General

Q: What are the key best practices employers should follow when terminating an employee? A: Even in at-will employment states, terminations should be handled thoughtfully and with preparation. Employers should ensure the decision is based on a legitimate, well-documented business reason and is applied consistently. Plan the termination in advance, confirm state-specific final pay and benefits Read the rest of the article HR Q&A – January 2026

HR Best Practice  Address performance issues early and document consistently.  Focus on objective, job-related expectations—not assumptions.  Use informal supports (training, coaching, flexibility) before moving to discipline when appropriate.  Apply standards consistently across employees to reduce legal risk. Maintain dignity—for all parties—throughout the process. Read the Full Article

Today we’re concluding our 3-part series on Pregnancy! This episode focuses on the return-to-work phase, when our employee comes back to the practice after the birth and the leave of absence. We have our fantastic senior HR Specialist Trisha Lincoln SHRM-SCP back with us. Join us to learn about nursing, pumping, what if the employee Read the rest of the article Podcast!: Pregnancy in the Dental Office – Part 3: Returning to Work

Dr. S hired M.L. as the new Office Manager. She didn’t have managerial training, so she relied on the practice’s employee handbook, which was older and not updated. One employee, Emma, shared her wage with another employee, Sarah. The handbook had a policy that employees couldn’t discuss their wages. M.L fired Emma. This led to Read the rest of the article Case Study: Outdated Employee Handbooks

Today we’re discussing Scary Letters (no not unemployment, that’s not scary). Real scary letters are from attorneys representing former employees, threatening lawsuits and legal action, demanding settlements, etc. Trisha Lincoln SHRM-SCP joins Alan Twigg to break down where these scary letters come from, and the two common paths forward. Spoiler alert: if you have your Read the rest of the article Podcast: Scary Letters – Handling a Threatening Legal Action

California Requires “Workplace Know Your Rights Act” Notice—due by February 1, 2026 Under California’s new “Workplace Know Your Rights Act” (Senate Bill 294), employers are required to provide employees with a new, stand-alone written notice explaining key workplace and legal rights. The notice must be distributed to current employees by February 1, 2026, and the requirement Read the rest of the article What’s New in HR Compliance – Jan 2026

Do you know your HR Risk? Access You HR Risk Analysis

It’s that time of year again! The holidays are right around the corner, and businesses are gearing up for parties and events—which always brings plenty of questions and concerns. We’re here to help! We thought it would be a great time to remind everyone of some common issues that tend to pop up during this Read the rest of the article ‘Tis the Season: Unwrapping HR During the Holidays

The Dental HR Podcast · Culture, Onboarding, and Leading Gen Z with Dr. Brad Chvatal   Get ready for an epic discussion with Dr. Brad Chvatal, an amazing orthodontist in Eugene, Oregon. Dr. Brad has practiced and led a successful multi-location team for over 20 years. This is a fun and wide-ranging chat on many Read the rest of the article Podcast: Culture, Onboarding, and Leading Gen Z with Dr. Brad Chvatal

You’ve posted an amazing ad, reviewed resumes, and narrowed down your candidates. Now it’s time for the crucial interview. What should you ask? This guide focuses on the questions you should ask. We could also talk about the many questions you shouldn’t ask. The short version: state and federal protections prohibit discrimination in the hiring Read the rest of the article Interview Questions!