Rejecting arguments from the Justice Department, a federal appeals court has ruled a provision of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects workers from discrimination by employers based on sexual orientation. The DOJ's position conflicts with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's view on the issue.

Three-quarters of HR leaders think their onboarding practices are ineffective, according to a survey by Kronos. Many organizations report using onboarding for completing paperwork, reviewing regulations and orienting employees, while fewer respondents say the process is used for providing access to training or setting up meetings with teams and key colleagues.

Managers should not avoid difficult conversations because they fear hurting an employee's feelings but should understand honest criticism can help people thrive and avoid additional problems, writes business coach Trevor Throness. He offers four tips to help managers coach from kindness and find common ground with people to encourage growth, instead of bitterness.

Apple plans to open two AC Wellness primary care clinics for Santa Clara County, Calif., employees and families this spring, sources say, and the company is seeking physicians, health coaches and designers to develop a healthy living program. Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway also have released plans for changing how they provide health care for employees.

HR's use of agile principles to manage talent is growing as companies find they need to adapt to changes quickly, write Peter Cappelli and Anna Tavis. "Because HR touches every aspect -- and every employee -- of an organization, its agile transformation may be even more extensive (and more difficult) than the changes in other functions," they write.