Ground Rules: Employment Law Over Your Coffee Break

Pam Howland
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. 4d ago

    From AI Activity to Advantage

    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

    30 min

  2. Jun 24

    What the EEOC's New Enforcement Plan Means for Idaho Employers

    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 📧 Sign up for our email blast 📚 Learn more about our Law for Leaders Training Program 👥 Learn more about your Hosts and Idaho Employment Lawyers

    24 min

  3. Jun 17

    The Rules of the Road for AI in the Workplace

    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

    31 min

  4. Jun 10

    Hiring Teens This Summer? These Are The Child Labor Law Mistakes to Avoid

    Summer is one of the busiest hiring seasons of the year, and for many employers, that means bringing teenagers onto the team. But hiring minors comes with unique legal requirements that can catch employers off guard. In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass discuss the top five things employers should know before hiring teens for summer work. From hazardous occupation restrictions and work-hour limitations to recordkeeping requirements and Department of Labor audits, they break down the rules employers need to understand to avoid costly mistakes. The conversation also covers practical compliance tips, common pitfalls in industries like restaurants and retail, and why a little preparation now can save employers significant headaches later. Whether you're hiring your first seasonal employee or managing a large summer workforce, this episode offers practical guidance to help you stay compliant and protect your business. *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

    25 min

  5. Jun 3

    L4L Book Club: The Right Way to Discipline and Terminate

    In this installment of the Law for Leaders Book Club, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass break down one of the most common areas where employers find themselves facing claims and lawsuits: employee discipline and termination. Drawing from Chapter 4 of Law for Leaders: The Roadmap Every Leader Needs to Know to Avoid Workplace Claims and Lawsuits, they discuss why documentation matters, the importance of timely coaching conversations, and how fairness often plays a bigger role than employers realize.  The team also tackles common misconceptions about Idaho's at-will employment laws, shares practical tips for reducing legal risk, and explains why a simple termination checklist can save employers from costly mistakes. Whether you're a business owner, HR professional, or frontline supervisor, this episode offers practical guidance for handling difficult personnel decisions with confidence and compliance. *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

    17 min

  6. May 27

    You want to use AI. Do you know the risks?

    Artificial intelligence is moving into the workplace faster than most employers can keep up with — especially in hiring, HR, and day-to-day operations. But with that opportunity comes growing legal and compliance risk. In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass sit down with Ally Ross of Saig Advice to talk about what employers should actually be thinking about when it comes to AI in the workplace. From AI-driven hiring tools and bias audits to employee resistance, training, and the importance of having the right people at the table, this conversation focuses on what thoughtful and responsible AI implementation really looks like. The group also discusses emerging lawsuits involving AI hiring platforms, why employers cannot simply “blame the AI,” and how HR, legal, operations, and technology teams all play a role in managing risk moving forward. If your organization is trying to figure out where AI fits — and how to stay compliant while using it — this episode is a practical starting point. *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

    26 min

  7. May 20

    What Employers Don’t Expect About Employment Lawsuits

    When an employment lawsuit lands on your desk, most employers expect the facts to speak for themselves and the case to quickly go away. In reality, litigation is rarely that simple. In this episode of Ground Rules, experienced employment litigators Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Doug Plass pull back the curtain on what employment lawsuits actually look like from the defense side. They discuss the realities employers are often unprepared for — including the cost of litigation, lack of control over court timelines, the extensive discovery process, unpredictable juries, and why even weak claims can survive long enough to become expensive. The team also explains why most cases settle before trial, what makes employment cases particularly difficult to predict, and how lawsuits can consume years of business time and resources. Drawing from decades of combined litigation experience defending employers in Idaho state and federal courts, this episode offers a candid look at the legal system, litigation strategy, and the practical business decisions employers face once a claim is filed. *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

    34 min

  8. May 13

    Avoiding Lawsuits in 2026: The Top 5 Issues Employers Can’t Ignore

    What are the biggest employment law risks employers should be paying attention to in 2026? In this episode of Ground Rules, Pam Howland, Jennifer Walrath, and Megan Egbert break down the top five issues they believe every employer, HR professional, and leader should have on their radar this year. From rising ADA claims and shifting EEOC priorities to workplace incivility, documentation mistakes, and the growing costs of litigation, this conversation focuses on the practical steps employers can take now to avoid claims and lawsuits later. The team also discusses:  Why avoiding litigation should be a top business priority  The ADA issues supervisors continue to miss  How workplace culture can turn into legal risk  What employers should know about changing EEOC enforcement trends  Why documentation remains one of the strongest defenses to employment claims  Emerging concerns around AI and employment documentation Plus, they share upcoming training opportunities and resources available for Idaho employers navigating these challenges.

    28 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

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.

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