It's been quite the year for HR departments, what with the scrambled transition to remote work, school closures, a presidential election and a global pandemic.

But none of these developments completely stemmed the flow of shocking allegations and employment law issues featuring in 2020's headlines. In fact, events like the COVID-19 pandemic made some of those issues even more challenging.

Some stories involved head-scratching decisions by managers and executives on which regulators and courts were quick to pounce, and some involved cases that have been ongoing for years. In this roundup, we look back on 10 of the most frightening headlines that HR teams will remember for years to come.