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Planning a Company Holiday Party? Key HR Considerations for Employers
A holiday party can be a great way to recognize employees, celebrate accomplishments, and strengthen workplace relationships. It can also create avoidable problems when expectations are unclear or planning focuses only on the event itself. Before you send invitations, take a few minutes to think through the HR side of the celebration. Make Attendance Truly Optional Many employees enjoy holiday gatherings. Others may have family commitments, religious considerations, transport
3 days ago2 min read
New California Employment Laws for 2027: What Businesses Need to Know
Employment laws change every year, but some years bring more than routine updates. California's 2027 workplace legislation introduces new requirements involving artificial intelligence, employee privacy, pay reporting, leave administration, workplace safety, and more. While most of these changes do not require immediate action, now is a good time to review your policies, technology platforms, manager training, and compliance practices. Leave, Training, and Workplace Safety (S
Nov 42 min read
Planning a Company Holiday Party? Key HR Considerations for Employers
A holiday party can be a great way to recognize employees, celebrate accomplishments, and strengthen workplace relationships. It can also create avoidable problems when expectations are unclear or planning focuses only on the event itself. Before you send invitations, take a few minutes to think through the HR side of the celebration. Make Attendance Truly Optional Many employees enjoy holiday gatherings. Others may have family commitments, religious considerations, transport
3 days ago2 min read
New California Employment Laws for 2027: What Businesses Need to Know
Employment laws change every year, but some years bring more than routine updates. California's 2027 workplace legislation introduces new requirements involving artificial intelligence, employee privacy, pay reporting, leave administration, workplace safety, and more. While most of these changes do not require immediate action, now is a good time to review your policies, technology platforms, manager training, and compliance practices. Leave, Training, and Workplace Safety (S
Nov 42 min read
Holiday Scheduling: Why Setting Expectations Early Matters
The holiday season often brings more than decorations and celebrations. It also brings vacation requests, changing schedules, year-end deadlines, and questions about office closures. The businesses that navigate the season most smoothly are usually the ones that address scheduling expectations before the requests start piling up. Don't Wait Until December If your business experiences an increase in time-off requests during the holidays, now is the time to communicate how thos
Oct 282 min read
How to Approach a Workplace Investigation
You have reviewed an employee complaint and determined that a workplace investigation is needed. The next step is to gather the facts without reaching conclusions too early. A workplace investigation does not need to be unnecessarily complicated. It does need to be prompt, objective, and appropriate for the allegations involved. Choose the Right Investigator The investigator may be an HR professional, a manager, outside counsel, or another qualified person. The right choice d
Oct 212 min read
What to Do When an Employee Makes a Workplace Complaint
An employee tells you something happened at work. Maybe the complaint involves a manager, coworker, policy, or workplace decision. Your first priority is not to decide who is right, it is to understand the complaint and determine what needs to happen next. Listen Before You Respond Give the employee an opportunity to explain what happened. Ask questions that help you understand the situation: What occurred? When did it happen? Who was involved? Were there witnesses? Is the is
Oct 142 min read
Politics at Work: What Employers Should Do During Election Season
Election season tends to bring more political discussions into everyday life, including the workplace. Employees may talk about candidates, share opinions, follow breaking news, or discuss issues that matter to them. Most employers do not need to eliminate every political conversation. The goal is to maintain a professional workplace where employees can work productively and respectfully with one another, regardless of their personal views. Focus on Workplace Behavior Politic
Oct 72 min read
Open Enrollment: What Employees Need From You
Benefits may be one of your largest expenses outside of payroll. Open enrollment is one of the few times employees actively engage with that investment. Most employees aren't focused on renewal costs, carrier negotiations, or plan design. They want answers to a few simple questions: What's changing? Will it cost more? Do I need to do anything? When is the deadline? Who can help if I have questions? Make the Message Easy to Understand Many benefits communications are filled wi
Sep 302 min read
Can I Drug Test an Employee in California?
An employee appears impaired at work. There has been a workplace accident. A manager wants to start random drug testing. Can you require a drug test? In California, the answer depends on the circumstances. Employers may have legitimate workplace safety concerns, but employees also have privacy protections. Before requiring a current employee to test, you need a valid reason and a process for handling the situation. Reasonable Suspicion Testing Reasonable suspicion is one of t
Sep 232 min read
What Makes Employees Feel Supported During Change
Change is part of running a business. You may be growing, restructuring, introducing new technology, changing leadership, or adjusting how work gets done. Whatever the reason, employees are often focused on one question: What does this mean for me? You may not have every answer right away, but you can still help employees navigate change with the right communication and support. Communicate What You Know When employees do not have information, they tend to fill in the gaps th
Sep 162 min read
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