S6 E4: Keeping Engagement Real Amid Workplace Risks
Podcast June 17, 2025
When company culture collides with legal risk, HR is stuck in the middle. Tom Jones and Steve Pangione of AIM HR Solutions reveal how to navigate offsite parties, political tension, and ADA accommodations—without losing your balance.
Topics Covered:
- How offsite company events can open the door to legal liability
- What “voluntary” really means when leadership gets involved
- Where employee speech is protected—and where it isn’t
- Coaching managers through sensitive political and cultural conversations
- Understanding ADA obligations and building a culture of good-faith flexibility
Links & Notes
- U.S. Department of Labor – Wage & Hour Division — Guidance on compensation for company-sponsored events and voluntary
- EEOC – Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the ADA — Clarifies what qualifies as a reasonable accommodation and how to evaluate undue hardship
- SHRM – Legal Issues for Company-Sponsored Social Events — Best practices for managing liability, alcohol, and attendance at company outings
- EEOC – Harassment and Protected Speech Guidance — Covers legal standards for when speech creates a hostile work environment
- SHRM – Political Discussions in the Workplace — Advice for managing political expression and its impact on team dynamics