Employers can require employees accused of violence at work to take a drug test. But what happens if the test reveals the presence of marijuana in the system of an employee whose use of medical marijuana is authorized by state law?

There’s a simple way to avoid many kinds of reverse-discrimination lawsuits: Treat everyone alike. That means making sure supervisors apply work rules impartially and without exception unless there is an objective reason discipline should differ.

Under federal and some state laws, certain information must be posted on a bulletin board where all employees can see it. But that shouldn’t be the same slab of cork where employees are allowed to offer free kittens, sell cookies or tack up a lost glove.

• Directives from the new administration. You may have to undo recent changes, especially if you’re a federal contractor or subcontractor.
• Supreme Court-related changes. Learn why and how to change your handbook policies on religious expression and accommodations.
• Employee leave. What to include and what to leave out regarding FMLA, ADA and pregnancy accommodations.
• The fractured workplace. What happens when workers disagree on topics like politics and religion? Handbook policies that set reasonable conduct rules can create a more harmonious workplace.
• Speech and civility rules. When you can restrict what employees say and when you can’t (salaries, politics, hate speech, etc.).
• Dress and grooming. Learn how to set rules on appropriate behavior, attire and decor when it comes to both in-person and remote appearances.
• Sexual and other harassment. Even if employees are remote, you need rules on email, telework, texting and off-site meetings.
• Different rules in your state. This may be the most difficult handbook area to navigate as what states say you must include clashes with federal mandates.

• Why common courtesy is not so common.
• The vicious cycle of disrespect: When rudeness leads to revenge.
• 7 warning signs of an incivility problem.
• Childish adults: Pouters, screamers and public attackers.
• Communication insults: Email bombers, cyberjunkies and nonresponders.
• How incivility hurts productivity and increases turnover.
• Why professional adults sometimes act like brats.
• Quick quiz: Taking an honest look in the mirror.
• How silent bystanders and wimpy managers encourage offensive behavior.
• Dealing with drama: Gossips, snobs and office divas.
• How co-workers can learn to have civil conversations about incivility.
• Using a “team turnaround” to make your group more collaborative.
• Legal hazards: Frat boys, closet bigots and sexual predators.
• 5-step formula for changing an organizational culture.
• Beyond civility: 12 signs of a truly collaborative workplace.

• An overview of ChatGPT and how it can work well for HR departments.
• How to proceed with caution when it comes to biases and incorrect information.
• Ways to avoid common legal issues that can arise when using ChatGPT, including data privacy, intellectual property and liability concerns.
• How to improve upon many HR functions while saving time, including job descriptions, performance appraisals, coaching and helping neurodivergent employees.

• Proper categorization. Distinguish between business records and non-records.
• Setting rules. Establish records rules for email, mobile devices, social media, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack and other electronic tools.
• Keeping policies up-to-date. Implement documentation policies on emerging HR concerns like marijuana use, compliance with eDiscovery guidelines, litigation-hold policies and more.
• Guaranteeing compliance. Ensure on-site, remote and work-from-home staff comply with records rules and manage HR records effectively.
• Document security. Protect personal privacy and confidential and sensitive information using best-in-class technology and tools.
• Leveraging technology. How to use software tools for record retention, along with monitoring, policy management, content management, antivirus and other records-related software.

• Leave as an accommodation. Understand when leave may not qualify as a reasonable accommodation (rarely), and when it may be required for cases of infertility, miscarriage, abortion and more.
• Guaranteed accommodations. The four accommodations the EEOC says you can’t question—no doc notes, no forms, no delay.
• Top practical accommodations. Easy-to-implement, practical accommodations that won’t unduly disrupt the workplace while complying with the law.
• Lessons from the courtroom. Insights from recent EEOC lawsuits under the PWFA and notable settlements.
• Compliant break rooms. Steps to create a PUMP Act-compliant milk-expression space tailored to your industry.
• Prohibition against schedule cuts. Workers who need expression breaks can’t have their schedules cut instead.
• Accommodation best practices. How to accommodate pregnancy-related issues like morning sickness, lifting restrictions and bed-rest orders.

• W-4 updates and compliance. Stay current on the latest W-4 process, including electronic forms, and quickly bring your company into compliance.
• Guidance for side gigs and worksheets. Learn how employees with multiple jobs should complete the W-4 form, and understand the critical role of W-4 worksheets in accurate withholding.
• Effective employee communication. Develop a plan to guide employees—especially new hires—through the W-4 form to prevent costly mistakes.
• Managing outdated W-4s. Discover strategies for handling employees who don’t update their W-4s, including IRS solutions for different forms and methods.
• Rejecting invalid W-4s. Identify when to reject a W-4 and how to manage IRS letters that void an employee’s form.
• Ensuring withholding accuracy. Follow best practices for verifying your withholding processes, with step-by-step IRS guidance.
• Supplemental pay withholding. Master the rules for withholding on various types of supplemental pay.

• The core elements of workplace due process and the importance of the written record in the discipline and termination processes.
• Tough conversations to have with employees that invite them to involve themselves in their own performance improvement.
• Structuring disciplinary documentation that is constructive and insulates the organization from legal liability.
• Alternatives to formal progressive discipline that re-engage employees without the formal trappings of “being written up.”
• Leadership landmines to avoid under all circumstances, especially regarding tricky situations that may miss awareness from good-natured yet unsuspecting managers.