Managing the 5 Biggest Workplace Holiday Headaches
The holidays are upon us and for business owners, this means its time to relax, enjoy the time off, leave your worries behind. Right! Exactly the opposite, especially for employers. The holidays can usher in new workplace headaches and requires that employers plan ahead to anticipate some of the problems that might arise. Here are a few tips to help you maintain control through the end of the year:
Decorating the Office
When decorating the office, be considerate of employee’s religious beliefs. Of course we all have freedom of speech, but it’s wise to be mindful of the various religions and ensure you give equal opportunity to those of the Christian, Jewish, Muslim or other faiths.
The Company Holiday Party
Holiday parties are breeding grounds for alcohol induced sexual harassment issues, relationship problems and driving accidents. Be sure to monitor alcohol usage and provide cabs or other rides home. Be cautious not to allow a designated driver of the opposite sex to take an inebriated employee home. What happens after they leave can wind up on your doorstep.
Remind employees of your sexual harassment policy (you do have one don’t you?). Employees that decide to “get together” after the party can end up in workplace or sexual harassment issues. Be cautious and monitor your employee’s behavior.
Employees who get hurt at the party can file a workers’ compensation claim – unless you’ve made it clear that attendance at the event is strictly voluntary. Include a note on the party invitation to let employees know that attending the company holiday party is not mandatory.
Scheduling Employee Time Off
If your company is open on normally scheduled holidays, decide in advance how you will select which employees work on particular holidays. If possible, request first that employees volunteer to work alternating holidays and make it worth their while with a small bonus or premium for working holiday hours. (See our blog on managing holiday scheduling conflicts HERE)
You may deny or limit vacation days due to business conditions. This should be written in your vacation or time off policy. If you do this, tread carefully, the morale of your employees can do far more for production than forcing them to work when they really don’t want to or can’t.
Holiday pay is not required by law, but if you do have a policy, make sure it is fair, consistent and that you follow it as written. Accommodate employee’s request to take time off for religious holidays unless it will cause undue hardship.
Paying for Holiday Work
If you choose not to provide paid holidays, employees may be scheduled to work on a holiday at their regular rate of pay. If you close on holidays, you are not obligated to pay your non-exempt (hourly) employees for the day. But, you must pay exempt (salaried) employees for the full week when you close down for a holiday if they have performed any work in that workweek.
Paydays That Fall on a Holiday
If an employer is closed on a payday that falls on Thanksgiving, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day, the employer may pay wages on the next business day. It’s best to communicate to employees ahead of time what day their payday will fall when there is a conflict.
If you have questions on managing any holiday headaches you may have, Infinium HR is your solution. Just email us at info@infiniumhr.com