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Can -- and should -- HR do anything about the perception in some quarters that a diversity hiring means hiring somebody who's not as qualified? An open, transparent system that communicates fairness to employees -- not just for hiring, but also for promotions and performance evaluations -- is one proactive measure.

The economic situation was seen as underlying the surprise merger announcement by Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt earlier this week. While the potential exists for success -- and these two behemoth HR consultancies do offer some synergies -- the M&A landscape is littered with failures.

Reverse-discrimination suits may increase, but diversity initiatives should not be greatly affected by the Supreme Court's decision to rule in favor of white firefighters who lost their chance for promotions after the city of New Haven, Conn., threw out the results. HR leaders must make sure that objective business-related criteria are used for job selection and promotion.

Nearly two-thirds of surveyed companies planned to increase investments in HR technology in 2009, compared to the prior year. However, maintenance and software subscriptions may account for much of the spend. Experts say HR leaders are having to "jump through more hoops to justify their expenditures."

A Supreme Court decision requiring a much more restrictive burden of proof from the plaintiff, or employee, was a surprise to employment lawyers. It may prompt Congress to act to reverse the ruling.

There is a generational divide in the way employees and executives view the potential risks of social networking. At the same time, however, many companies continue to leverage it as a tool for developing relationships and collaboration. The risks and rewards should be discussed at the highest levels of an organization, says one expert.

In a joint hearing before the Department of Labor and the Securities and Exchange Commission, regulators questioned the make-up of target-date funds and the disclosures related to them. Such funds have been increasingly popular with plan sponsors -- as well as employees -- but even some with the same target date have widely divergent equity allocations.

President Obama is proposing to outlaw or restrict about $210 billion in tax breaks for offshore companies over the next decade in an effort to rewrite the U.S. tax code. Instead of fulfilling his aim of protecting American workers, some say the result will be the direct opposite. What, if anything, should HR be doing?

Information technology may improve healthcare quality, but it's not necessarily a cure for the high cost, say experts. In fact, increased technology may add costs to operations. Medical costs won't moderate until the healthcare-payment model changes from one that pays providers for services to one that pays based on outcomes, they say.

Google has developed an algorithm to predict which employees will quit. While it's not a new concept, the complexity of the search-giant's formula is unique. Whether it's a boon to HR, however, is still in question.

With mixed messages on the job outlook coming one after another, it's unclear what HR leaders should be doing to prepare for the future. While the recovery seems to be having different effects on various companies and industries, HR may want to prepare employees to cope with such uncertainty well into 2010.

While the administration is keeping a hands-off approach, thus far, to imposing salary ceilings on all companies, there continues to be increased focus on more transparency for executive compensation. New rules expected to be released by the SEC in July will mandate additional proxy-statement disclosures, including "say on pay" and information about potential conflicts of interest by comp consultants.

New research finds that workplace accidents spike after clocks "spring forward" in March. The lack of sleep is manifested in negative ways on the Monday following the time change. Educating employees about the risk -- and considering the possibility of staggering hours -- could help.

Some have perceived U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Maria Sotomayor's past decisions in employment and labor-related cases to be "anti-business," but experts say her appointment would not signal a drastic swing in the court's leanings on labor and employment law.

A new study finds that it is more than the glass ceiling holding women back from leadership roles. Discrimination is less visible than previously -- but it starts so early in women's careers, that chances for advancement are slimmer. Less female involvement in high-potential programs and international assignments were cited.