Welcome back to “This Week in Employee Relations,” your fast-scan digest of the employee relations headlines shaping policy, culture and compliance. Catch up in five minutes; walk into the week with the context — and the talking points — your organization expects
💼 Employee Activism Puts Companies on the Spot
From climate concerns to social issues, more employees are organizing internally — and forcing leadership to respond publicly.
→ ER Insight: These aren’t “PR flare-ups”— they’re ER moments. When activism shows up at work, leaders look to ER for the playbook: Engage respectfully, keep dialogue constructive and prevent retaliation claims. Documentation and tone matter as much as policy. We’re digging into this on Sept. 3 in an HR Acuity webinar on leading ER in a changing workplace — we’d love to see you there.
🚨 EEOC Signals Tougher Stance on Religious Accommodations
The EEOC is ramping up enforcement of religious accommodation cases in the wake of Groff v. DeJoy, which raised the bar for employers claiming “undue hardship.” Recent actions include a $1.2M settlement with Mercyhealth, lawsuits against Marriott and a Las Vegas casino and continued scrutiny of hiring and dress code practices.
→ ER Insight: The message is clear: Accommodations aren’t a nice-to-have, they’re a compliance must-have. ER teams should be re-validating policies, manager training and documentation now — before a routine request turns into a lawsuit.
We’re tracking the headlines so you can focus on what matters most: Early action, consistent resolution and a culture where everyone feels safe speaking up.
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