Ogletree Deakins Podcasts

In part two of this episode of our Defensible Decisions podcast, shareholders Scott Kelly (Birmingham) and Lauren Hicks (Indianapolis/Atlanta) continue their conversation on the nuts and bolts of AI bias audits, focusing on defensible documentation, practical hypotheticals, and remediation strategies. The speakers unpack risks in résumé screeners, promotion and retention-risk models, and “human in the loop” assumptions, offering concrete guidance on governance, validation, vendor diligence, and continuous monitoring to align AI use with legal defensibility and business necessity.

In this installment of our Payroll Brass Tax podcast series, Mike Mahoney (shareholder, Morristown/New York) is joined by Stephen Kenney (associate, Dallas) and Stephen Riga (counsel, Minneapolis/Indianapolis) to discuss how nondiscrimination testing rules under Internal Revenue Code Sections 125, 105(h), and 129 affect payroll and tax reporting for cafeteria plans, self-insured health plans, and dependent care assistance programs. Mike, who is the chair of the Employment Tax Group, Stephen, and Stephen review who qualifies as a highly compensated or key employee, the consequences of testing failures, and critical timing considerations, as well as offer practical guidance on prevention strategies, coordinating with benefits administration, and ensuring accurate Form W-2 reporting.

In this episode of our Defensible Decisions podcast, Scott Kelly (shareholder, Birmingham) and Nonnie Shivers (office managing shareholder, Phoenix) discuss the EEOC’s January 2026 vote to reclaim authority over most enforcement litigation from its Office of General Counsel, reversing decades of delegation. Scott, who is chair of the firm’s Workforce Analytics and Compliance Practice Group, and Nonnie, who is co-chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Compliance Practice Group, analyze how this procedural shift may enable the commission to fast-track litigation aligned with administration priorities, including cases involving majority characteristic discrimination claims, DEI practices, national origin discrimination, and religious accommodation issues. They also offer practical guidance for employers on conducting privileged risk assessments and reassessing organizational risk tolerance in anticipation of heightened EEOC enforcement activity.

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Diana Nehro (shareholder, New York/Boston), who is the chair of the Cross-Border Practice Group, and Maya Barba (associate, San Francisco) unpack Denmark’s parental leave model and discuss what employers should know for leave management and workforce planning in Denmark. The speakers explain the phased structure that gives each parent their leave entitlement, including non-transferable weeks that encourage uptake, plus flexible portions that can be postponed.

In part one of this episode of our Defensible Decisions podcast, Scott Kelly (shareholder, Birmingham) sits down with Lauren Hicks (shareholder, Indianapolis/Atlanta) to unpack how AI is actually used across the talent lifecycle—and why “human in the loop” isn’t a compliance shield. The speakers break down what a credible, privileged bias audit entails, how to pair fairness testing with effectiveness validation, and the practical governance steps employers should know to manage a fast-evolving, patchwork regulatory landscape.

In this episode of our Defensible Decisions podcast, Scott Kelly (shareholder, Birmingham) sits down with Nonnie Shivers (office managing shareholder, Phoenix) to discuss the implications for employers following EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas’s social media video soliciting discrimination charges from white males. Scott, who is chair of the firm’s Workforce Analytics and Compliance Practice Group, and Nonnie, who is co-chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Compliance Practice Group, delve into historical and recent Supreme Court decisions like Muldrow and Ames, which affirm the viability of such claims and expand the definition of actionable harm. The conversation emphasizes critical best practices for employers, including the necessity of thorough investigations, accurate position statements, comprehensive real-time documentation of employment decisions, and updated, inclusive training modules, especially given the continued risk of disparate impact claims and potential fast-tracked EEOC investigations.

In this episode of our Litigation Lens podcast series, shareholders Michael Nail (Greenville) and Heather Ptasznik (Detroit (Metro)) discuss a recent Sixth Circuit decision affirming a jury verdict for an employee on ADA disability discrimination and retaliation claims based on night blindness. The speakers review how this ruling reinforces that night blindness can qualify as an ADA-protected disability, with practical takeaways for employers on timing, documentation, and recognizing accommodation requests.

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Patty Shapiro (shareholder, San Diego) and Goli Rahimi (of counsel, Chicago) discuss India’s significant labor law reform: more than five years after their passage, India finally implemented four consolidated labor codes in November 2025. These codes replace 29 existing labor laws and cover wages, industrial relations, social security, and occupational safety. Our speakers provide an overview of these changes and the implications for employers navigating India’s evolving labor landscape.

In this inaugural episode of Ogletree Deakins’ Defensible Decisions podcast, Scott Kelly (shareholder, Birmingham) sits down with Nonnie Shivers (office managing shareholder, Phoenix) to unpack the EEOC’s renewed emphasis on systemic, pattern-or-practice enforcement in the wake of a restored quorum and recent leadership moves. This shift highlights the agency’s alignment with current administration priorities, moving away from its traditional strategic plan. The discussion covers anticipated litigation and key areas of investigation—particularly focusing on challenges related to race- and sex-based preferences in DEI programs, anti-American national origin bias, and H‑1B abuses. The speakers emphasize the importance for employers to conduct privileged, data-driven audits of their hiring, promotions, transfers, and pay practices. This proactive approach can help validate merit-based decisions and prepare organizations for increased scrutiny.

In this episode of our Defensible Decisions podcast, shareholders Scott Kelly (Birmingham) and Chris Near (Columbia) unpack OFCCP’s updated jurisdictional thresholds for Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 503) and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA). Effective October 1, 2025, basic coverage thresholds increased to $20,000 under Section 503 and to $200,000 for coverage and Affirmative Action Plans (AAPs) under VEVRAA. The speakers discuss how these inflation adjustments by the Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council affect AAPs for contractors holding prime and necessary sub-awards, as well as ongoing compliance obligations for covered contractors such as job postings, self-identification, outreach and recruitment, and accommodation processes.