Improve Your HR

Oracle Laid Off Thousands by Email—and That May Have Been the Right Call

Evil HR Lady — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 09:33:04 +0000

Oracle laid off thousands of employees yesterday. Numbers vary, with some reports saying up to 30,000 employees. Regardless, they conducted the mass termination via email. Employees received notification early Tuesday morning, and many of them were not happy.

Writing at the subreddit, r/employeesofOracle, one former employee wrote:

“I was with Oracle for 26 years, and got the email at 6am. That they didn’t bother to do a phone call is disgusting, cowardly, and just plain ugly.”

It does seem disgusting, cowardly, and just plain ugly to not even have the compassion to tell employees face-to-face that their livelihood was being yanked out from underneath them. It removes human interaction at a time that is emotionally and financially devastating. But terminations at this scale are a logistics problem just as much as they are a human problem. These technical and coordination issues change what good looks like.

To keep reading, click here: Oracle Laid Off Thousands by Email—and That May Have Been the Right Call

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Your Employees Want to Be Your Friend—Mostly Because It Helps Their Careers

Evil HR Lady — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:15:32 +0000

In television shows, it’s your work friends who are your bridesmaids at your wedding and who show up to the hospital when you have a baby. It seems like that’s how work relationships should be–warm and full of friendship and trust.

In real life, there should be a clear, professional wall between a manager and an employee.

What is a friend?

Social media messed up our definition of “friend.” Someone who is your Facebook friend may or may not be a “friend.” Friends should be people who you are close to and with whom you share personal information.

Your employees (and, frankly, the vast majority of coworkers) should be “acquaintances” or “colleagues.” These are people with whom you are warm and friendly, but keep appropriate boundaries.

To keep reading, click here: Your Employees Want to Be Your Friend—Mostly Because It Helps Their Careers

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Does Bait and Switch actually work?

Evil HR Lady — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:38:50 +0000

I saw this on Reddit:

They lied about 100% Remote until the very last stage of the interview

I am actually fuming right now and I feel like I just wasted three weeks of my life for absolutely nothing . I applied for a Senior Analyst position that was explicitly listed as “100% Remote / Work from anywhere in the UK” . It was the first line of the job description and the main reason I even looked at the posting .

I went through three separate rounds of interviews . First was the standard HR screening where I confirmed again that the role is fully remote because I live about four hours away from their main office . The recruiter smiled and said “Yes , absolutely , we transitioned to a remote-first model last year” . Second round was a technical task that took me nearly 6 hours of my weekend . Third round was a 90-minute panel interview with the department head and two senior leads .

Everything went great . They liked my portfolio and we talked about “culture fit” for ages . Then , right at the end of the final call , the department head casually mentions , “So , just to be clear , we expect everyone in the office Monday to Friday for the first six months of training . After that , we can discuss a hybrid model if your performance is up to par” .

I actually froze . I told them the job ad specifically said 100% remote and the recruiter confirmed it twice . The head of department just laughed—an actual , genuine laugh—and said “Oh , HR just puts that in to get more applicants through the door . We find that people learn better when they are physically at their desks” .

I didnt even wait for them to finish . I just said “Then you should have hired someone who lives in London” and hung up the Zoom call . I have never felt so disrespected in my professional life . They knew where I lived from my CV and they still let me waste hours of my time just to pull a bait-and-switch at the finish line .

LinkedIn is a cancer and these companies are actually delusional if they think this is an okay way to treat human beings .

I just have to know if this really works for anyone?

I have never understood why companies lie to candidates. Why would you want to bring someone on board who would be unhappy with the work?

And especially a situation like this, that would require relocation?

I’d say this is made up, but I know people in real life who have had this type of bait-and-switch happen to them. I know one person who relocated for a job and, on her first day, found out that the job description they posted and referred to throughout the interview wasn’t the job she was supposed to do. They explained, “We couldn’t find anyone who would take this job, so we made up a new job description.”

100 percent remote can maybe include a quarterly meeting with the company covering costs.

Hybrid means at least 1 guaranteed day from home each week. But your post should be clear that it’s only 1.

If you require in-office training with the option to go remote, say so.

There are people who want the job you have to offer. Be honest. If you can’t find anyone who wants the job you’re offering, the salary is too low.

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The $75 Lunch That Beats Any Exit Interview

Evil HR Lady — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:13:04 +0000

Headhunter Nick Corcodilos calls exit interviews the “cockroaches of the employment world” because “no one knows why they exist, no one can justify or eliminate them, and they will likely survive into the third millennium.”

I love the idea of exit interviews in theory, as they could gather valuable data that companies could use to improve the employee experience, reduce turnover, and ultimately lower costs. But, employees on the way out the door don’t have a good reason to be honest about why they are leaving, as they need to leave on good terms to protect future references.

Why traditional exit interviews don’t work

Employees tend to give generic responses, like, “I didn’t intend to leave, but this opportunity just landed in my lap, and it will allow me to grow and develop!” when, in reality, the person has been interviewing like crazy for the past six months or more.

To keep reading, click here: The $75 Lunch That Beats Any Exit Interview

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14 Unhinged Workplace Stories That Prove HR Professionals Deserve a Medal

Evil HR Lady — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:19:02 +0000

Last week, I hosted a conference called Spring Forward HR. Participants submitted stories about the problems they had to handle and the employees and managers they encountered.

With more than 1,000 registrants, the stories were abundant. If you ever want to ask, “Why do we need HR?” the answer is (in part) “because HR handles this.” (The stories have been lightly edited for clarity and length.)

1. Haircut in the office

Staff came in Monday morning and found hair on the floor in one of the rooms—someone had come in over the weekend and gotten a haircut.

We never officially figured out who did it.

2. Buying supplies from the employer

We had an employee throw a complete fit because we wouldn’t let her buy supplies from the company’s inventory.

We purchase in bulk and tax-free. She thought she should be able to get in on those deals too.

No. Go to Costco like everyone else.

To read the rest of the stories, click here: 14 Unhinged Workplace Stories That Prove HR Professionals Deserve a Medal

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39 Crazy and Scary Things Employees Have Said to HR Managers

Evil HR Lady — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:32:28 +0000

(Note: In putting together some of the stories from Spring Forward HR, I went on a search for these and was not disappointed. If you missed Spring Forward HR, you can still catch the replay with a VIP ticket.)

Here are 39 real examples of things employees have said to HR managers or HR managers have had to say to employees. How many will you experience while Mercury is in retrograde this time around? Maybe we should make a bingo card.

Got told to “have a nice life, b!tch.”
Someone loudly yelling “I’m a very chill person” at you when you talk to them about telling a co-worker to “f*ck off.”
After the birth of my son, “maybe now that you’re a mom, you will have a heart.”
“Is that even legal?” Or “Isn’t that illegal?” When employees hear/are being told to do something they don’t like, but there’s no actual law.
I have been called the devil, among other choice words.
Being asked, “What do I do with this chair? Someone peed on it,” and being told, “I think someone pooped in this chair.” And no, I’m not HR for a day care.
Just because you were told to do your job doesn’t mean you are a victim of harassment.
“When you list your employer on your Facebook, then yes, your social media actually is our business, sir.”
Being called a “racist white b*tch” when explaining to an employee why she was let go for violating policy.
I told an outside recruiting firm who was cold calling that we don’t use outside recruiting firms, and he said, “Ok then, why don’t you just suck my wiener” and then hung up.
“It is actually our business who you are having ‘relations’ with, especially when it’s your co-worker, on company property, and on the clock. STOP HAVING SEX AT WORK!”
I had a terminated employee tell me he hoped I got Covid-19.
“You cannot use your company credit card for bail.”
I had an employee come up for a random drug test. Our safety manager went on-site to pick him up to drive him to the clinic. “OO, cool, let me just grab my synthetic urine out of my truck. I can warm it up on the way. You’re OK with that, right?” Um, no. Just no.
A caller kept demanding that I give him a job. He said, “If I was sick, I’d go to the doctor. I need a job, so I’m calling you.”
In response to a rejection email: “Whatever, c*nt.”
“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.” Every. Time.
Context: Terminating someone for violating their quarantine and coming into work because they “feel better.” HR: “It is your own responsibility to follow the company’s pandemic protocols.” Now Former EE: “That is b&ll sh!t–the company can…” (Person was cut off and the conversation politely ended.)
Getting called the Policy Nazi for enforcing policies.
Got something thrown at you during a termination meeting.
I wish someone told me while I was in college for HR that talking to people about their hygiene would be something I dealt with a lot. Literally, in every HR job I’ve had, there’s at least one smelly one. Call me naive, but I did not think adults didn’t know about personal hygiene.
“Ummm, someone pooped on the bathroom floor, and facilities said to call you.”
One of my “favorites” was being screamed at by a daughter whose mother didn’t enroll in medical benefits during open enrollment. Mom didn’t come to info sessions. Guess who interceded with benefits? No apology or thanks from either person.
For a while, I kept track of how many different languages I’ve been cursed at in!
Day 3 of a new job: Did you know that X employee is blackmailing his manager because of the racy photos he has on his phone of her? Oh, and the manager paid the blackmail!”
Open filing cabinet at employee desk only to find an open and chilled can of Four Loco.
Observe an employee crush up her pain meds and snort off the top of a garbage can. The best part, it was a mirrored atrium, so everyone saw her do it, but when in the atrium, you can’t see inside the building. When questioned about it, she said, “I didn’t think anyone could see me!”
“I don’t do drugs. My girlfriend must have put something in my food.”
I had an employee in a call center who answered my question, “How many personal calls do you think is reasonable during your work day?” with “Hmmm, I don’t know, 40?” I shockingly said, “Forty! That is 200 a week!!!” And her response was, “Is that a lot?!?!?”
An employee goes to the HR manager and says she needs to “file a claim for crabs.” I asked the HR manager to elaborate. EE’s boyfriend said she must have gotten crabs from the office bathroom and not from him. Again, how is this an HR problem? “Crabs are not compensable under workers compensation, but I’m sure a trip to your doctor would be covered by your medical.” Give me patience, Lord.
At a restaurant, I had to fire a cook for watching porn on the line during service.
“I admit I’m not performing my job well, but clearly the reason my manager is addressing my performance is obviously because I am [in this protected class.]”
“I failed my drug test because I had a poppy seed bagel for breakfast this morning.”
I was once an HR manager for a company that operated multiple warehouses. I had an employee, whom we never caught, who would climb to the very top racks to poop. There was no restroom up there. He/she would just drop their pants and poop in the racks. Where merchandise could be stored, they even had their own toilet paper up there, so it was not a one-time occurrence. My facilities guy was, oh, so happy to have to clean that up. And we in HR and facilities referred to them as the unknown poopatrator.
“Executive candidate accidentally attaches nude instead of corporate headshot.” He withdrew from consideration for the position.
How about when the (former) employee’s parent shows up at your office to ask why their adult child was terminated?
I can’t come to work because I was bitten by a sick lizard.
A call center employee hung up on 100 cable customers in less than an hour. She was terminated for cause and tried to get unemployment. She said she did the whole thing because she was about to have a baby, and she wanted to go out on unemployment. That plan didn’t work out so well.
After firing an incompetent employee, I was told, “Now that I am not an employee, maybe we can get together sometime?”

Hopefully, this period of mercurial retrograde isn’t as bad as previous ones. But, maybe warn your employees against eating poppyseed bagels so they don’t fail those drug tests–just in case.

This originally appeared at Inc.

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Spring Forward HR 2026 Is Over!

Evil HR Lady — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:24:52 +0000

Monday was Spring Forward HR 2026. It was an amazing success and you can mark your calendar for Spring Forward HR 2027. (Monday, March 15!)

I want to thank every single person who spoke, came, commented, or just listened with half an ear while solving other people’s problems. Here’s just a quick recap of the event.

Justin Bariso
“Does this need to be said?”
“Does this need to be said now?”
”Does this need to be said by me?”

Ashley Herd
“I realized a lot of what I do is solve, solve, solve, and I’m here, I’m happy to solve… but I also want to help build people and capability and help you feel more confident in situations.”

James Baker

“So how do we move forward? Well, we get away from one-size-fits-all training that is updated periodically, and we move into individualized training that’s done in real time, kind of in the flow of work.”

Kristen A. Pressner

“And the reality is, we’re all neurodivergent. We’re different in the way that our brains work. For some people, they’re … not considered in the normal range, and so the world isn’t built for them, and it can create wind in their face… But if we just take a step back and say, why wouldn’t we want to create a world where we all understand we’re all diverse in the way that our brains think?”

Todd Stanton

“5% of employees cause 95% of the problems.”
“Whoever ends the interactive process loses.”
“No employer has ever regretted settling a claim.”

Robin Schooling

“Psychological safety has to be a business priority—not just something that sounds nice in HR.”

Marie Lobbezoo – SPHR
“Even when someone is yelling and angry, dignity and respect matter. Staying calm shows them you’re listening.”

Mel Mosier, SPHRi, SHRM-SCP
“Positive, negative, it does drain you. And then when you don’t have your psychological safety needs met, you’re wondering why you’re burnt out or at capacity.”

Stacie Racho-Ortiz
“Sometimes in some organizations, even human resource professionals also may not feel like they have the buy-in or psychological safety from whom they report to.”

Deb Muller (who shared stories)
“No creative writer could ever come up with these.”

Stacey Dennis, SHRM-SCP
“I’ve lately been trying to ask myself, what are people experiencing when they experience you?”

Colleen Schwartz (who helped with the games and provided prizes from Snappy)

And our producer, Shaun Hunter, who probably said, “Suzanne, please click here. No HERE. See my arrow? Click there!”

The post Spring Forward HR 2026 Is Over! appeared first on Improve Your HR.

EEOC Warns 500 Companies Over DEI Compliance: What Your Business Must Review Now

Evil HR Lady — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:04:16 +0000

Andrea Lucas, chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), recently sent a letter to the 500 largest companies in the United States, warning them that DEI programs that violate Title VII, a landmark anti-discrimination law, could face enforcement.

This may sound like the law has changed. It hasn’t. Title VII already prohibits discrimination even when it’s done under the banner of DEI. What has changed is the agency’s emphasis on enforcement and priorities. Here is what employment attorney Michael Elkins recommends:

Take a close look at your diversity programs

Writing on LinkedIn, employment attorney Michael Elkins outlined several steps companies should consider in response to the EEOC letter:

To keep reading, click here: EEOC Warns 500 Companies Over DEI Compliance: What Your Business Must Review Now

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A Founder’s ‘Under 26’ Hiring Post Got 3.1 Million Views, and Maybe a Lawsuit, Too

Evil HR Lady — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:17:25 +0000

“We are hiring young engineers to come grind in nyc. Must be under 26”

3.1 million views later, Drew Levin, founder of SideShift App, deleted his post on X.

I think he was legit surprised that a federal law (ADEA) existed that prohibited discrimination against those over 40. And there’s a NY state law (The New York State Human Rights Law) which prohibits discrimination from 18 on.

I’d say he needs to hire a good HR person to stop him from making this mistake, but I had HR professionals openly complain yesterday about Coca-Cola not being able to hold women-only retreats, so sometimes I just shake my head.

Y’all, knock off the discrimination.

To keep reading, click here: A Founder’s ‘Under 26’ Hiring Post Got 3.1 Million Views, and Maybe a Lawsuit, Too

And why haven’t you registered for Spring Forward HR yet? (If you have, you won’t regret it!)

What is Spring Forward HR?

Spring Forward HR is a free virtual conference on March 9, 2026, designed for HR professionals responsible for compliance, employee relations, performance management, and workforce strategy.

It is a live conference with your chance to interact with speakers and play games for prizes. It begins at 11:30 AM Eastern, 8:30 AM Pacific.

You can register here: Spring Forward HR

Who will be speaking?

The speaker lineup is incredible and includes:

Ashley Herd

Ashley Herd is the Founder of Manager Method, with millions of followers across platforms, and a new book called Manager Method. She’ll show you how to support managers without becoming the organizational bottleneck.

Kristen Pressner

Kristen Pressner, incoming Chief People Officer at Nokia and founder of BrainFriend, will discuss neurodiversity, ADHD awareness, and how HR can create performance standards that work for diverse brains. She’ll discuss how HR can design performance systems that work for neurodiverse teams–without lowering standards.

Todd Stanton

Employment attorney Todd Stanton, author of The 95% Rule, will share the legal axioms that help HR make consistent, defensible decisions under pressure—and take your toughest live questions.

Additional speakers include James Baker, Justin Bariso, Robin Schooling, and more!

Do I have to stay the whole time?

The conference runs approximately seven hours. Attend the sessions most relevant to you. You’re free to pop in and out, with one login for the entire day. VIP attendees receive full video access.

Is HRCI and SHRM credit available?

VIP attendees can earn up to 6.5 SHRM and HRCI recertification credits.

Where can I register?
Registration is free

Save your spot for March 9, 2026. You can register here: Spring Forward HR.

Who is sponsoring Spring Forward HR?

Founded by HR consultant and Inc. columnist Suzanne Lucas, Spring Forward HR brings together respected voices across employment law, management strategy, and organizational leadership.

Corporate partners include respected organizations across HR technology, employment law, and workforce innovation.

The post A Founder’s ‘Under 26’ Hiring Post Got 3.1 Million Views, and Maybe a Lawsuit, Too appeared first on Improve Your HR.

Your Company is Already Using AI. Where’s Your Policy?

Evil HR Lady — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:48:02 +0000

Everyone’s racing to use AI – but few have paused long enough to ask, “Do we have rules for this?” Learn how develop your policy.

Everyone’s racing to use AI – but few have paused long enough to ask, “Do we have rules for this?” This session walks HR and business leaders through how to create a responsible, legally sound and people-centered AI policy that keeps innovation flowing without landing on the EEOC’s radar.

Participants will be able to:

Identify where AI is being used in their HR systems
Explain the legal and ethical risks (bias, discrimination, data privacy, transparency) that policies must address.
Draft the essential components of an AI policy, including scope, accountability, human oversight, and data use.
Vet AI vendors and tools for compliance and ethical risk factors.
Develop an implementation and training plan to keep their AI policy active and effective.

Course outline:

What AI really is (and what it’s not) in HR settings.
The new risk landscape: EEOC, ADA, DOL, and state-level AI laws.
Why “human-in-the-loop” oversight is essential for compliance.
Core elements of a responsible AI policy.
How to address data privacy and employee monitoring concerns.
How to roll out and maintain your policy through training and audits.
HR’s evolving role as the ethical gatekeeper of technology.

Part 1: Understanding the Risk (0–15 minutes)

Overview of AI’s growth in HR and common use cases.
Legal exposure from recent cases (Workday, EEOC ADA guidance).
How regulators define “responsible AI.”

Part 2: Building the Policy (15–30 minutes)

Sections every AI policy should include: scope, definitions, oversight, data governance, and transparency.
How to align with company values and existing compliance frameworks.
Interactive activity: Spot the missing safeguards in a sample policy.

Part 3: Bringing It to Life (30–45 minutes)

How to train staff, monitor vendors, and review tools annually.
Checklist: 3 steps to get started this quarter.
Wrap-up: balancing innovation and accountability.

Because every company is already using AI — whether they realize it or not. And without a policy, HR is flying blind.

This session will help HR leaders get ahead of AI risk before regulators, employees, or vendors force their hand. You’ll leave with practical templates, real-world examples, and the confidence to lead AI conversations inside your organization — not just react to them.

The post Your Company is Already Using AI. Where’s Your Policy? appeared first on Improve Your HR.