Category: HR Stories Podcast

Welcome to the HR Stories Podcast! Our Storytellers – John Thalheimer and Chuck Simikian founded HR Stories Podcast to help Human Resource Professionals and Business Owners learn the best practices of human resources management. Both are successful entrepreneurs who help businesses through human resources consulting, training, and coaching leaders. In the last year, they have coached and trained thousands of HR Professionals as, Business Owners, and Leaders to prepare them for the future.

When the Coronavirus stopped America, John and Chuck wanted to share their knowledge. They realized that the stories they shared in their seminars were the perfect vehicle to teach the principles of human resources management. In short, there is a lesson in every story. John is the Founding Director of True Star Leadership™, which focuses on helping managers and leaders learn the principles of performance management. Chuck is the Founding Partner of Alliance HR Partners, which provides human resources consulting and training to businesses across the country. Together they have over 40 years navigating the challenges of human resources.

Listener Q&A – We Answer Your Questions! Personal, Documentation, and Policy Hygiene

Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today’s episode goes into these questions:Is it HR’s Responsibility to address personal hygiene in the workplace?If an employee does not follow through on providing necessary paperwork from a doctor for a service animal, what is the employer’s role in that situation?What should be included in an AI policy?Support the showThe Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – take $100 off …only $79 ) Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

HR Q&A – We Answer Listener Questions! Personal, Documentation, and Policy Hygiene

Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today’s episode goes into these questions:Is it HR’s Responsibility to address personal hygiene in the workplace?If an employee does not follow through on providing necessary paperwork from a doctor for a service animal, what is the employer’s role in that situation?What should be included in an AI policy?Support the showThe Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – take $100 off …only $79 ) Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

We are all Employees – Part 2

In part two of this employee rights series, Chuck and John dive further into how understanding employee rights can not only help your company avoid legal troubles but also improve employee retention.In one case, Amazon had exposed their employees to ergonomic hazards on an ongoing basis. When a situation like this is realized by an employee, what steps would need to take place to correct it? In another story, the team will discuss age discrimination in the application process and whether consequences for statements are a violation of the First Amendment or not.Join the team as they talk about these situations and several more!In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:Google learning a lesson in overtime pay (https://www.hrdive.com/news/google-overtime-class-action-8-million/690565/)A minor injured while working with equipment prohibited under child labor lawsRemote worker productivityiTutor’s recruiting screening process filtering out applicants over the age of 60Tailoring schedules to productivity peaksSupport the showNOW AVAILABLE and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits – The Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – 30% off ) Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

Stories about Employee Rights that Managers and HR Pros Need to Remember – We are all Employees – Part 2

Part 2 of our Employee Rights Series, Chuck and John dive further into how understanding employee rights can not only help your company avoid legal troubles but also improve employee retention.In one case, Amazon had exposed their employees to ergonomic hazards on an ongoing basis. When a situation like this is realized by an employee, what steps would need to take place to correct it? In another story, the team will discuss age discrimination in the application process and whether consequences for statements are a violation of the First Amendment or not.Join the team as they talk about these situations and several more!In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:Google learning a lesson in overtime pay (https://www.hrdive.com/news/google-overtime-class-action-8-million/690565/)A minor injured while working with equipment prohibited under child labor lawsRemote worker productivityiTutor’s recruiting screening process filtering out applicants over the age of 60Tailoring schedules to productivity peaksSupport the showThe Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – take $100 off …only $79 ) Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

We are all Employees (Part 2) – Stories about Employee Rights that Managers and HR Pros Need to Remember

Part 2 of our Employee Rights Series, Chuck and John dive further into how understanding employee rights can not only help your company avoid legal troubles but also improve employee retention.In one case, Amazon had exposed their employees to ergonomic hazards on an ongoing basis. When a situation like this is realized by an employee, what steps would need to take place to correct it? In another story, the team will discuss age discrimination in the application process and whether consequences for statements are a violation of the First Amendment or not.Join the team as they talk about these situations and several more!In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:Google learning a lesson in overtime pay (https://www.hrdive.com/news/google-overtime-class-action-8-million/690565/)A minor injured while working with equipment prohibited under child labor lawsRemote worker productivityiTutor’s recruiting screening process filtering out applicants over the age of 60Tailoring schedules to productivity peaksSupport the showThe Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – take $100 off …only $79 ) Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

Listener Q&A – We Answer Your Questions! Establishing Policies

Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today’s episode goes into these questions:How do you properly calculate travel pay for hourly employees?How do you communicate policies that are not in the employee handbook?Looking for direction on bereavement policies – do you offer pre-death (hospice care) leave, leave for the death of a pet, etc.?Email your questions to TheTeam@hrstoriespodcast.com!Support the showNOW AVAILABLE and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits – The Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – 30% off ) Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

We are all Employees – Part I

Have you heard that you can get in trouble for discussing wages with other employees? This intimidation practice can not only be stressful or infringe upon employee rights but also illegal. There are a number of ways that employers can violate employee rights and this is part one of a two-part series all about those rights. It’s important to remember that you, as an HR professional, are also an employee with rights – not just all of the other employees.In today’s episode, Chuck and John will talk about experiences where employees paid a tipping wage weren’t making a minimum wage due to a practice by the employer. They talk about what qualifications there are for overtime and minimum wage in these circumstances. They will also touch on employee rights with religious beliefs when a company requires that he be cleanly shaven.In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:More I-9 updatesMusic in the workplace being classified as discriminationSupport the showNOW AVAILABLE and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits – The Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – 30% off ) Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

Stories about Employee Rights that Managers and HR Pros Need to Remember – We are all Employees Part I

Have you heard that you can get in trouble for discussing wages with other employees? This intimidation practice can not only be stressful or infringe upon employee rights but also illegal. There are a number of ways that employers can violate employee rights and this is part one of a two-part series all about those rights. It’s important to remember that you, as an HR professional, are also an employee with rights – not just all of the other employees.In today’s episode, Chuck and John will talk about poor pay practices – where tipped employees weren’t making a minimum wage due to a practice by the employer. They talk about what qualifications there are for overtime and minimum wage in these circumstances. They will also touch on employee rights with religious beliefs when a company requires that he be cleanly shaven.In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:More I-9 updatesMusic in the workplace being classified as discriminationSupport the showThe Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – take $100 off …only $79 ) Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

We are all Employees (Part 1) – Stories about Employee Rights that Managers and HR Pros Need to Remember

Have you heard that you can get in trouble for discussing wages with other employees? This intimidation practice can not only be stressful or infringe upon employee rights but also illegal. There are a number of ways that employers can violate employee rights and this is part one of a two-part series all about those rights. It’s important to remember that you, as an HR professional, are also an employee with rights – not just all of the other employees.In today’s episode, Chuck and John will talk about poor pay practices – where tipped employees weren’t making a minimum wage due to a practice by the employer. They talk about what qualifications there are for overtime and minimum wage in these circumstances. They will also touch on employee rights with religious beliefs when a company requires that he be cleanly shaven.In the HR News segment, the team touches on the following topics and more:More I-9 updatesMusic in the workplace being classified as discriminationSupport the showThe Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – take $100 off …only $79 ) Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

Listener Q&A – We Answer Your Questions! How far do we investigate?

Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today’s episode goes into these questions:We have a full-time employee who is not reaching his minimum of 32 hours a week. What should we do if his leadership doesn’t have enough work for him?There is a department at my company that has loud cursing all day long. Is it considered a hostile work environment if no one has complained?An employee gets an inappropriate message at 3 am from a coworker that the sender ends up saying was an accident. Once HR checks in with the recipient and confirm that they don’t want to file a complaint, is there any other action that needs to be done?If you have an employee who reports harassment, how do you follow up with them when you learn during the investigation that they also engaged in less-than-ideal behavior without falling into retaliation?When you are an HR team of one and you feel that you’re being mistreated at work, how do you handle this?Email your questions to TheTeam@hrstoriespodcast.com!Support the showNOW AVAILABLE and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits – The Ultimate Book of HR Checklists – Getting HR Right: Your Step-by-Step Reference for Avoiding Costly Mistakes. Go to HRChecklists.com (On sale – 30% off ) Do you have a situation or topic you’d like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at TheTeam@HRstoriesPodcast.com for suggestions and inquiries.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don’t forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.