HR Compliance Compass.
Field notes from HR practice

Insights for HR teams of one.

Plain-English federal and state employment law guidance, written for HR teams who don't have time to read a 47-page legal brief. New posts as the law changes — usually weekly.

Federal July 6, 2026 6 min read

EEOC Rescinds Affirmative Action Guidelines: What Changed

On June 30, 2026, the EEOC voted to rescind its 1979 affirmative action guidelines and Compliance Manual Section 607 after roughly 40 years. Title VII itself did not change. Here is what employers should review this week.

Read article
State July 6, 2026 6 min read

Virginia Pay Transparency Law 2026: What Employers Must Do

Virginia now requires pay ranges in job postings and bans salary history questions. See what took effect July 1, 2026, and how to update your hiring process.

Read article
Multi-State July 6, 2026 6 min read

July 1, 2026 Minimum Wage Increases: State-by-State Guide

Alaska rose to $14.00, Washington D.C. to $18.40, Oregon's three regional rates to $15.55, $16.80, and $14.55, and Cook County, San Francisco, and Los Angeles County moved too. Every confirmed rate, plus a payroll checklist.

Read article
Multi-State July 1, 2026 7 min read

HR Compliance Updates, July 2026: Non-Competes, Pay Transparency, and a Wave of July 1 Changes

A busy mid-year, in plain English: non-compete limits in Tennessee, Virginia, and Utah; pay-range posting rules in Virginia, Connecticut, and Maine; new Illinois NICU leave; and the July 1 dates multi-state employers need on the calendar.

Read article
Federal June 2, 2026 4 min read

HR Compliance Updates, June 2026: Overtime, Contractor Pay, and Colorado AI

Three employment-law updates from this spring, in plain English: the overtime threshold is settled at $35,568, the federal contractor wage rose to $13.65, and Colorado's AI law was pushed to 2027. Plus the one thing worth checking.

Read article
Federal May 20, 2026 5 min read

The 2024 Overtime Rule Is Officially Gone. Here's What's In Effect Today.

On May 15, 2026, the DOL formally rescinded the rule that would have raised federal salary thresholds. Here's what changed, what didn't, and what your team should actually do this week.

Read article
Multi-State May 20, 2026 6 min read

Five Multi-State Handbook Mistakes That Get Employers Sued

What employers miss when they use one handbook for every state — and how to keep handbook language aligned with the states where your people actually work.

Read article
Federal May 24, 2026 10 min read

A Workplace Investigation Framework for Small HR Teams

A defensible, step-by-step investigation framework for HR teams of one — or one-and-a-half. Intake to resolution, without missing anything that matters.

Read article
Federal May 24, 2026 11 min read

How to Support Performance — and Document the Process

A framework for supporting employee performance — coaching, PIPs, escalation, and the documentation that protects everyone.

Read article
More posts coming weekly. Federal and state compliance updates, written in plain English.