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Sierra HR Partners, 7112 N Fresno Street, Fresno, CA (2026)

04/09/2026

• More HR Wisdom from Hollywood Drama •

🎭 What We Can Learn From the Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni Saga 🎬

In January 2025, when news was breaking about Blake Lively’s sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, we saw an important lesson for HR managers about navigating the resignation of potentially toxic employees. The latest twist in this Hollywood legal drama prompts a refresher lesson in avoiding retaliation complaints.

A Brief History of the Case(s):
In December 2024, Blake Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment during the filming of It Ends With Us, a movie in which both of them starred and Baldoni directed. She also accused him of orchestrating a public smear campaign in retaliation for raising concerns about a hostile work environment on the set. Baldoni denied all allegations and filed a countersuit for defamation and extortion, which was dismissed in June 2025. The legal battle continued with both sides presenting witness depositions and text messages to support their positions, with failed attempts to mediate and settle the claims. Then on April 3, 2026, a federal judge dismissed 10 out of 13 of Lively’s claims, including sexual harassment and defamation. The remaining claims, which are expected to proceed to trial in May, involve retaliation, breach of contract, and aiding and abetting retaliation.

The HR Lesson:
The current status of this drama serves as a reminder that California law protects employees from retaliation even if their original complaint is not deemed to be valid. Retaliation may be found when there is a nexus, or a causal link, between an employee’s protected activity and a negative employment action. For example, if an employee who makes a complaint about harassment (or workplace safety, or wages, or being denied a leave of absence… the list goes on) receives an unexpectedly critical performance review, he/she could easily perceive the low scores to be retaliatory. Layoff, demotion, changed responsibilities or work schedule, and even being “given the cold shoulder” by management could be considered retaliation when they occur in close proximity in time to a legally-protected activity. And even if the employee’s complaint is investigated and found to be unsubstantiated, the company’s actions following that complaint could lead to significant legal risk.

How to Minimize Risk:
So does an employee who makes a workplace complaint now live in a protected bubble with no accountability for performance? No! The law says an employee cannot be treated differently than others due to exercising his/her rights, but it does not create a shield from appropriate consequences. Employers can proceed with caution, keeping the following important points in mind:

Consistency is Key! When employees understand the company’s expectations and managers provide ongoing performance feedback, disciplinary actions should not take employees by surprise. Employers can maintain consistent performance management practices to earn employees’ trust and show that everyone is being held to the same standards and given fair warnings and opportunities to improve.

Maintain Professional Boundaries. It may be perfectly natural for a manager to pull back from socializing with an employee, whether out of personal frustration or fear of making the situation worse, when a workplace complaint starts to brew. But this change in temperature can become fuel in an employee’s retaliation complaint, depicted as being excluded from office conversations or left out of department decision making. While it’s great to have friendly working relationships with staff, managers should maintain enough professional distance that workplace interactions don’t require an abrupt about-face when a challenge develops.

Document, Document, Document. You needed to eliminate that employee’s position three months after receiving a hostile work environment complaint? The job was restructured to a part time schedule while the employee was out on leave for a workplace injury? If you don’t have detailed documentation to support changes like these, a retaliation complaint may be right around the corner. Smart managers keep notes about verbal warnings, deliver effective written warnings, and can present the business-related reasons to support employment decisions.

Seek Legal Counsel. You may be 100% confident that the company’s actions are not retaliatory and have nothing to do with an employee’s recent protected activity, but attorney support is always a wise investment. Before letting the employee go or taking other major actions, allow your attorney to review documentation, assess potential risk, and help you navigate the next steps.

02/15/2026

Sierra HR Partners will be closed
on Monday, February 16, 2026, for Presidents’ Day.

Our voicemail and email systems will remain active during this time, and any messages received will be addressed upon our return to regular business hours on Tuesday, February 17th, at 8:00 AM.

12/31/2025

Sierra HR Partners will close at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and will remain closed through Thursday, January 1, 2026, for the New Year Holiday.
Our voicemail and email systems will remain active during this time, and any messages received will be addressed upon our return to regular business hours on Friday, January 2, 2026, at 8:00 AM.

Cheers to new beginnings! From all of us at Sierra HR Partners, we are excited to welcome 2026 with you. Wishing you a year filled with growth, success, and unforgettable moments.

12/16/2025

Sierra HR Partners will close at 12:00 PM on
Thursday, December 18, 2025, for our company holiday celebration. ☃️

Our voicemail and email systems will remain active, and messages will be returned when we resume regular business hours on Friday, December 19, 2025, at 8:00 AM. 🎁

All of us at Sierra HR Partners wish you and your loved ones a joyful, bright, and memorable holiday season! 🎄

10/24/2025

At Sierra HR, we often hear from managers who are frustrated with an employee’s unreliable attendance, or subpar performance, or lack of initiative and motivation. “What should we do?” the manager asks. Our typical follow-up: “What have you done so far? Have you talked with this employee about the problem? What was their response?” And that’s where things tend to go downhill.

For a wide variety of reasons, managers are often apprehensive about taking corrective action. Some managers think that having a “negative” conversation will put a damper on the employee’s morale (“We really don’t want to bum her out.”) Or maybe the employee is dealing with personal problems, and the manager doesn’t want to seem uncaring (“I heard he’s going through a lot at home…”) If feedback is given to an employee at all, it’s often a watered-down or sugar-coated version of the intended message.

But unclear feedback isn’t kind or compassionate. It’s confusing, and can actually prevent the employee from being successful in the job and growing with the company. Sugar-coated feedback allows the employee to continue down a path toward frustration (on both sides), a lack of job satisfaction, and possible termination. As managers, it’s our job to be both kind and clear. We should give direct, actionable information in a way that shows support and preserves the relationship. Consider these examples the next time you’re hesitant to have a tough conversation:

Instead of: “You’re doing great, just a few little things to tweak.”
Say this: “You’ve made strong progress. Let’s look at your job description and talk about two specific areas that still need work.”

Instead of: “Maybe try to be a bit more proactive?”
Say this: “Moving forward, I need you to take initiative in [specific area], especially when it relates to [cite applicable company values or priorities].

Instead of: “Just something to keep in mind for next time…”
Say this: “This is a key area of development for your role. Let’s agree on a plan to improve it.”

Instead of: “Sorry, I just wanted to mention real quick…”
Say this: “I want to bring this to your attention because it’s important for your growth and success in this job.”

Feedback that is clear, direct, and growth-focused shows respect for your employee and gives him/her the best shot at success. It also supports the company’s mission, values, and goals. Good managers can offer compassion and support while also standing firm on the performance expectations of the position. This balance is what leadership is all about.

08/11/2025

📣 Announcing a New Benefit for our HR Business Partners 📣

At Sierra HR Partners, we’re committed to helping our HR Business Partners (HRBPs) get the most out of their membership.

To provide additional value, we’re excited to begin offering our HRBPs one free RSVP to each of our monthly Lunch and Learn webinars. This is in addition to your free RSVP with our partnering firm, Fishman Larsen and Callister’s periodic Legal Beagle seminars.

Similar to the Legal Beagle, additional sign-ons will be available at the low cost of $25 for HR Business Partners ($35 for clients without an HR Business Partner contract).

These webinars are designed to be brief yet impactful, providing practical insights that benefit your business and advance HR professionals’ knowledge. We plan to schedule these webinars in advance in three-month blocks to ensure we deliver timely, relevant training tailored to current industry needs.

Do you have a topic in mind for a future Lunch and Learn? Or is there something you're eager to learn more about? Reply to this email or send a note to [email protected]. We’d love to hear how we can continue to meet your needs.

Below is the schedule for our upcoming Lunch and Learn webinars from August through October 2025. Take advantage of this new benefit and register today!

Topic: Listening to Understand: Reflective Listening.
Date: August 19, 2025
Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Topic: Start Right to Stay Right: Effective Orientation.
Date: September 16, 2025
Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Topic: Enhancing the Employee Leave of Absence Experience
Date: October 9, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm - 1:00 pm

07/11/2025

📢 MID-YEAR HR UPDATES 📢
July 2025

Form I-9 Reviews
On Tuesday, June 10, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) conducted the largest worksite enforcement operation in Nebraska so far this year, detaining 76 people from Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha. In a press release about the operation, ICE suggested more such operations, stating that,

“Worksite enforcement remains a priority for ICE as it seeks to protect the nation’s workforce, eradicate labor trafficking and hold employers accountable for practices that encourage illegal immigration. Employers found in violation of federal hiring laws may face civil penalties and, in some cases, criminal prosecution.”

In southern California, protests that turned into riots over immigration enforcement have led to clashes between local police and federal agents. President Trump’s deployment of the California National Guard was initially blocked by a federal judge, but that order was temporarily overruled by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

State tensions and stories of imminent worksite enforcement operations – Glenn Valley Foods had never seen such an operation before – have left many employers skittish and eager to ensure their compliance with federal I-9 requirements. Yet employers should be careful; mishandling I-9 audits or corrections can lead to legal risk.

Remember these tips:
• I-9 Form expiration dates don’t “expire” a completed form.
The “expiration date” at the top of an I-9 form applies to when the form should be replaced with a more current version. It does not signal a requirement for employers complete a new I-9 form for current employees.
• “List B” documents that verify an employee’s identity never need to be reverified.
As long as a List B document was unexpired at the time of hire, it does not ever need to be reverified.
• Making corrections is not always simple, and unconfident employers should not do it alone.
Sometimes I-9 corrections are as simple as adding in missing information. Often, making corrections is not a simple matter. The I-9 Handbook for Employers can be a helpful resource, as can Sierra HR or your attorney.

You don’t need to audit or correct I-9 forms on your own! Sierra HR Partners can assist in you in making compliant corrections where needed, while minimizing legal risk with employees who have already verified their identity and employment eligibility. We can also train your administrative employees on how to complete and audit forms as employees are hired.

06/28/2025

⛰️ Don't Let ChatGPT Drive You Off a Cliff ⛰️
AI is a great tool... trust but verify!

In May 2018, an Oregon truck driver was missing for four days and had to walk 36 miles through the snow when his truck got stuck after his GPS mapping device sent him up the wrong road. In July 2024, a Utah man was stranded on a mountain for three hours after following a Google-suggested shortcut. And in January 2025, a Colorado man's car got stuck at the bottom of a ski trail after following Siri's driving instructions "to a tee."

What do these unfortunate adventures have to do with our work in HR? They're examples of how trusting the internet, and especially AI tools like ChatGPT, without using critical thinking skills can steer us far off track!

It's becoming more and more common to use AI for a wide variety of HR tasks. We can write policies and job descriptions, generate training agendas, research compliance questions... the list goes on. These tools can be extremely helpful, but they shouldn't be copied and pasted into formal company documents or used to make a complex employment decision without double checking the message. California employment law questions should get special review, because we know our state's requirements are often different from federal law. The "AI Overview" at the top of your Google search often blends multiple online sources or adds a dash of federal law, creating confusion and potentially pointing you in the wrong direction. For example, a search for information about paying overtime to seasonal employees for a recreational program seems to indicate that short-term operations could be exempt. This is a federal rule, but there is no such exemption in California.

We asked ChatGPT if exempt employees are entitled to paid holidays, and the response seems clear at first, but could actually lead to confusion. Based on the table below, if the company does not offer paid holiday benefits, does the exempt employee receive pay for a holiday...or not? Further, this states that leave banks such as vacation can only be deducted in full-day increments, which is inaccurate.

Next, we asked ChatGPT if an employer could require a doctor's note as a condition of approving paid sick leave. The AI recognized California's protections regarding the use of state-mandated PSL, but uses a 3-day time threshold, which is not part of our current law. Employees are entitled to use up to five days or 40 hours of PSL per year, and we cannot require medical certification as a condition of using any available sick time.

In some cases, the AI information may simply be outdated, as shown by this response to a search about paycheck deductions. Effective January 1, 2025, California's minimum wage is $16.50 per hour, but the AI Overview still cites $16.00.

A 2023 HR Morning article describes the risks well: "While the AI could handle linear, straightforward questions, its answers became unreliable as questions got more complex. In almost all cases, the answers ChatGPT provided were missing necessary nuanced details and in some cases ChatGPT completely fabricated reference material that did not exist at all."

We're not suggesting that HR professionals avoid using AI tools! There can be many helpful benefits of this growing technology. But it's important to remember that ChatGPT is not a replacement for your own critical thinking. As this Harvard Business Impact article describes, a rushed project or decision (especially one using flawed online guidance) rarely leads to the best result. Slow down, look for possible errors or confusion, and consider whether the information really applies to your business. And, remember that the Consultants at Sierra HR are available to really listen to the nuances and details of your HR issues and provide legally-compliant resources and individual guidance. We promise to never leave you stranded!

05/21/2025

As Memorial Day approaches, let's reflect on its rich history and origins. Originally known as Decoration Day, this solemn holiday emerged after the Civil War to honor fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers. Over time, it evolved into Memorial Day, a time to remember and pay tribute to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Let's honor their memory and express gratitude for their bravery and sacrifice.

Sierra HR Partners will be closed on Monday, May 26, 2025, in observance of Memorial Day.

Our voicemail systems will be active, and any messages left will be returned during regular business hours on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Sierra HR Partners wishes you and your family a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend.

03/10/2025

Is AI Influencing Your Interviews? 🤖

☘️ MARCH 2025 ☘️

HR managers and recruiters have long known that candidates may embellish their resumes to boost job-related experience. Back in my day, the trickiest move may have been to coordinate with a friend to give a positive professional reference, instead of allowing a recruiter to contact a real former supervisor. But the “new normal” of video interviews and AI tools like ChatGPT has opened up a whole new world of potential cheating.
In July 2024, reports were published about an international company that hired a North Korean cyber criminal after he used fake a employment history and AI-enhanced photo and video during the hiring process. Despite a seemingly thorough screening process that included video interviews and a background check, the hacker was able to gain employment, download sensitive company materials, and transfer potentially harmful files into the company's systems.

While this may be an extreme example, the use of AI during the hiring process is becoming an increasing trend. ChatGPT can easily generate a well-written resume and cover letter, misrepresenting a candidate's writing skills. Our recruiting team at Sierra HR has yet to experience an AI-faked video, but they have detected candidates using "teleprompter apps" that can listen to an interview conversation and feed real-time answers to the job seeker.

So, how can an HR manager or recruiter spot the fakes and hire the right (real) person? Below are a few guidelines for interviewing in this AI age:
Plan in-person interviews with finalist candidates. Telephone and video meetings are efficient for initial screening, but there's nothing like the real thing when it comes to having confidence in the person you're hiring.
Ask behavior-based questions during all phases of the interview process. AI may be great for generating answers to technical skills questions, but the candidate will have to rely on his/her own memory and discernment to answer a prompt such as, "Tell me about a time when you went out of your way to help a client, and how you might apply that effort to this position?"
During video interviews, watch for signs that the candidate is typing while being asked a question, has unnatural pauses before responding, or his/her eyes appear to be tracking text or looking elsewhere. These could be signs that the person is entering your questions into an app and reading auto-generated responses.
Ask follow-up questions if the candidate delivers a seemingly-confident response that does not clearly address the question being asked. This could be another signal that he/she is using AI to craft answers. Ask the person to dig deeper and provide more specific details, allowing you to gain better insight into potential job performance... or confirm your suspicion that the candidate isn't really as good as he/she appears to be.
Whether you love the new tech developments emerging in our workplaces, or you're concerned about potential negative impacts, AI is here to stay and will only become more efficient and convincing over time. Understanding and navigating the balance between AI tools and "irl" human interaction will continue to be a critical management skill.

If you'd like our input on a great (or questionable) candidate, or you're hoping to outsource the entire recruiting process, Sierra HR Partners is here to help you hire the best people for your business. Contact one of our HR Consultants or our Recruiting team with any questions you have.

02/12/2025

Sierra HR Partners will be closed for President's Day on Monday, February 17, 2025.

Did You Know: Presidents' Day, celebrated on the third Monday of February, was originally dedicated to honoring George Washington? It became known as Presidents' Day after the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1971. This act aimed to give workers more three-day weekends. While some states still have separate holidays for Washington and Lincoln, Presidents' Day has become a nationwide celebration of all U.S. presidents!

Our voicemail systems will be active and any messages left will be returned on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
If you have any questions prior to the holiday, please contact our office.
Phone: 559.431.8090
Contact our Consultants: [email protected]
Contact our Background Investigators: [email protected]
Contact our Recruiters: [email protected]

Sierra HR Partners can help relieve the daunting, time-consuming responsibilities of human resource administration, so you can focus on growing and building your business.

Sierra HR Partners

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