Twelve Things Employers Must Be Careful About This Time of Year

For many employers, this time of year brings holiday parties, bonuses, good tidings, decorations, inclement weather, depression, drunkenness, and so much more.  So, here are just a few things no one else is going to warn you about.  Thank me with fruit cake later.

1. Snacking. Food costs money! Have potlucks unless you have budgeted for all those parties and lunches, and so on.
    
2. Santa. Rethink allowing the CEO to play Santa and have employees sit on his (or her) lap at the company party! Just Don’t!
    
3. Santa Part Two. In fact, don’t let ANYONE play Santa at the holiday party. Just Don’t!
    
4. Scheduling. Everyone can’t have time off at the same time. Revenues could suffer. Plan in advance.
    
5. Bonuses. Yes, you can have discretionary bonuses, but they still have to be fair. Immigrants can’t get less than native-born. Whites can’t get more than Asians, and so on. But, feel free to give everyone in a sweater vest a really big bonus.
    
6. Gifts. Cash, gift cards, and gift certificates (they still make them?) are all taxable income to the recipient.
    
7. Compliments…at the holiday party. People tend to look nicer than usual. You wanna tell them. You can, but don’t! This list is about things to be careful about.
    
8. Weather – related closings. If you close for a day or two, salaries can’t be docked. Non-exempt employees can be paid strictly for the time they actually do work, but salaries can’t be docked.
    
9. Decorations. Things tend to fall on people this time of year.
    
10. Dancing. Don’t hurt yourself! Or anyone else!
     
11. Pay-for-the-day. Luncheons, dinners, parties could be considered compensable time. Yup.
     
12. Political Correctness. Can’t please all the people all the time, but try!