Employment Law Best Practices: Your HR Playbook for Next Year

As we look towards 2026 (gulp), the employment law landscape continues to evolve at a dizzying pace. Multi-state leave requirements. AI in the workplace. Pay transparency mandates. Religious accommodation demands. The list goes on.

Here’s the thing: you can’t control what laws get passed. But you absolutely can control how your organization responds.

Start with Documentation

If there’s one habit that separates thriving HR departments from struggling ones, it’s consistent documentation. Performance issues, accommodation requests, policy violations—document in real-time, not when you’re preparing for a termination. Good documentation protects everyone and demonstrates fairness. Maybe you need some small tweaks or maybe some expert eyes on your practices. We have two fixed fee services that can help: our Human Resources Function Audit  and our Diagnostic Compliance Audit.

Train Your Managers

Your managers are your first line of defense—or your biggest liability. Invest in regular training on recognizing accommodation requests, handling performance conversations, and understanding what constitutes harassment. When managers know the rules, they make better decisions in the moment. We have spent years honing useful, easy to digest training modules on any topic to fit your busy workplace.

Update Your Handbook Annually

Your employee handbook isn’t a “set it and forget it” document. Laws change. Your workplace evolves. Today’s workplace is not going to read a 50 page tome. An outdated handbook creates confusion and increases liability. Schedule an annual review with employment counsel who knows your business. Don’t use AI. We make it almost as easy to update or create a new handbook with a much better product and more protection.

Embrace the Interactive Process

Whether it’s disability accommodation, religious needs, or leave requests—don’t make assumptions. Ask questions. Engage in good-faith dialogue. Document the conversation. The interactive process isn’t just legally required; it’s good management. We so wish everyone would adopt our fixed fee Reasonable Accommodation Compliance Toolkit–it is a game changer.

Get Proactive Legal Support

The best time to call your employment attorney isn’t when you’re facing a lawsuit—it’s before you make the decision that could create one. Preventive guidance is always cheaper than litigation. Our Employment Counsel On Call Triage–a flat monthly fee for answers to vexing questions– is a terrific service.

Questions? We can help. We would love to help you with sound preventative practices to keep your organization moving.