Can we ask employees if they are taking any medications that may impair their abilities to do their job?

by | Jan 4, 2024 | Employment Law, Human Resources

Answered by the HR Experts: Generally, no. The Americans with Disabilities Act restricts employers from asking medical questions of employees and protects the privacy of medical information. Asking about prescription medications would fall into the category of a...

What tips do you have for hosting an end-of-year company holiday party?

by | Dec 12, 2023 | Human Resources

Answered by the HR Experts A holiday party can be a great way to celebrate the year with employees, but it can come with risks. We recommend the following best practices: Unless you intend to pay employees for their time at the event, make attendance optional....

What should we do when one of our designated paid holidays falls on a weekend when we aren’t open? Do we need to offer an alternative day off?

by | Nov 29, 2023 | Employment Law, Human Resources

Answered by the HR Experts No, you don’t need to offer an alternative day off. There are no federal laws requiring private employers to provide paid time off for holidays. However, there are potential benefits to offering an alternative day off: It can boost employee...

What should I know about checking employee references?

by | Oct 27, 2023 | Human Resources

Reference checks help you verify the employment information candidates provide, but they aren’t required, so it’s up to you whether you want to do them. Here are some practices we recommend if you do choose to conduct reference checks: Get permission from candidates...

Federal: EEO-1 Reporting Opens October 31

by | Oct 24, 2023 | Employment Law, Human Resources

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced that 2022 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection opens on October 31, 2023. The EEO-1 Component 1 report is a mandatory filing required of all private sector employers with 100 or more employees, and federal...

Can we prohibit employees from dyeing their hair bright pink, aqua, or other extreme colors?

by | Oct 23, 2023 | Human Resources

Answered by the HR Experts Yes. Non-natural hair color is not a protected characteristic. Even so, there are a few things you may want to consider before making a policy about this: Extreme” hair colors are becoming more and more common, so restricting colors...