I won’t be attending SHRM’s annual conference this year. Instead, I’ll be at the beach, which is a better choice.
But because I’m a nerd, I read through this year’s lineup, and it felt like flipping through a college coursebook—some required, some ridiculous, and a few surprising. I told my friend Jennifer McClure that these sessions fall into the categories of “snoozies” and “doozies.” And I mean that with a lot of love. Some of these sessions are necessary and dense. Others are unexpectedly bold or just plain weird. Here’s what stood out to me, in case you’re attending or just curious about the state of HR in 2025.
First up: The Snoozies!
The Snoozies: Necessary. Unsexy. Absolutely still worth your time.
Wage & Hour Essentials: Practical Compliance and Risk Management
When: Monday, June 30 — 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PDT
Where: Room 26B
Speaker: Abigail O’Connell, Senior Counsel, Sun Life
Wage law is foundational, and Abigail seems lovely. This could be a sleeper hit or a slow burn. Who else would teach this other than someone who loves HR? I hope her session gets the turnout it deserves. Get a selfie with Abigail. Make it fun. Tag me and I’ll donate $25 to your favorite charity.
401(k) Plans: Understanding Compliance Obligations and Preventing Costly Errors
When: Tuesday, July 1 — 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
Where: Room 25B
Speaker: Annette Tyman, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
This kind of session title makes your eyes glaze over until you realize someone’s mistake could cost your company dearly. You can’t mess this up! Annette knows her stuff, and she’s a Chicago girl. If you attend, get a selfie with her and tag me for a donation to your favorite charity.
Employee Benefit Plan Administration: Avoiding Common Mistakes
When: Tuesday, July 1 — 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM PDT
Where: Room 25B
Speaker: J. Hagood Tighe, Partner, Fisher Phillips LLP
Another compliance-heavy session, but I like it because it’s essentially a premortem on how you’re probably going to screw up. So, attend this session. But let’s be honest, it’s a 3:30 slot, and you’ll want caffeine. Cold brew. Diet Dew. Same $25 deal if you make it through and get a selfie with Hagood.
Leaves of Absence: FMLA, ADA, and Workers’ Compensation
When: Wednesday, July 2 — 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PDT
Where: Room 25B
Speaker: Rachel Shaw, President, Shaw HR Consulting
Everyone messes up LOAs. And by everyone, I mean you and your staff. This session is your chance to stop being held accountable blamed for mistakes you made. Make some new mistakes! Rachel is well-regarded in this space. Show up, take notes, tag me in a selfie, and I’ll send that donation.
Mitigating Employer Risk in California
When: Tuesday, July 1 — 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PDT
Where: Room 25B
Speaker: Charles Krugel, Attorney & HR Consultant
This is for the California crowd. If you know, you know. It’s legal, it’s dry, but it matters. Charles is holding it down solo and is also a Chicago boi! If you attend and show him some love, I’ll gladly back that up with a donation.
Now for The Doozies.
No donations for these. Just go.
The Doozies: Unexpected, thought-provoking, or just plain quirky.
Spirituality in the Workplace: Its Impact on Mental Health and Work Outcomes
When: Monday, June 30 — 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
Where: Room 24A, Upper Level, SDCC
Host: Liberty University
Exploring spirituality is complicated. What’s more difficult is that this session is hosted by Liberty University, founded by Jerry Falwell (deceased), a man whose public rhetoric included:
- “The civil rights movement was a communist plot.” (Why are Boomers so obsessed with communism?)
- “These women just need a man in the house.” (Nearly nine out of ten women murdered by men are killed by someone they know, and two-thirds are shot to death. How about fewer men in the house?)
- “AIDS is not just God’s punishment for homosexuals. It is God’s punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals.” (I wonder how this tracks with RFK Jr., who is an HIV/AIDS denier btw?)
- “The ACLU is to Christians what the American Nazi party is to Jews.” (Again, conservative Boomers hate the ACLU a lot like it’s 1991.)
- After 9/11: “I point the finger in their face and say ‘you helped this happen’.” (He’s referring to feminists, gays, civil liberties groups, and secular Americans.)
He also hated the Teletubbies. I mean, okay. They were weird.
I guess this happens when you also put Joe Biden on the menu. Equal time or whatever. I’m not saying the speaker shares those abhorrent views, but Liberty’s legacy isn’t neutral. I’m actually surprised they are an accredited university, but props to them for teaching people stuff like statistics or marketing that isn’t entirely hateful and vile.
If you go hear this speaker, I’d love your honest take because I’ve never read a session description like this where someone is trying to make the case to integrate “spirituality” into a corporate wellness program. I’ll also await the SHRM 2026 follow-up session: “Atheism at Work: How to Shut Up and Get Stuff Done Without Being a Jerk.”
It Pays to Get Sick in the U.S.: Current Paid Sick Leave Laws and Trends
When: Monday, June 30 — 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM PDT
Where: Room 25A, Upper Level, SDCC
Host: Vantaggio HR, Ltd.
It’s the best title in the compliance track if they are actually trying to put money in the pockets of sick people. Like, how much does it pay? Where do I sign up? I hope they discuss equitable leave policies and conditions like asthma, metastatic cancer, mental illness, menopause, long COVID, pregnancy, inflammatory diseases, and so much more. What? Am I naive? If someone attends, let me know.
You Make Me Soooo Mad! Real World Emotional Intelligence for HR Professionals
When: Tuesday, July 1 — 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
Where: Room 33C, Upper Level, SDCC
Host: Julie Burch
The session title reminds me of Robert Fulghum’s All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. And that’s not a dig because that book is solid. EQ isn’t optional if you work with people, and Julie promises a funny, practical session. If you go, report back.
Contemporary Antisemitism In and Affecting the Workplace
When: Tuesday, July 1 — 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM PDT
Where: Room 24A, Upper Level, SDCC
Presenter: Jonathan A. Segal, Duane Morris LLP
This one matters. Antisemitism is rising in the workplace. Jonathan is a thoughtful speaker and a longtime equity advocate. This session is about more than policy. It’s about creating a culture rooted in safety for all. Please attend.
Pickleball + CliftonStrengths = Stronger Cultures
When: Wednesday, July 2 — 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PDT
Where: Room 31C, Upper Level, SDCC
Hosts: Christine Burrows and JoDee Curtis
This is peak HR energy. Take Gallup’s StrengthsFinder, add pickleball, and call it a team-building strategy. It could be brilliant, or it could be bananas. Needs margaritas and beer. (Pink lemonade for my AF crew.) Someone take pictures and let me know what you think.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re in a ballroom taking notes or at home reading the agenda like me, I hope you see that HR is full of contradictions: strategic, silly, messy, and necessary.
And if you’re not in San Diego and feeling FOMO, remember that certifications don’t make you a good HR professional. Integrity does. If you want help leading with values when the pressure’s on, my latest LinkedIn Learning course, Ethical HR Leadership, is free right now.
And don’t forget: selfie for charity. I mean it.