HR Archives - EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BLOG

Risk Management in the Modern Era of Workplace Generative AI

by Marjorie C. Soto Garcia, Brian Casillas and Rebecca L. Richard | Jun 12, 2025 | Employment

As human resources (HR) leaders plan to expand the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the workplace, nearly a dozen states have enacted or are considering legislation to regulate its use in employment practices. Additionally, courts are seeing class actions involving alleged disparate impact discrimination and wage and hour violations related to GenAI. Implementing GenAI technologies without understanding their algorithms or data usage can expose employers to legal risks such as potential class actions based on privacy, AI regulations, and employment claims.

How to Drive Employee Engagement and Reshape Talent Acquisition

by McDermott Will & Emery | Jan 10, 2024 | Employee Benefits, Employment

How can HR professionals elevate their game to attract talent and spearhead innovative strategies?

In this ManageHR article, Elizabeth Vassolo, McDermott’s Global Head of Employment Brand, shares her perspective on emerging HR trends, highlights a game-changing project and offers actionable advice.

New IBA GEI Report Cites ESG as Emerging Focus for Human Resources

by Todd Solomon and Abigail M. Kagan | Jul 18, 2023 | Employee Benefits, Employment

Governments and employers throughout the world are paying more attention to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues. That’s according to the International Bar Association Global Employment Institute’s (IBA GEI) Eleventh Annual Global Report.

The report is based on data from lawyers in 55 countries and covers a range of topics, including artificial intelligence, mental health, cybersecurity, immigration and compensation. McDermott Partner and IBA GEI co-chair Todd A. Solomon served as an editor, and McDermott Partner Abigail M. Kagan contributed to the report.

Read the report.

How to Handle an Influx of HR Accommodation Requests

by Laurie Baddon | Jul 8, 2021 | Employee Benefits, Employment

As employees begin to return to their offices, human resource teams are being inundated with accommodation requests. The reasons behind these requests include:

Concerns about COVID-19 exposure;
Convenience of working from home;
Lack of child care options and costs of care; and
Weariness of daily commute.

McDermott’s Laurie Baddon says in an article published in SHRM that employers should share their policies with their workforces well in advance to give HR and legal teams time to process and assess accommodation requests.

Access the article.

Eye on ERISA: Q&A with McDermott’s Ted Becker

by Ted Becker | Oct 8, 2019 | Benefit Controversies, Health and Welfare Plans, Retirement Plans

As presidential hopefuls bemoan the high cost of healthcare, McDermott’s Ted Becker imagines a stack of lawsuits pushed toward corporations and insurance companies. If workers can use the Employee Retirement Income Security Act to challenge 401(k) plans’ fees and investments, why can’t they use it to sue over how their health insurance plans are managed?

In a Q&A recently published on Law360, Becker discusses his prediction that health and welfare plan management suits will be the next frontier for ERISA plaintiffs, and how McDermott is preparing clients.

Access the full article.

Global Employment Contracts: The Modern Tower of Babel

by Ludovic Bergès and Yesenia M. Gallegos | Oct 3, 2019 | Employment

Although multi-jurisdictional compliance is a challenge in relation to every aspect of employment law, the structure of employment contracts and the enforcement of global policies require particularly careful consideration.

The need to coordinate individual country compliance across numerous countries whilst still maintaining a common company culture requires extensive knowledge of national laws and considerable ﬂexibility.

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