Three Ways to Make Holidays More Inclusive

The office holiday party is a time-honored tradition: readers of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol may remember the Christmas party hosted by Ebenezer Scrooge’s old boss, Nigel Fezziwig. While the look and feel of these end-of-year holiday parties have changed since...

What is an exit interview?

Answer from Celine, SHRM-CP: An exit interview is a conversation with a departing employee about their time at the company and the reason for their departure. It’s completely optional, but some employers conduct them to learn about workplace issues they may want to...

Federal Contractor Minimum Wage and Final Tip Rules

Minimum Wage Beginning January 30, 2022, the minimum wage for work performed on or in connection with covered federal contracts will increase to $15.00 per hour. The minimum base wage for covered tipped employees will be $10.50 per hour. 80/20 Tip Credit Rule Restored...

Performance Reviews and How They’re Good for Your Business

In some businesses, end of year performance reviews consist of a manager lecturing employees on their behavior of the past year with little room for employee input. No wonder reviews can make employees nervous and discourage engagement! Break the mold and elevate your...

Can we withhold an employee’s paycheck until he returns company property? He had volunteered to store some extra supplies at his home, but is now not returning our calls.

Answer from Emily, PHR: No. Withholding or delaying an employee’s paycheck would violate wage and hour laws. You could attempt to retrieve the items yourself by going to the employee’s home and asking for them in person. If that fails, you might consider asking your...

An employee has been called up to the National Guard. How do we handle their leave?

Answer from Monica, SPHR, SHRM-CP: Under the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), the employee has leave and job reinstatement rights, meaning you’ll need to rehire them following their service. The employee will also be entitled...