This week, Pam Howland and Jennifer Walrath welcome Idaho Employment Lawyers' newest attorney, Laegan Meyers, to Ground Rules.

Drawing on her experience defending employers in litigation, Laegan shares what she sees once a workplace dispute reaches the courtroom—and, more importantly, what employers can do now to reduce the chances of ever getting there.

From documentation and employee handbooks to workplace communications and discovery, the conversation explores how everyday decisions can become critical evidence in litigation. You'll also hear why contemporaneous documentation matters, what employers should know about Teams, Slack, emails, and text messages, and why proactive compliance is almost always less expensive than defending a lawsuit.

If you're looking for practical ways to better protect your organization—and get to know IEL's newest attorney along the way—this episode is a great place to start.

*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

📖 Available now on Amazon! Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits

Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit - arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!

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Every supervisor makes mistakes—but some mistakes are far more costly than others.

In this episode of Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, Doug Plass, and special guest Megan Renaldo of Renaldo & Co. compare notes on the leadership and compliance issues they see most often when working with employers.

Together, they discuss:

• Why waiting too long to address performance problems creates bigger issues
• The importance of documentation that actually supports employment decisions
• Why supervisors need to know their organization's policies—not just HR
• Common ADA, accommodation, and compliance mistakes that lead to legal claims
• How poor communication and unclear expectations impact both team performance and legal risk
• Why better hiring starts with better job descriptions

Whether you're a supervisor, HR professional, or business leader, this episode offers practical strategies to build stronger leaders, improve team performance, and reduce employment law risk—all before problems end up in the courtroom.

*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

📖 Available now on Amazon! Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits

Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit - arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!

Don't miss out!
🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn
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The Idaho Human Rights Commission's latest annual report reveals a sharp increase in discrimination and harassment claims—but the numbers tell a more nuanced story than the headlines suggest.

In this episode, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass break down the FY2026 IHRC data, including the continued rise in disability accommodation claims, significant growth in pregnancy and sex discrimination allegations, and increasing religion and national origin complaints. They also discuss one encouraging statistic many employers overlook: nearly 79% of cases end with a finding of no probable cause, and mediation continues to resolve the vast majority of disputes successfully.

If you're an Idaho employer, HR professional, or supervisor, this episode will help you understand what these trends mean for your workplace and where to focus your compliance efforts before problems become legal claims.

*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

📖 Available now on Amazon! Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits

Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit - arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!

Don't miss out!
🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📧 Sign up for our email blast
📚 Learn more about our Law for Leaders Training Program
👥 Learn more about your Hosts and Idaho Employment Lawyers

Many employers think discrimination and harassment training is something you do once, check off the list, and move on. The reality? Employment law, technology, workplace dynamics, and employee expectations are constantly evolving—and your training should too.

In this episode of L4L Book Club, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass discuss why ongoing training is one of the best investments employers can make. They cover:

• Why the law expects regular training
• How changing laws and EEOC guidance impact employers
• The role of AI, technology, and social media in today's workplace
• Why supervisors need different (and more in-depth) training than employees
• How consistent training helps prevent claims, strengthens workplace culture, and keeps employers out of court

If you've ever wondered whether annual training is really worth the investment, this episode makes the case.

*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

📖 Available now on Amazon! Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits

Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit - arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!

Don't miss out!
🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📧 Sign up for our email blast
📚 Learn more about our Law for Leaders Training Program
👥 Learn more about your Hosts and Idaho Employment Lawyers

Most employers know depositions are part of the litigation process—but few realize just how much preparation, strategy, and disruption they involve. In this episode, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass discuss the top 10 things that surprise employers about depositions, from marathon questioning and document-heavy testimony to attorney tactics and the importance of preparation. Whether you're facing employment litigation now or simply want to understand what happens behind the scenes, this episode offers practical insights into one of the most critical stages of a lawsuit.

*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

📖 Available now on Amazon! Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits

Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit - arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!

Don't miss out!
🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📧 Sign up for our email blast
📚 Learn more about our Law for Leaders Training Program
👥 Learn more about your Hosts and Idaho Employment Lawyers

Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, but thoughtful strategy will always outlast the latest technology.

In the final installment of our three-part AI series, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, Doug Plass, and AI governance and strategy consultant Ally Ross discuss what separates organizations that are successfully leveraging AI from those creating unnecessary risk.

The conversation explores why employers shouldn't feel pressured to "keep up" with every new AI development, how strong governance and clean data create a foundation for long-term success, and why the organizations seeing the greatest return from AI are using it to enhance—not replace—their people.

The group also discusses AI agents, the importance of ongoing oversight as technology evolves, and why employers of every size should begin building an AI strategy now—even if they're just getting started.

Whether your organization is actively implementing AI or simply trying to understand what comes next, this episode offers practical guidance for building an AI program that is strategic, compliant, and built to last.

*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

📖 Available now on Amazon! Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits

Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit - arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!

Don't miss out!
🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📧 Sign up for our email blast
📚 Learn more about our Law for Leaders Training Program
👥 Learn more about your Hosts and Idaho Employment Lawyers

The EEOC released its new National Enforcement Plan in June 2026, and it reads like a roadmap of exactly where enforcement is headed through 2029. I sat down with Jennifer Walrath and Doug Plass to break down what's in it and what it means for you as an employer.

This is not a vague document. The EEOC is telling employers and their attorneys precisely which types of cases it plans to bring and which legal questions it wants the Supreme Court to settle. That kind of transparency is worth paying attention to.

*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

📖 Available now on Amazon! Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits

Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit - arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!

Don't miss out!
🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn
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📚 Learn more about our Law for Leaders Training Program
👥 Learn more about your Hosts and Idaho Employment Lawyers

What do AI policies have in common with traffic laws? More than you might think. In Part 2 of our AI series, Ally Ross uses a "rules of the road" analogy to explain how employers can create practical guardrails for AI use. The conversation covers policy development, human oversight, bias concerns, documentation, monitoring, and why doing nothing may be the riskiest approach of all.

*Ground Rules hosts and guests are not providing legal advice in this podcast. Do not act upon any of the information discussed in this podcast without first consulting a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.*

📖 Available now on Amazon! Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits

Written for busy leaders who need straightforward answers, this guide cuts through legal complexity to deliver fundamental knowledge that can help protect your business. Don't risk a preventable lawsuit - arm yourself with the practical wisdom that only comes from decades of courtroom experience. Purchase your copy here!

Don't miss out!
🔗 Connect with us on LinkedIn
📧 Sign up for our email blast
📚 Learn more about our Law for Leaders Training Program
👥 Learn more about your Hosts and Idaho Employment Lawyers