253. Policy Pulse: New Leadership, Rollbacks, and What HR Needs to Know

This month's Policy Pulse episode with Traci and co-host Bryan Driscoll is packed with the compliance updates every HR leader needs heading into 2026. With new EEOC leadership officially in place, federal enforcement is shifting, state protections are becoming more critical, and workplace culture decisions are getting harder to navigate.Spoiler alert: You're about to feel major whiplash as protections from the past four years (DEI initiatives, pregnancy accommodations, gender identity policies, and more) face rollbacks. But state laws might be your lifeline.This conversation covers everything from DEI audits and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to religious and gender identity protections, reverse discrimination claims, and a cultural reality check about office returns. You'll hear why one company's Halloween costume mishap revealed their broken culture, what managers actually need to know about anti-harassment training, and the single question every HR leader should ask before mandating people back to the office. Plus, Bryan walks through the most pressing questions he's getting from clients right now about navigating these changes without losing employee trust.What We CoverNew EEOC leadership and the anticipated rollbacks to DEI programs, pregnant workers protections, and gender identity policiesWhy auditing your DEI initiatives now isn't optional (it's survival)The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: expanded protections facing the axe and what state laws might save youReligious and gender identity conflicts: expect stronger protections for religious objections and narrower interpretations of gender identityWhen federal law disappears, state law is your safety net and some states have serious teethThe culture-killing move: mandating office returns without a legitimate business reasonHow convincing employees signals distrust and guarantees compliance theater instead of real engagementWhy one Halloween costume revealed everything wrong with a company's cultureAnti-harassment training for managers vs. company-wide training: why you need both and why most companies miss thisThe real question HR leaders should ask before sending that RTO mandate: would I come in for that reason?Key Quote"Your response or lack of response when someone crosses a line in your organization, that is your culture." - Bryan DriscollConnect with Bryan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanjohndriscoll/ Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraciDisclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed.Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

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