Best Human Resources Blogs to Follow for HR Audits and Labor Law Compliance (SwiftSDS)
If you’re searching for the best human resources blogs, you’re probably trying to do one of two things: (1) keep up with fast-changing employment laws and HR best practices, or (2) prepare for an HR audit and reduce compliance risk. The right HR blog can help you spot regulatory changes early, tighten documentation, and turn vague requirements into repeatable processes—especially when you operate across states or have remote employees.
Below is a curated, compliance-focused guide to best HR blogs to follow, plus a practical way to use them during HR audits without drowning in information.
What “best” means for HR blogs (when you care about compliance)
Not every human resources blog is equally useful for audit readiness. For labor law compliance, prioritize blogs that consistently provide:
Credible legal context (not just opinions)
Look for content that references primary sources like:
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) wage and hour requirements
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) eligibility and leave administration
- OSHA recordkeeping and workplace safety guidance
- EEOC enforcement priorities (discrimination/harassment)
- National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) developments affecting policies and employee communications
A blog doesn’t need to be “written by lawyers,” but it should cite regulations, agency guidance, or court/agency decisions.
Actionable templates and process guidance
For HR audits, “what to do next” matters more than commentary. Strong blogs provide checklists, decision trees, documentation tips, and examples.
Multi-state awareness
State and local rules often exceed federal baselines (e.g., paid sick leave, salary thresholds, meal/rest rules, posting obligations). Blogs that acknowledge jurisdictional variance are more audit-friendly.
For HR teams building an audit program, SwiftSDS’s broader audit hub content can help you map responsibilities by role and scope—see our related guides on an hr expert, hr mgmt, and the human resource domain.
The best human resources blogs to follow (curated list)
1) SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)
Why it’s valuable: SHRM is one of the most widely-read sources for HR practitioners and includes timely reporting on federal and state legislative changes.
Best for audit readiness: Policy updates, compliance primers, and HR operations guidance.
How to use it: Set alerts for wage-and-hour, leave, and classification topics; use posts to trigger internal policy reviews.
2) U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Blog & agency updates
Why it’s valuable: Direct insight into enforcement and compliance expectations from the regulator itself.
Best for audit readiness: FLSA interpretations, independent contractor rules (when updated), and enforcement initiatives.
How to use it: When the DOL highlights a priority industry or issue, treat it as an audit cue to review your practices (timekeeping, exemptions, record retention).
3) EEOC Newsroom / Updates
Why it’s valuable: The EEOC signals enforcement priorities and publishes guidance that helps employers prevent discrimination and improve investigations.
Best for audit readiness: Harassment prevention, reasonable accommodation, and retaliation risk.
How to use it: Update training and complaint procedures when guidance shifts; validate that investigation documentation is consistent and timely.
If ADA compliance is a recurring audit finding, SwiftSDS also maintains an ADA-focused compliance guide: Ada hr.
4) OSHA News Releases & Guidance
Why it’s valuable: OSHA updates can foreshadow inspection priorities and highlight common citation issues.
Best for audit readiness: Recordkeeping (Forms 300/300A/301), hazard communication, and industry emphasis programs.
How to use it: Use OSHA updates to schedule internal safety documentation reviews and verify required postings are current.
5) Littler Mendelson – Workplace law insights
Why it’s valuable: A large employment law firm with frequent updates on multi-state developments and litigation trends.
Best for audit readiness: State-by-state changes, handbook risk areas, emerging compliance litigation.
How to use it: When a state changes a requirement (paid leave, wage statement rules), add a ticket to your audit tracker and update affected locations.
6) Ogletree Deakins – HR & employment law updates
Why it’s valuable: Strong multi-jurisdiction coverage and practical employer guidance.
Best for audit readiness: Leave administration trends, wage/hour risks, and policy compliance.
How to use it: Subscribe by jurisdiction if available; route key posts to HR, payroll, and legal for triage.
7) Fisher Phillips – Employment law and workplace trends
Why it’s valuable: Frequent, digestible updates and strong practical framing.
Best for audit readiness: Wage/hour enforcement, union/NLRA, and workplace investigations.
How to use it: Build a quarterly “compliance change log” from their updates and confirm your policies reflect current guidance.
How to use HR blogs during an HR audit (without information overload)
Following the best human resources blogs is only helpful if you convert insights into controls. Here’s a simple approach SwiftSDS sees work well:
Create a “Compliance Intake” checklist (weekly, 15 minutes)
Assign an owner (HR operations, HR compliance, or payroll) to review 3–5 trusted sources and log:
- What changed (law, enforcement focus, guidance)
- Who is impacted (which employees/locations)
- Required action (policy update, training, posting update, documentation change)
- Due date and accountable owner
This supports audit defensibility because you can show a repeatable monitoring process.
Tie blog insights to posting and notice requirements
Many compliance failures are administrative: outdated postings, missing remote distribution, or incorrect state supplements. When a blog flags a new rule, confirm posting impacts.
For example:
- Federal poster updates and “notice” obligations can change as agencies update materials.
- State posters can change frequently (wage/hour, paid leave, workers’ comp).
If your workforce is remote or distributed, consider digital distribution methods that still meet posting rules. SwiftSDS covers the operational side in Electronic posters and how compliant digital displays work in practice in Advertising posters.
Validate terminology and scope in your documentation
Even small inconsistencies can create audit friction—especially in policies, job descriptions, and handbook language. If your team is aligning internal standards, these SwiftSDS guides help clarify common HR framing issues:
Cross-check against a formal employment legislation list
Blogs are great for alerts; your audit should anchor to a definitive inventory of obligations. Maintain a baseline checklist of applicable federal laws (and then layer state/local). SwiftSDS provides a starting point here: Employment legislation list.
For HR teams evaluating tools and service support, you can also compare vendors and solutions in Hr compliance companies.
Compliance topics your HR blog reading should cover (audit priorities)
Wage & hour (FLSA) and timekeeping controls
Audit focus areas:
- Exempt vs. non-exempt classification rationale
- Overtime calculations (including bonuses/regular rate considerations)
- Meal/rest compliance where state law requires it
- Time record retention and manager edits
Leave administration (FMLA + state paid leave)
Audit focus areas:
- Eligibility tracking and consistent designation notices
- Medical certification handling and confidentiality
- Coordination with state paid sick leave or paid family leave programs
EEO, ADA, and accommodation workflows
Audit focus areas:
- Interactive process documentation
- Job descriptions aligned to essential functions
- Consistent handling of pregnancy-related limitations (often overlapping legal frameworks)
For a deeper ADA-specific workflow refresher, use Ada hr alongside your internal accommodation checklist.
Posting and notice compliance (multi-location and remote)
Audit focus areas:
- Correct posters per state/jurisdiction and industry
- Remote employee access where required/appropriate
- Version control (proof that postings are current)
FAQ: Best HR blogs and compliance
What are the best human resources blogs for labor law compliance?
The most reliable mix is usually SHRM plus primary agency sources (DOL, EEOC, OSHA) and one or two employment law firm blogs (e.g., Littler, Ogletree, Fisher Phillips) for multi-state context and practical employer guidance.
How many HR blogs should an HR team follow?
For audit readiness, 3–5 high-quality sources is typically enough—especially if you also maintain a baseline compliance inventory like an Employment legislation list. Too many sources increases noise and reduces follow-through.
Can HR blogs replace legal advice or a formal HR audit?
No. Blogs are best used as an early-warning system and education tool. A defensible audit still requires documented internal controls, role ownership, and confirmation against applicable federal, state, and local rules—plus counsel involvement for higher-risk decisions.
Keeping up with the best HR blogs is a practical way to strengthen your HR audit program—provided you convert reading into action: log changes, assign owners, update policies, and verify posting/notice compliance across every location and remote work arrangement. SwiftSDS can support that compliance workflow with audit guidance and labor law posting resources throughout this hub.