is essential viewing for HR leaders and business executives who want to understand what is changing, why it matters, and how to prepare before the next wave hits.

Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & what Congress did (and didn’t) do for employers 01:31 – Opening banter & why keeping up with policy feels like tennis 03:38 – Lawyer on the Clock: AI hiring tools & Fair Credit Reporting Act risks 07:32 – Uber & Lyft gender-matching lawsuits: damned if you do, damned if you don’t 10:27 – 2026 warning: Why some employers may face 27 pay periods 13:52 – Why 2025 felt so disruptive for employers 17:38 – When agencies drive employment policy, not Congress 19:03 – Independent contractor rules & OSHA heat regulations 23:15 – State vs. federal divide on AI and workplace laws 26:12 – What’s coming from the NLRB, EEOC & DOL in 2026

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Delegation isn’t just about giving work away - it’s how future leaders are developed. With 40% of executives saying leadership development is a serious long-term challenge, we’re asking the BIG question: are leaders actually delegating enough and to the right places?

Join us with Lauren Patel (AAIM) as we explore delegation in workplaces where leaders must learn to delegate effectively to both humans and AI.

Timestamps: 00:09 – Leadership Development as a 2026 Business Challenge 01:32 – Guest Introduction: Lauren Patel 02:49 – Lawyer on the Clock Begins 03:25 – AI in Hiring and Employment Law Overview 07:45 – EEOC Power Shift and Policy Direction 14:12 – Lawyer on the Clock Wrap-Up 15:35 – Why Leaders Struggle to Develop Future Leaders 18:11 – The Real Barriers to Delegation 29:52 – Delegate Decisions, Not Just Tasks

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Toxic flattery may sound “nice,” but it’s costing organizations time, talent, and truth. When leaders and tools are rewarded for agreeability instead of honesty, tough questions go unasked, bad decisions stick, and teams stop learning.

Join us with special guest Kris Gfell (HR Services, AAIM) as we unpack the epidemic of toxic flattery - and how HR can lead a culture that values candor over comfort.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Why 30% of Employees Don’t Feel Safe Speaking Up 01:28 — Welcome Back and Six Years of This Week at Work 03:13 — Introducing Toxic Flattery in the Workplace 03:58 — Lawyer on the Clock: Major Labor and Employment Updates 05:16 — Marijuana Rescheduling and What It Means for Employers 08:12 — DEI Programs Under Legal Scrutiny 10:30 — State Law Changes Employers Must Know in 2026 14:49 — Illinois Employment Law Updates That Impact HR 19:17 — What “AITA” Culture Reveals About Validation and Feedback 29:57 — How Leaders Create Alignment Without Toxic Flattery

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For episode 356, Leaders are increasingly leaning on AI tools - and HR - for guidance, decisions, and direction. When AI and HR act as crutches, leadership capability erodes. When used as coaches, they scale judgment, confidence, and performance. Working alongside company leadership, HR must design training and development that uses AI to reinforce leadership, not replace it.

Timestamps: 00:13 – AI, Coaching, and the Workplace Questions Defining 2026 03:40 – Lawyer on the Clock Begins: SHRM Ordered to Pay $11.5M in Race Discrimination Case 05:54 – Service Dog ADA Lawsuit: Where the Interactive Process Broke Down 09:32 – Recap of Department of Labor Guidance in first year of 2nd Trump Administration 14:32 – The “Dumbbell Effect”: How AI Is Reshaping the Job Market 21:10 – According to AAIME Hart: Key to Leadership Success Coaching Series 23:40 – Philburt's Phorum is back 24:40 – Matt Wideman: Why Coaching Should Start on Day One of Onboarding 29:40 – How AI can help with difficult conversations with your team 39:21 – Final Takeaways, Listener Question, and Holiday Wishes

Tune in to learn how to keep coaching as a core leadership skill in 2026.

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For episode 355, Dr. Scott Koeneman - 3rd-degree black belt, Lean Six Sigma expert, hypnotist, and author - joins us to explore the “Great Realignment.” As AI strips tasks away from traditional roles, we ask: What is a job now? What do employers truly need, and what do employees now value in a career? Dr. Scott breaks down why reskilling matters, where human nuance still wins, and how AI levels the playing field for small businesses while challenging large ones. Plus - in a world where even layoffs can be automated - what does it mean to be “let go” today?

Timestamps: 00:42 - Welcome & Show Intro 02:40 - Guest Introduction: Scott Koeneman 04:00 - Scott’s Book: Quantum Intern Year One 04:50 - Veteran Work & Community Involvement 06:06 - Lawyer on the Clock: Fed Chairman Press Conference Thoughts 16:38 - According to AAIME Hart: Compliance Checklist 20:36 - Four Key Skill Buckets for the Future Workforce 29:03 - W2 vs 1099 & Project-Based Work 34:37 - AI in Small Business & Main Street Impact

REGISTER NOW! AAIM’s Payroll Tax Update is coming up fast on December 12th! Your best defense against future payroll errors.

Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/

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For episode 354, we’re joined by Inclusion Thought Leader Fred Falker for a candid conversation about leadership’s role in actually building an inclusive culture. Hint: it isn’t achieved through statements or slogans. It happens through action.

At its core, an inclusive culture should expand the circle, not redraw the lines - and only consistent leadership behaviors make that possible. Plus, a full sweep of this week’s must-know employment-law headlines

Timestamps: 01:03 — Open 01:12 — Phil Discusses Employee Misalignment Trends 02:41 — Fred Falker joins the show 05:39 — Lawyer on the Clock: SHRM, Job Market, NLRB 15:34 — AI HR Advisor AAIME Hart Shares Important Updates 17:15 — Fred Falker on Changing Workplace Culture 26:38 — Phil Discusses the Importance of Business Promises 32:43 — Measuring Culture: Employee Experience & Belonging

REGISTER NOW! AAIM’s Payroll Tax Update is coming up fast on December 12th! Your best defense against future payroll errors.

Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/

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This week on This Week at Work, we sit down with Sam Goodwin: one of the few to visit all 193 countries. In 2019, Sam’s journey took an unexpected turn when he was abducted in Syria and falsely accused of being a spy. Now a speaker, author, and expert on resilience, Sam shares how his experience taught him to lead through chaos, embrace uncertainty, and find purpose in the most unlikely places.

Don’t forget to register for AAIM’s Payroll Tax Update on December 12th! Your best defense against future payroll errors.

Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/

Timestamps: 00:36 – Welcome, Preview of today's guest Sam Goodwin 03:01 – Lawyer on the Clock: The Layoff Explosion & What It Means 05:36 – The Hidden Talent Mismatch Problem in the Hiring Market 08:29 – Major Shift at the EEOC: Religious Discrimination Under the Microscope 11:06 – Enforcement Is Back: DEI Programs Face Legal Heat 14:39 – Meet Sam Goodwin: Athlete, Traveler, Author of “Saving Sam” 16:31 – Sam’s Arrest in Syria 20:22 – Surviving Solitary & Life in a Syrian Prison Cell 24:04 – Sam on what led him to Hockey, Faith & Mindset after captivity 28:50 – Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity: Sam’s Three-Step Framework

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In this episode, Phil and Burt welcome Lauren Patel to explore the urgent need for “Double Fluency” - the ability to not only engage with AI, but also to strengthen the uniquely human skills that AI can’t replicate. Drawing from the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report, they break down what HR and business leaders must do now to prepare their teams for a future where fluency in both tech and soft skills defines success.

Timestamps: 00:00 – Are You Training Your Team to Think With AI? 01:33 – Phil and Burt Debate Robots and “Optimus” at Home 03:25 – Why Phil’s Waiting for Elon Musk’s Optimus Robot 05:28 – Lauren’s First Reaction to Seeing “Neo” the Robot 07:32 – Lawyer on the Clock: The Home Depot Dress-Code Case 10:10 – What Counts as “Protected Activity” at Work? 17:23 – Starbucks Union Pins and the Future of Dress Codes 21:02 – Aaime’s HR Updates: Payroll and Leadership Training 22:24 – Double Fluency: Balancing Tech and Human Skills 36:21 – Government Reopens: What It Means for Employers

Remember to sign up for AAIM’s payroll tax update that can save your company from any payroll mistakes in the future!

Click the link to sign up: https://aaimea.org/payroll-tax-update-2025/