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Stay Interview Questions: 18 to Ask and How to Run Them

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A stay interview is a structured one-on-one conversation in which a manager asks a current employee what keeps them in the job, what might pull them away, and what would make their work better. Good stay interview questions are open, specific and focused on things the manager can actually change. This guide is for HR leaders and people managers who want to catch fixable turnover before it shows up in a resignation letter. Key takeaways A stay interview happens while the employee still works for you, so you can act on what you hear. An exit interview only explains a loss after it happens. In a Gallup survey of U.S. workers who quit in the prior year, 42% said their manager or organization could have done something to prevent them from leaving. The direct manager should run the conversation, not HR. SHRM guidance says HR should step in only in exceptional circumstances. Plan 30 minutes per stay interview, keep it separate from performance reviews, and hold it one-on-one, ideally...
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Predictive Scheduling Laws: Where They Apply and How to Comply

Predictive scheduling laws require covered employers to give hourly workers their schedules in advance, usually 14 days, and to pay a premium when the employer changes a shift after posting. Oregon has a statewide law, and cities including Seattle, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Philadelphia have their own ordinances. This guide is for HR, operations and payroll leaders who schedule hourly staff in retail, restaurants, hospitality and similar industries across more than one location. This article is general information, not legal advice. Key takeaways The federal Fair Labor Standards Act has no rules on scheduling adult employees, so predictive scheduling (also called fair workweek or secure scheduling) duties come from state and city law. Oregon, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York City fast food all require schedules at least 14 days in advance for covered workers. Coverage usually depends on industry plus a size threshold, such as 500 empl...
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AI Policy for HR: A Company-Wide Template and Checklist

An AI policy for HR is the company-wide rulebook HR owns for how employees use generative AI at work and how the organization uses AI in employment decisions. It should name approved tools, ban certain data from prompts, require human review of hiring and discipline decisions, schedule bias audits, and spell out notice, vendor terms, training and enforcement. This guide is for CHROs, HR policy owners and employment counsel who need one document that covers every employee, not just the HR team. Key takeaways An AI policy for HR has two jobs: governing everyday employee use of generative AI, and governing AI that helps make decisions about candidates and workers. New York City's Local Law 144 requires a bias audit within one year before an automated employment decision tool is used, and notice to candidates or employees 10 business days before use. Since January 1, 2026, the Illinois Human Rights Act requires employers to notify employees when AI is used in covered employment ...
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Employee vs Independent Contractor: Federal and State Tests

Employee vs independent contractor status is decided by how the work actually happens, not by the contract or the 1099. Federal wage law asks whether the worker is economically dependent on you, the IRS asks whether you control the work, and states like California presume employee status unless you pass a strict three-part ABC test. This guide is for HR, payroll and finance leaders who want to check contractor classifications before an agency does. This article is general information, not legal advice. Key takeaways The same worker can be judged under three different tests: the DOL economic reality test for wage and hour law, the IRS common-law control test for federal taxes, and a state test such as California's ABC test. Since May 1, 2025, the DOL Wage and Hour Division has not applied its 2024 independent contractor rule in its own investigations, but that rule remains in effect for private lawsuits. In February 2026 the DOL proposed a new rule built on two core factors:...
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HRIS Requirements Checklist: What to Define Before Vendors

An HRIS requirements checklist is a written list of what your new HR system must do, covering employee data, integrations, payroll, compliance, security, reporting, frontline access, budget and success metrics. You build it before any vendor demo, then turn it into an RFP and a weighted scoring sheet so every vendor is judged on the same terms. This guide is for HR directors, HR operations leads and the IT or finance partners who sit on an HRIS selection team. Key takeaways A requirements checklist should be finished and signed off by HR, payroll, IT and finance before the first vendor demo, not after. Every requirement should be tagged as must-have, should-have or nice-to-have, because only must-haves are pass or fail in scoring. US employers must keep payroll records for at least three years under the FLSA and employment tax records for at least four years under IRS rules, so retention belongs on the checklist. Integration requirements should name each system, the direction o...
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Paid-Up Additional Insurance: How It Works and Benefits

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Paid-up additional insurance, often called paid-up additions or PUAs, is extra whole life coverage bought with policy dividends or extra premium payments. Each addition is fully paid for at purchase, carries its own cash value and death benefit, and can earn future dividends, so it gradually increases both the policy's protection and its savings value. Key takeaways PUAs are small blocks of paid-up whole life insurance added on top of a policy's base coverage. They are usually bought with dividends from a participating policy, or with extra payments through a paid-up additions rider. Each addition increases cash value and death benefit and needs no further premiums. Dividends are not guaranteed, and overfunding a policy can create tax problems. Whether PUAs make sense depends on your goals, budget and time horizon, so review them with a licensed professional. This article is general education, not insurance, tax or investment advice. Speak with a licensed insurance pr...
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How to Sanitize Doorknobs, Handles and Light Switches

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To sanitize doorknobs and handles properly, clean them first with soap and water, then disinfect with an EPA-registered product only when the risk calls for it, such as when someone is sick. Follow the label, keep the surface wet for the stated contact time, ventilate the space and never mix products. This guide is for households and for the office, facilities and operations managers who have to turn that advice into a routine other people will actually follow. Key takeaways Cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting are different steps. The CDC says cleaning with soap or detergent removes most germs, dirt and impurities. At home, the CDC says disinfecting is likely not needed unless someone is sick or a household member has a weakened immune system. Always clean before you disinfect. The product label controls everything: surface type, dilution, contact time and protective equipment. Workplaces need a written routine, trained staff and Safety Data Sheets on hand, not just a spray ...
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