Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw

Follow Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Join Jen Shaw every Wednesday morning for insightful commentary about legal developments, discussions with special guests, and much, much more. Listen to past podcasts here!

Shaw Law Group, PC


    • Jun 18, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 15m AVG DURATION
    • 183 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw

    Summer Perks for “Good” Employees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2025 14:32


    In this episode, Jen offers some guidance to help retain your best and brightest this summer.

    Yes, Annual Workplace Violence Prevention Training is Required!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2025 14:45


    In this episode, Jen reminds California employers about their obligations under SB 553, including providing annual training.

    The Return-to-Office Mandate for State Employees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2025 15:56


    In this episode, Jen explains Governor Newsom's return-to-office mandate for state employees, which is effective on July 1.

    How to Create Enforceable Meal Period Waivers

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 14:39


    In this episode, Jen discusses a recent California court decision upholding meal period waivers and explains how to make them enforceable.

    What IS the Private Attorneys General Act?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 14:30


    In this episode, Jen summarizes the Private Attorneys General Act and its role in wage-hour claims.

    Summer is Coming! Rules for Hiring Minors

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 15:09


    In this episode, Jen reviews the laws applicable to hiring minors.

    An Action Plan for ICE Visits

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2025 17:39


    In this episode, Jen explains the steps you should take when Immigration and Customs  Enforcement comes knocking.

    Reluctant Employees: Time to Say “Goodbye”?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 15:20


    In this episode, Jen discusses how to manage employees who refuse to meet performance expectations.

    Your EEO Compliance Training is Probably Stale

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 15:47


    In this episode, Jen discusses why employers should update their EEO compliance training.

    Audit Your Form I-9s Before It's Too Late

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 16:00


    In this episode, Jen describes the key steps to conducting a Form I-9 audit and why you should start today.

    Compensation Equity and Pay Scales

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 16:11


    In this episode, Jen talks about compensation equity and why pay scales never tell the full story.

    Understanding the EEOC's New Guidance on DEI Programs

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 15:35


    In this episode, Jen reviews the EEOC's new guidance regarding “unlawful” DEI programs.

    Yes…Leaves of Absence and Reasonable Accommodations AGAIN!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 16:40


    In this episode, Jen provides some best practices for avoiding liability related to leaves of absence and reasonable accommodations.  

    Why You Must Audit Wage-Hour Compliance

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2025 16:30


    In this episode, Jen explains the value of wage-hour audits.

    Lessons Learned from Trump's Employee Termination Practices

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 16:48


    In this episode, Jen reminds employers why they should not follow the new administration's termination practices.

    More About DEI…

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 15:47


    In this episode, Jen and Shaw Law Group attorney Kris Lopez bring listeners up to speed on the legal status of DEI programs.

    Politics at Work

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2025 15:11


    In this episode, Jen reviews the legal protections for California employees' political activities.

    Immigration Compliance After January 20

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 15:35


    In this episode, Jen helps employers understand how to navigate the new administration's immigration crackdown.

    Is DEI Dead?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 15:34


    In this episode, Jen discusses the impact of Trump's DEI executive order.

    What Does Trump's EEO Executive Order Mean?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 15:40


    In this episode, Jen explains the practical implications of the new administration's executive order on “gender ideology.”

    More Time Off Protections for Qualified Employees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 15:47


    In this episode, Jen discusses the new California law related to time off for crime victims and another mandatory paid sick leave expansion.

    A Different Spin on Internal Investigations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 16:16


    In this episode, Jen challenges many of the traditional assumptions about investigation “best practices.”

    A New Era for Union Organizing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 16:20


    In this episode, Jen surveys the current state of protections for employees who engage in union activities.

    Key HR Resolutions for 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2025 13:05


    In this episode, Jen suggests several HR resolutions to make 2025 a great year at work!

    End-of-Year Tune Up!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 18:09


    In this episode, Jen discusses her year-end checklist to ensure you are prepared for 2025.

    The Gift that Never Stops Giving: Pay Transparency for Remote Workers

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 16:22


    In this episode, Jen addresses new state pay transparency laws and the complications they create for remote workers.

    A Wrinkle in Time: “Captive Audience Meetings”

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 15:28


    In this episode, Jen discusses state and national trends regarding employee meetings and union protections, even for non-union workers. 

    A Little Gratitude Goes a Long Way!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 15:46


    In this Thanksgiving week episode, Jen reminds us about the magic of employee appreciation.

    The Risks of Modified Duty Programs

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 14:06


    In this episode, Jen explains why you need to be careful administering modified duty programs.

    New California Employment Laws for 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 13:54


    In this episode, Jen summarizes the new employment laws for 2025 and how to get ready!

    The Do's and Don't's of Policy Drafting

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2024 15:53


    In this episode, Jen and Shaw Law Group policy guru Julia Melnicoe Insel discuss the best practices for drafting employee handbooks and manuals.

    Breaking Down AI in the HR World

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 16:10


    In this episode, Jen helps us understand how artificial intelligence is affecting HR professionals and why you must leverage it.

    “The Great Detachment”

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 16:20


    In this episode, Jen explains the term “glossing” and how it contributes to disengagement and dissatisfaction at work.

    Etiquette Training at Work?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 15:52


    In this episode Jen examines why so many employers are requiring office etiquette training.

    Employees in Crisis: Your Role in HR

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024 16:35


    In this episode, Jen provides key guidance on how to handle employees who are in crisis.  

    Violence at Work: Critical Prevention Steps

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 15:50


    In this episode, Jen discusses violence in the workplace and the best practices for prevention.   

    Policy/Procedure 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 17:15


    In this episode, Jen reminds us why compliant policies and procedures are critical to avoiding employment law liability.

    HR Integrity: Sometimes It's Easier Said than Done

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 14:05


    In this episode, Jen encourage HR professionals to do what is right, no matter what.

    Social Media “Investigations”: A Cautionary Tale

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 15:36


    In this episode, Jen discusses the pros and cons of reviewing social media as part of the hiring process.

    Tik Tok and the Workplace

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 19:02


    In this episode, Shaw Law Group attorney Brooke Kozak joins Jen to discuss Tik Tok's impact on the workplace.

    What is a “DEI Hire”?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2024 16:15


    In this episode, Jen addresses the meaning of the term “DEI hire,” and why it has no place at work (or anywhere else!).

    Workplace Retaliation: Understanding and Preventing It

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 15:43


     In this episode, Jen discusses what constitutes “retaliation” under California law, and how to avoid getting sued for it.

    Why EEO Compliance Training Matters

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2024 15:39


    In this episode, Jen reminds us why EEO compliance training is not just something to cross off our “to do” list.

    Internal Investigation Insights

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2024 15:51


    In this episode, Jen offers some important insights for workplace investigators.

    Learning to Say “No”

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2024 14:22


    In this episode, Jen explains why leaders must learn to say “no.”

    Reasonable Accommodations Decoded

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 16:22


    In this episode, Jen provides a roadmap for addressing reasonable accommodations requests.

    Leaves of Absence Decoded

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 16:38


    In this episode, Jen provides a roadmap for addressing leaves of absence.

    Understanding Your Itemized Wage Statements

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2024 15:22


     In this episode, Jen addresses the legal requirements applicable to your employees' itemized wage statements.                                                                        

    PAGA Reform is Here!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2024 12:06


    In this episode, Jen discusses two bills Governor Newsom signed this week to make PAGA claims easier to defend and not so much of a nightmare for employers!

    Wage-Hour Compliance 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 14:34


    In this episode, Jen discusses why employers need to care more about complying with applicable wage-hour laws.

    Happy Anniversary!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2024 37:07


    In this episode, Jen is joined by Greg Valenza, her former law partner and fellow pink thinker for a discussion of all things employment law.   Do not miss this one! 

    Claim Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel