Diane Faulkner, SPHR
Author, Speaker, HR Advisor
Diane Faulkner is an author, speaker, and executive HR advisor serving small businesses across Florida. With over four decades of experience in employment law compliance, she helps business owners navigate federal and state labor regulations without maintaining full HR departments. Diane earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Michigan State University, where she focused on industrial/organizational psychology and labor law—the foundation of her career. She earned her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification with a perfect score in 1998 and maintains it through continuous professional education in employment law.
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Diane is the author of Don't Get Sued, Get Smart: A Small Business Guide to Avoiding Employment Law Landmines and has ghostwritten numerous business books. As a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), she writes employment law and HR content for national publications and corporate clients, including Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, LegalZoom, American Express, ADP, Goodyear, Delta Dental, and major law firms. She has served as a developmental editor for Wiley and Jones & Bartlett Publishing and as a managing editor for law firms specializing in employment litigation.
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Diane delivers keynote presentations and compliance training at national conferences and business events. Her speaking engagements include the University of Florida, the University of North Florida, the Credit Union Executive Society (CUES), the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU), the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Florida Credit Union League, and the American Society of Authors and Journalists (ASJA) conferences. Recent presentations include a SCORE webinar series covering employment law updates for small business owners across six southeastern states.
She has appeared on National Public Radio, the Science Channel, and other television shows, as well as numerous podcasts discussing workplace compliance, HR best practices, and small-business employment law.
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As a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certified since 1998, Diane specializes in employment law compliance for businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Her services include manager training, Form I-9 audits, employee handbook creation, employee classification reviews (nonexempt vs. exempt and employee vs. independent contractor), and on-call HR support. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, she works with clients throughout the Southeast.
Diane's corporate HR career spans 17 years in leadership roles, including Vice President of Human Resources for Coastline Federal Credit Union, where she reduced turnover from 92% to 7% in 11 months. She also served as Director of Human Resource Programs for Reynolds, Smith, and Hills, Inc., an international architectural and engineering firm, managing HR compliance for over 800 employees nationwide and globally. Her earlier experience includes roles with Skil Corporation in Chicago, Executive Group outplacement services, and the Florida Department of Labor (now the Department of Employment Opportunity).
