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Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break
Hosted by seasoned attorney Pam Howland, alongside attorneys Jennifer Walrath and Doug Plass, Ground Rules delivers employment law insights in bite-sized weekly episodes. With decades of courtroom experience, this dynamic trio has seen the costly consequences of legal missteps for employers—and they're here to help you avoid them.
Perfect for business owners, HR professionals, and supervisors, this podcast is your go-to guide for staying ahead of the curve on employment law, fostering compliant workplaces, and keeping your business out of the courthouse. Grab your coffee, tune in, and gain practical tips to protect and empower your team.
Episodes
52 episodes
The Ames Case and Its Impact on Employers
In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam Howland, Doug Plass, and Jennifer Walrath break down the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services and what...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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20:35
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Employment Law in 2026: What Employers Need to Be Watching Now
2026 is already shaping up to be a year of significant change in employment law. In this episode of Ground Rules, our attorneys break down the key trends emerging from 2025 and what they signal for employers moving forward — including ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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33:31
What One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) Means for Employers
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OB3), signed into law in 2025, includes changes that could impact employers in 2026 — even though it isn’t traditionally viewed as employment legislation.In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law O...
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Season 1
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Episode 50
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32:56
Holiday Parties & Hidden Legal Risks
Holiday parties are meant to boost morale—not create legal problems. But every year, employers find themselves dealing with harassment complaints, wage and hour surprises, and liability issues they didn’t see coming.In this episode of
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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20:40
New EEOC Guidance: Anti-American National Origin Discrimination
In this episode, Pam, Doug, and Jennifer walk through the EEOC’s newly released technical assistance bulletin addressing national origin discrimination. The team highlights why the bulletin matters, how it fits into broader enforcement trends, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 48
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26:50
The Truth About Trials: Unpredictability, Cost, and Why to Stay Out of Court
In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam and Jennifer pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to take an employment case to trial. Fresh off a seven-day jury trial, they break down the unpredictability, cost, and intense pressure th...
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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27:20
FMLA 101: What Every Employer Needs to Get Right
In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam, Jennifer, and Megan take a practical, employer-focused look at one of the most frequently used — and frequently misunderstood — workplace laws: the Family and Medical Leave Act.Megan shares ...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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36:21
How Emotional Intelligence Protects Your Organization
In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam, Jennifer, and Doug sit down with keynote speaker and executive coach Michelle Choate to explore how emotional intelligence (EQ) directly shapes compliance, cu...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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38:02
Workplace Drug Testing: Understanding Rights, Risks, and Requirements
When it comes to drug and alcohol testing, employers must balance safety, compliance, and employee rights. In this episode, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass discuss when testing is appropriate, what policies should include, and how...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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27:37
Why This Supreme Court Case Made It Easier to Sue Your Employer
In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam Howland sits down with Doug Plass and Jennifer Walrath to unpack the ripple effects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Lou...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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25:42
LGBTQ+ Protections: What’s Actually Changed (and What Hasn’t)
The rules around LGBTQ+ protections in the workplace seem to shift every news cycle—but what’s the real legal landscape for employers in late 2025? Pam, Jennifer, and Doug unpack where Bostock v. Clayton County still stands, how recent...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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33:06
When the DOL Knocks: How to Handle a Wage & Hour Audit
What should you do if the Department of Labor shows up at your door? In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam Howland sits down with attorneys Doug Plass and Jennifer Walrith to discuss how employers ...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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18:36
Wage & Hour 101: Avoiding Claims Before They Start
In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, attorneys Pam Howland, Doug Plass, and Jennifer Walrath sit down to unpack one of the most common sources of employer headaches — wage and hour compliance.T...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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24:11
Inside Our Workplace Investigations Workshop: The “Why” Behind Investigations
In this special episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, we’re giving you a front-row seat to our recent Workplace Investigations Workshop.You’ll hear from attorney Megan Egbert as she kicks off the traini...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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32:55
Re-Release: Retaliation Claims: What Employers Need to Know
With everything going on in workplaces right now, we thought this was the perfect time to revisit one of our most important episodes. Retaliation claims remain the number one issue filed with the EEOC — making up nearly 40% of all charges. In t...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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26:47
Social Media Discipline in a Dicey Political Climate
In today’s politically charged climate, employers are facing more pressure than ever when employees’ social media posts spark controversy at work. Posts that blur the line between personal expression and workplace impact raise tough questions:<...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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31:59
When One Accommodation Isn’t Enough
What happens when an employee needs more than one accommodation—or when new disabilities come to light after the process has already started? In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam, Jennifer, and Do...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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24:18
AI in the Hiring Process—Opportunities, Risks, and What Employers Need to Know
In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam Howland, Doug Plass, and Jennifer Walrath are joined by our summer intern, Alisha Hopkins, for a timely look at how artificial intelligence is changing hiring—...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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27:27
Navigating 2025 HR Trends with Monica Frame
In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam Howland, Doug Plass, and Jennifer Walrath sit down with HR consultant Monica Frame to talk about the major trends she’s seeing across organizations in 2025. Wi...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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39:35
LGBTQ+ Workplace Protections in Flux: What Employers Need to Know
In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam Howland, Doug Plass, and Jennifer Walrath dive into the unsettled and rapidly changing state of LGBTQ+ protections in the workplace. From the landmark Bost...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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25:07
Employment Agreements: When, Why, and How to Use Them
In this episode, the hosts discuss the complexities of employment agreements, including their necessity, risks, and benefits. They emphasize the importance of understanding the implications of such agreements in an at-will employment state like...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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25:40
From Complaint to Conclusion: A Practical Guide to Workplace Investigations
A poorly handled workplace investigation can damage morale, tank culture, and open the door to legal risk. In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass pull back the curtain on how to get investigation...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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37:55
The Kiss Cam Scandal: Lessons For Employers
In this episode, Pam, Doug, and Jennifer discuss the complexities of workplace romance, particularly in light of the recent kiss cam scandal. They explore employer perspectives on regulating personal relationships, the risks associated with sup...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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27:08
Severance Agreements 101: Managing Risk on the Way Out
On this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam, Jennifer, and Doug break down the ins and outs of severance agreements. Whether you’re navigating a high-risk termination, wondering how much to offer, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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30:27
The Device Dilemma: Work Phones vs. Personal Phones in the Workplace
In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam, Jennifer, and Doug dive into the surprisingly complex topic of work phones vs. personal phones—and what it means for employers.From wage and hour risks to trade secrets walking out the door,...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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29:48