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PODCAST

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story!

John Thalheimer, MS Org Leadership and Chuck Simikian, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Welcome to the HR Stories Podcast - where there is a lesson in every story. Our Storytellers - John Thalheimer and Chuck Simikian, the Team behind HR Stories, share real-life tales about where a business made a preventable mistake. At The HR Stories Podcast, the STORIES are the teaching tool! LISTEN to the stories of those who did not heed the warning signs. LEARN from their mistakes. ACT on best practices shared by our hosts and guests. Each year, our hosts, Chuck Simikian and John Thalheimer,

business management

All Episodes

43:12

Ep122: Burnout, Stress & Leadership – What HR Needs...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/04/22

Send us a text John Thalheimer and Chuck Simikian unpack the growing crisis of burnout and chronic stress among HR professionals and business leaders. With recent federal actions, such as workforce reductions and the rollback of affirmative action policies, HR leaders are navigating more pressure than ever. You’ll learn: What burnout really looks like in the workplaceThe link between DEI policy changes and HR stressHow to build resilience while supporting your teamPractical tools like boundar...

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16:55

Ep121: Q&A - Retaliation against HR, demotion...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/04/15

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: What should an HR employee do if they’re experiencing retaliation in the workplace but feel like they can’t go to management?How do you handle compensation for someone getting demoted while pay bands changed?Can someone be an independent contractor for the same company they work for full time if the work is out of scope of their normal job?Are there any rules regarding th...

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46:50

Ep120: Updates from the EEOC - Lawful DEI in the...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/04/08

Send us a text The Trump Administration has signed a flurry of executive orders - some of which have direct impacts on the workplace. It’s critical, now more than ever, to pay attention to changes and updates that are coming your way. In today’s episode, Chuck and John review some new documents released by the EEOC that are providing clearer guidance around how to legally approach DEI in the workplace. Andrea Lucas, the EEOC Acting Chair, released 11 Tips for Lawful DEI, listed below: Audit J...

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17:45

Ep119: Q&A - The Nitty Gritty of Overtime

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/04/01

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: What’s the smallest increment of time that you have to count towards overtime?How do you handle PTO fairly in terms of seniority? Is there a policy that you have for senior employees over new hires?Can part time employees be given comp time instead of getting paid overtime? Visit TeamAtHRStories.com to see all of our workshops and offerings to help you feel confident...

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30:53

Ep118: Pay Discrimination & Retaliation - How to...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/03/25

Send us a text This is a case you can’t afford to ignore. When AccentCare, Inc. paid a less-experienced male nurse more than a seasoned female nurse—and then fired her when she complained—the EEOC took action. In this episode, we break down the lawsuit, the five critical lessons for employers, and why Equal Pay Day (March 25) is a wake-up call. From pay transparency to retaliation risks, we’ve got everything you need to protect your organization—and your people. In the HR News segment, the te...

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22:25

Ep117: Q&A - Medical Disclosures & Unauthorized Charges

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/03/18

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: We have an employee who has been out numerous times for a medical issue but he will not provide any supporting documentation or take FMLA. How can we proceed if we need to take action to have someone fill the role?We have someone who quit due to undisclosed PTSD being triggered by behaviors in the workplace. How do I address this with those who caused this, especially if ...

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43:13

Ep116: HR on Trial - The Importance of Good Record...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/03/11

Send us a text In this episode, we dive into the shocking case of Reena Mathew, an HR Business Partner at Santander Consumer USA, who was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan and fired after announcing her pregnancy. Was it a case of performance management—or pregnancy discrimination disguised as poor performance? Chuck and John break down the timeline of events, the questionable "exculpatory paper trail," and the lessons HR professionals need to learn about documentation, timing, and eth...

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24:19

Ep115: Listener Q&A - We Answer Your Questions: When...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/03/04

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: I’m newly taking over HR duties and it’s a mess. Where do I start?We have an employee that wants to take 8 weeks of unpaid leave for personal medical needs. They want to use PTO to cover benefit deductions but they won’t have enough for the leave. What do I do?Employees have been stealing time and getting away with it. We have a new manager and need help figuring out wher...

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42:42

Beating the Challenges of Being a CHRO

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/02/25

Send us a text In today’s episode, you’ll follow along with a CHRO who was tasked with tackling hybrid work challenges, boosting employee well-being, and building a future-ready workforce. Listen as Chuck and John talk through these ways to come out on top of these challenges: ✅ “Collaboration Week” – Fixing hybrid work disconnect ✅ Mental health & burnout solutions that work ✅ Upskilling & leadership development strategies ✅ Winning the war for top talent with DE&I See more from ...

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21:37

Listener Q&A - We Answer Your Questions: Life & Death...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/02/18

Send us a text Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: How do you deal with the death of an employee?How do you convince executives to support HR?How do you recognize birthdays and anniversaries?HR is hard - BambooHR is easy! See for yourself with a free demo at BambooHR: https://shorturl.at/E7kkF Support the show Our new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE! Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.co...

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41:04

Perceived Bias and Promotion Troubles - Keeping...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/02/11

Send us a text In this episode, Chuck and John break down the Cunningham v. Department of Defense case, where a qualified employee’s promotion was denied due to subjective interview evaluations. Gwendolyn Cunningham, despite her expertise, was passed over for a new leadership role, leading to claims of bias and a legal battle. Listen in as Chuck and John discuss the lessons for HR professionals on documentation, transparency, and balancing technical skills with leadership qualities in hi...

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26:31

Listener Q&A - We Answer Your Questions: Working...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/02/04

Send us a text HR is hard - BambooHR is easy! See for yourself with a free demo at BambooHR: https://shorturl.at/E7kkF Welcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions: How do we handle an individual who attended multiple days of training without completing paperwork or signed their contract yet?We have to terminate a great employee due to financial reasons. Any tips?Can you lower a contractor’s compensation if a customer complai...

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50:08

Remote Work Legal Complexity: State Laws vs Company...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/01/28

Send us a textIn a landmark remote work case, when Inna worked remotely in New Jersey for a Pennsylvania-based company, she assumed New Jersey's employee-friendly laws would protect her. However, the courts made a surprising ruling: the company's location, not the employee's, determines which state laws apply. This key decision highlights the complex "It Depends" nature of remote work employment law.HR is hard - BambooHR is easy! See for yourself with a free demo at BambooHR: https://sh...

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27:50

Listener Q&A - We Answer Your Questions: Employee...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/01/21

Send us a textWelcome to another Listener Q&A with The Team at HR Stories! Today's episode goes into these questions:Can you start an employee as a contractor then transition them to full time?When an employee changes from part time to full time, do you need to fill out new paperwork or can you just update their status in the HRIS?How do I prepare myself for the next HR role?Support the showOur new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE! Go to UltimateGuideto...

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32:17

Trump's HR Impacts - What to Expect From the Next...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/01/14

Send us a textWe are just days away from a new administration stepping in to The White House. Every time we have a change of office, there are impacts to the employment sector that are felt down to the small business levels, often coming from how laws are enforced and interpreted. While we have a preview of what may be expected from Trump’s administration from his first term, it’s important for us to refresh ourselves on what changes may be coming and how to ensure we are following the laws t...

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53:04

The LIVE Edition! How These Checklists Can Improve...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2025/01/08

Send us a textWELCOME TO THE LIVE EPISODE! Join Chuck and John for this playback of their first live recording, done on January 7th, 2025. There's no shortage of ways that people set out to make their new year a better - working out, eating better, journaling. The Team at HR Stories wanted to provide a tool that you use use to improve your work life any time of the year. Listen in as the team gives a rundown of the importance of checklists and how they can make your work life easier. In ...

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40:49

When Audits Come Knocking - Start 2025 On The Right Foot

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2024/12/31

Send us a textThe new year is upon us and with it comes an opportunity for a fresh start. Start your 2025 off right with an audit of the top-ten issues that the team has encountered when working with HR Teams. Proactive work on these areas can prevent major headaches later in the year. From I-9 pitfalls (likely important in 2025) to employee handbook updates, you won’t want to start 2025 without listening to this episode.Join Chuck and John for a rundown of how to check for these 10 biggest I...

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51:44

2024 Top 10 Q&A!

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2024/12/24

Send us a textThe year has been filled with a lot of updates, changes, and questions along the way. Hang out with Chuck and John as they review some of the top listener Q&A's from 2024. We'll see everyone next week with new content to prepare you for 2025. Does anybody have good ideas to make your Indeed postings stand out and look less “basic” and “dry”?Can managers order individuals to cover vulgar bumper stickers on their personal vehicles?How do you create a suitable employe...

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22:25

From the Holiday Vault: Revisiting the Poor Working...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2024/12/17

Send us a textTake a trip down memory lane with Chuck and John as they visit the North Pole and talk about the brutal work conditions of everyone's favorite red-nosed reindeer. Learn about how Jolly Ol' St. Nick mishandled a toxic work environment filled to the brim with harassment and exclusionary practices and where he could have done better. Support the showOur new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE! Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Av...

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53:27

Grandma Getting Fired, Not Retired - The Importance...

HR Stories Podcast - A Lesson in Every Story! ·

2024/12/10

Send us a textGloria worked for Trader Joe's for over 15 years and it was a family affair - with her grandson working at the same store. When a situation arose with her underage grandson and the sale of alcoholic beverages, Trader Joe's offered her the opportunity to retire but then had to terminate her when an email arrived in their inbox with some troubling details. Join Chuck and John in this tale of the importance of consistent policies and documentation. In the HR News segment,...

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