Restaurant, HR, and business leaders become Carrie Luxem Members to gain valuable HR insight and training needed to operate their businesses and departments. Our platform is filled with forms, templates, videos, and on-demand training. Also, Carrie and her team are available daily to answer your HR and people questions.

CULTURE

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• New Policy Memo Template (with Employee Acknowledgement)
• New Policy Memo Template (without Employee Acknowledgement)
• Year-End HR Audit Checklist
• Culture Survey
• Business For Good San Diego Homeless Toolkit (The Basics For Your Business)
• Business For Good San Diego Homeless Tool Kit (Procedures For Frontline Staff)
• What Matters Most Force-Rank Questionnaire
• Steps to Creating a Training Workshop
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 1 – Culture
• Defining Culture Questionnaire

ARTICLES

• Boost Engagement: 7 Simple Strategies for the Restaurant Industry
• Improve Your People Skills and Become a Better Leader, Manager, and Person Too
• How to Approach Homelessness with Kindness and Empathy + Printable Toolkit
• Why a Purpose-Driven Restaurant is the Only Way to Go
• It’s Time To Rethink Employee Retention
• Texting Your Employees? Etiquette Tips to Keep Your E-Communications Legal
• What is Your REAL Company Culture? When the Reality Doesn’t Match Your Vision
• How to Build a Loyal Restaurant Crew
• 3 Ways Leaders Can Remedy Employee Entitlement
• 5 Employee-Friendly Laws Every Restaurant Operator Must Know
• How Does Your Restaurant Culture Make People Feel?
• 6 Reasons You’ll Love Working in the Restaurant Industry
• 10 Reasons Restaurants Fail {and Solutions to Avoid Each One}
• 8 Reasons Why Employees Dislike HR {From An HR Professional’s Perspective}
• Discovering Your WHY…and Why It Matters for Restaurateurs
• An Action Plan to Improve Your Culture and Minimize Legal Risk
• Service Animals 101: The Regulations Restaurants Need to Know
• 21 Everyday Behaviors to Create a Happier Workplace
• 6 Characteristics of a Great Company
• Want to Lower Your Turnover – Rethink These 3 Common Assumptions
• 7 Reasons Your Employees Don’t Care {and How to Fix It}
• Why We Must Stop Putting Harassment Training on the Backburner
• How to Create and Execute Your Restaurant’s Vision, Mission, & Purpose
• Help Others Achieve Success First and Then You Will Find Success Too
• Millennials Are Not the Problem! How You Manage Them Is.
• Why the Transition from Restaurant General Manager to Multiunit Leadership Frequently Fails
• So, You Want to Become the Employer of Choice? What We Can All Learn From In-N-Out Burger
• 7 Simple, Inexpensive Ways to Keep Your Crew Motivated and Engaged
• Workplace Harassment Investigations Gone Wrong
• 9 Absolutely Free and Impactful Ways Employers Can Show They Care
• Restaurants’ People Problems Go Beyond Recruiting and Hiring Mistakes
• How to Get Your Business and Team Back On Track
• How Restaurants Can Prevent Workplace Harassment
• How Restaurant Owners and Operators Can Avoid Holiday Party Disasters

VIDEOS

• Simple and Inexpensive Ways to Keep Your Employees Motivated and Engaged (6 minutes)
• Appearance and Grooming Q&A (2 minutes)
• How To Create and Execute Your Vision, Mission & Purpose (15 minutes)
• How to Build Loyal Restaurant Crew (1 minute)
• 5 Ways to Show Your Employees You Care (3 minutes)

RECRUITING

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Restaurant Career Ladder
• Candidate Rejection Letter
• Sample Hourly Crew Job Board Ad Templates
• Sample Area Manager Job Board Ad
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 2 – Recruiting
• Employee Referral Program
• Referral Bonus Form
• Job Descriptions
  • CORPORATE
    • Director of Food and Beverage
    • Executive Assistant Job Description
    • Digital Marketing Manager Job Description
    • Finance and Business Intelligence Specialist Job Description
    • Senior Creative Manager Job Description
    • Graphic Designer Job Description
    • IT Manager Job Description
    • Director of Marketing Job Description
    • Senior Finance Manager Job Description
    • Director of Payroll Job Description
    • Payroll Manager Job Description
    • Payroll Assistant Job Description
    • Payroll Clerk Job Description
    • Director of Compensation & Benefits Job Description
    • Benefits Manager Job Description
    • Benefits Coordinator Job Description
    • Human Resources Assistant Job Description
    • Human Resources Coordinator Job Description
    • Human Resources Manager Job Description
    • Director of Human Resources Job Description
    • Training Manager Job Description
    • Training Assistant Job Description
    • Director of Catering Job Description
    • Catering Manager Job Description
    • Catering Coordinator Job Description
    • Director of Special Events
    • Special Events Manager
    • Special Events Coordinator
    • Director of Learning & Development Job Description
    • Field Marketing Manager Job Description
    • Accountant Job Description
  • EXECUTIVE
    • Vice President of Human Resources Job Description
    • Chief People Officer Job Description
    • Chief Operating Officer Job Description
    • Chief Financial Officer Job Description
    • Chief Marketing Officer Job Description
    • Chief Executive Officer Job Description
    • VP of Operations Job Description
  • MULTIUNIT
    • District Manager Job Description
    • Director of Operations Job Description
  • BOH RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT
    • Kitchen Manager Job Description
    • Food Expeditor Job Description
    • Sous Chef Job Description
    • Executive Chef Job Description
  • FOH RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT
    • Shift Leader Job Description
    • General Manager Job Description
    • Assistant Manager Job Description
  • HOURLY BOH
    • Stocker Job Description
    • Dishwasher Job Description
    • Line Cook Job Description
    • Food Runner Job Description
  • HOURLY FOH
    • Certified Trainer Job Description
    • Cashier Job Description
    • Busser Job Description
    • Barback Job Description
    • Server Job Description
    • Host/Hostess Job Description
    • Bartender Job Description

ARTICLES

• A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Stellar Restaurant Staff, Part V: Finishing Strong
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Stellar Restaurant Staff, Part IV: Intentional Interviewing
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Stellar Restaurant Staff, Part III: Screening Candidates
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Stellar Restaurant Staff, Part II: Rock Star Recruiting
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Stellar Restaurant Staff, Part I: Determining Your Needs
• How to Use Instagram and Facebook to Attract Restaurant Talent
• 20 Outside the Box Recruiting Ideas to Find Restaurant Crew and Managers
• Want to Lower Your Turnover – Rethink These 3 Common Assumptions
• Attracting Top-Notch Talent Through Brand Storytelling

VIDEOS

• Tell Your Story And Attract Top Talent (7 minutes)
• 10 Affordable Recruiting Ideas to Find Restaurant Crew & Managers (4 minutes)
• Why You Need Job Descriptions For Each Position (And What They Should Include) (2 minutes)
• 3 Simple Things You Should Be Doing to Recruit and Hire the Best Hourly Crew (4 minutes)

ONBOARDING

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Form I-9
• Work From Home Policy
• Employee Handbook
• Arbitration Policy
• Arbitration Agreement
• Orientation Icebreaker Ideas
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 4 – Onboarding
• Orientation Checklist
• Orientation Leader’s Guide
• Anti-Harassment and Non-Discrimination Policy
• Direct Deposit
• Health Marketplace Notice
• Notice to Tipped Employees
• Company Property Acknowledgement
• Uniform Deduction Authorization
• New Hire Form
• Health Marketplace Insurance Acknowledgement
• Anti-Harassment and Non-Discrimination Acknowledgment
• Handbook Acknowledgement
• Equal Employee Opportunity (EEO-1)

ARTICLES

• 4 Low-Cost Tactics to Source Top-Notch Talent
• New Hire Onboarding: The ABCs of a Successful Strategy
• How to Comply With I-9 and Why It Matters Now More Than Ever
• Why We Must Stop Putting Harassment Training on the Backburner
• The DO’s and DON’Ts of Conducting Legal Employee Background Checks

VIDEOS

• 6 Training Techniques for Your Restaurant (3 minutes)
• Create a Memorable Orientation (1 minute)

HIRING

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Return to Work Offer Letter
• Exempt vs. Nonexempt FAQ
• Application
• Exempt Duties Test
• Interview Questions You Should Not Ask (with Possible Alternatives)
• Internship Guidelines
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 3 – Hiring
• Reference Check Questionnaire
• Offer Letter Template
• Management Interview Screen Form
• Hourly Interview Screen Form

ARTICLES

• Restaurant Owners – Should You Be Using Employee Contracts?
• 11 Steps to More Confident and Effective Interviewing
• HR Resolutions: 4 Hiring Hacks to Master in 2019
• The DO’s and DON’Ts For Conducting Effective Employee Reference Checks
• Exempt Vs. Nonexempt: How to Classify Your Managers and Office Staff and Why You Must Get This Right
• The Real Costs of Hiring the Wrong Person
• So, You Want to Become the Employer of Choice? What We Can All Learn From In-N-Out Burger
• Pre-Employment Screening: Testing Options, Benefits, and Legal Pitfalls to Avoid When Evaluating Candidates
• 7 Dig Deep Interview Questions to Weed Out “Bad Apple”​ Candidates
• Attracting Top-Notch Talent Through Brand Storytelling

VIDEOS

• Internship Guidelines (1 minute)
• 10 Interview Questions That Should Not Be Asked (but they are) (2 minutes)
• Why You Need Job Descriptions For Each Position (And What They Should Include) (2 minutes)
• 3 Simple Things You Should Be Doing to Recruit and Hire the Best Hourly Crew (4 minutes)

SAFETY

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Outdoor Drive-Thru Safety Policy
• COVID-19 FAQ For Employers
• Health Inspection Preparation Checklist
• Safety Checklist for Telecommuters
• Step-by-Step Clean-up Guidelines for Contamination Accidents
• Guidance For Cleaning Up Contamination
• Guidelines for Handling a Foodborne Illness Complaint
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 5 – Safety
• Robbery Prevention Policy & Response Plan
• Workers Compensation Treatment ID Form
• Customer Incident Report Form
• First Report of Injury Forms by State
  • First Report of Injury Forms by State

ARTICLES

• How to Handle Intoxicated Customers & Prevent Overserving
• Health Inspections 101: How to Handle One and What to Do Afterward
• Is Your Restaurant Prepared for a Robbery?
• 5 Tips to Create a Safer Restaurant Environment

VIDEOS

• Appearance and Grooming Q&A (2 minutes)
• Are Remote Employees Covered Under Workers’ Compensation (1 minute)
• CORONAVIRUS: WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR RESTAURANTS {EMPLOYEES & CUSTOMERS} (3 MINUTES)
• How to Prevent Overserving and Handle Intoxicated Customers
• How To Handle A Surprise Visit From The Health Department (5 minutes)
• Restaurant Health Inspections 101: How to Handle One and What to Do Afterward (7 minutes)
• Restaurant Robbery Response Plan (3 minutes)
• Restaurant Robbery Prevention (2 minutes)
• 6 Steps to a Safer Restaurant (2 minutes)

LOSS PREVENTION

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Cash Handling Policy
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 6 – Loss Prevention
• Loss Prevention Tips

ARTICLES

• The Pros and Cons of a Cashless Restaurant
• Preventing Employee Theft Year-Round
• Use This Loss Prevention Checklist to Improve Your Restaurant and Save Money
• Is Your Restaurant Prepared for a Robbery?

VIDEOS

• 3 Cash Handling Procedures to Minimize Employee Theft (3 minutes)

PAYROLL

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Scheduling Software Options
• UPDATED W-4 FORM: A Guide for Employees
• 2021 Federal Banking Holidays
• New Policy Memo Template (with Employee Acknowledgement)
• New Policy Memo Template (without Employee Acknowledgement)
• Employee Availability & Schedule Change Request
• Social Security Tax Deferral Not Offered Sample Notice
• Social Security Tax Deferral Sample Notice
• Finding a Payroll or HRIS Provider Checklist
• FFCRA Time Off Request Form
• Exempt vs. Nonexempt FAQ
• Tip Pool Agreement
• Exempt Duties Test
• Wage Garnishment FAQ
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 7 – Payroll
• Direct Deposit Authorization
• Time Off Request Form
• Payroll Status Change Form
• State W4 Forms
  • State W4 Forms

ARTICLES

• 5 Employee-Friendly Laws Every Restaurant Operator Must Know
• 10 Common HR Violations Guaranteed to Create Legal Trouble for Your Restaurant
• Exempt Vs. Nonexempt: How to Classify Your Managers and Office Staff and Why You Must Get This Right
• Fundamentals of Employee Tip Pooling and Sharing
• The 6 Most Common Wage and Hour Mistakes Restaurant Operators Make

VIDEOS

• Maintaining Employee Files (7 minutes)

BENEFITS

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• New Policy Memo Template (with Employee Acknowledgement)
• New Policy Memo Template (without Employee Acknowledgement)
• 2020 1094-C & 1095-C Instructions
• 2020 1095-C
• 2020 1094-C
• Telecommuting Policy
• Reasonable Accommodation Sample Policy
• Reasonable Accommodation Request Form
• Reasonable Accommodation Checklist
• COBRA Model Election Notice
• COBRA Model General Notice
• FFCRA Time Off Request Form
• FFCRA Employee Rights Required Poster (Spanish)
• Temporary Furlough Letter
• Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act Policy
• Emergency Paid Sick Leave Policy
• FMLA Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of a Veteran for Military Caregiver Leave
• FMLA Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of Covered Servicemember for Military Family Leave
• FMLA Certification of Qualifying Exigency For Military Family Leave
• FMLA Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member’s Serious Health Condition
• FMLA Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee’s Serious Health Condition
• FMLA Notice of Eligibility and Rights & Responsibilities
• FMLA Designation Notice
• 50 Employee Benefit and Perk Ideas
• PTO Policy Example 2
• PTO Policy Example 1
• Reward & Recognition Ideas
• Compensation & Benefits Guidebook
• FMLA Process for Employers
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 8 – Benefits
• Request for Leave of Absence Form

ARTICLES

• 50 Employee Benefits and Perks Your Team Will Adore
• 5 Employee-Friendly Laws Every Restaurant Operator Must Know
• The Restaurateur’s Guide to Understanding COBRA
• Mandated Paid Sick Leave: Who It Affects and How It Impacts Existing PTO Policies
• Employer Checklist: Handling Reasonable Accommodation Requests for Individuals with Disabilities
• To avoid large fines and penalties, you must understand (and have a process for) FMLA

VIDEOS

• How To Handle Reasonable Accommodation Requests For Individuals With Disabilities (5 minutes)
• How Much Maternity Leave? (2 minutes)
• FMLA – Understanding the Family Medical Leave Act (3 minutes)

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Performance Feedback (for 360 Review)
• Personal Development Analysis
• Restaurant Career Ladder
• Promotion Letter
• Top 10 Book Recommendations on Improving Communication
• Supervisor Guidelines for Performance Reviews
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 9 – Performance Management
• Check-In Template
• Corrective Action Record
• Performance Review
• Individual Development Plan

ARTICLES

• 3 Simple Tips for Writing Performance Reviews
• Resiliency: The Key to Weathering Any Storm
• Improve Your People Skills and Become a Better Leader, Manager, and Person Too
• 5 HR Systems Every Restaurant Should Focus on Improving
• It’s Time To Rethink Employee Retention
• 5 Employee Incentives Guaranteed to Shrink Turnover Rates
• Career Path Planning? Use the START Method + These Templates
• 7 Tips for Stress-Free Employee Performance Reviews
• Is It Time to Ditch Traditional Employee Performance Reviews?
• 6 Components of a Well-Designed Performance Management System
• 8 Reasons Why Employees Dislike HR {From An HR Professional’s Perspective}
• 3 Keys to Developing Homegrown Leadership Talent
• Want to Lower Your Turnover – Rethink These 3 Common Assumptions
• Ditch Regret and Live Your Best Life: 9 Strategies to Keep Regret at Bay
• Why We Must Stop Putting Harassment Training on the Backburner
• 6 Tips to Facilitate Difficult Employee Conversations When You Don’t Like Conflict
• Successful Managers Are Skilled Coaches Too
• How to Effectively Supervise Former Peers Following a Promotion to Management
• 7 Ways to Improve the Communication in Your Company
• 7 Characteristics of Highly Skilled Problem Solvers
• Help Others Achieve Success First and Then You Will Find Success Too
• Why the Transition from Restaurant General Manager to Multiunit Leadership Frequently Fails
• So, You Want to Become the Employer of Choice? What We Can All Learn From In-N-Out Burger
• How to Address Poor Employee Performance and Evoke Positive Behavioral Change
• Seeking a Promotion to Management? Do These 10 Things to Increase Your Chances
• Simplifying Employee Corrective Action

VIDEOS

• Simple and Inexpensive Ways to Keep Your Employees Motivated and Engaged (6 minutes)
• 10 Reasons Restaurants Fail {and Solutions to Avoid Each One} (10 minutes)
• Impact a Life With a Coaching Mindset (6 minutes)
• How To Transform Poor Performers Into Positive Contributors (8 minutes)
• 3 Keys to Developing Homegrown Leadership Talent (3 minutes)
• Rethink Your Performance Review Process (3 minutes)

TERMINATION

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Voluntary Termination Checklist
• Severance Agreement (Age 40+)
• Severance Agreement (Under Age 40)
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 10 – Termination
• Termination Form
• Involuntary Termination Checklist
• Exit Interview

ARTICLES

• Terminate Employees with Grace and Tact
• You’re Fired! How Strong Leadership and Company Culture Can Decrease Terminations and Associated Lawsuits
• 12 Tips to Properly Terminate Employees
• Simplifying Employee Corrective Action

VIDEOS

• The Right Way To Terminate An Employee (9 minutes)
• 5 Tips to Avoid Wrongful Termination Claims (2 minutes)
• Withholding Final Paycheck (1 minute)
• Time to Terminate? No So Fast (1 minute)
• Contesting Unemployment Claims (2 minutes)

LEADERSHIP

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• How to Gain Respect From Your Team Video Recap
• Top 10 Reading Recommendations for Serious Restaurant Pros
• Managing Conflict & Providing Feedback Role-Play Scenarios
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 11 – Leadership

ARTICLES

• 8 Key Lessons Chefs Teach Us About Life and Leadership
• Empty Your Cup: A Zen Proverb on Remaining Open and Teachable
• Resiliency: The Key to Weathering Any Storm
• 8 Self-Defeating Behaviors Keeping You From Living Your Best Life
• Boost Engagement: 7 Simple Strategies for the Restaurant Industry
• Improve Your People Skills and Become a Better Leader, Manager, and Person Too
• 4 Managerial and Leadership Traits Needed for Restaurant Success
• Texting Your Employees? Etiquette Tips to Keep Your E-Communications Legal
• Boost Employee Satisfaction by Meeting These Six Human Needs
• Is It Time to Ditch Traditional Employee Performance Reviews?
• How to Build a Loyal Restaurant Crew
• 8 Mistakes New Restaurant Managers Make + How to Avoid Them
• 3 Ways Leaders Can Remedy Employee Entitlement
• Do Smartphones Undermine Your Ability to Manage Effectively?
• 7 Steps to Become a Truly Effective Communicator
• 10 Reasons Restaurants Fail {and Solutions to Avoid Each One}
• 8 Reasons Why Employees Dislike HR {From An HR Professional’s Perspective}
• Discovering Your WHY…and Why It Matters for Restaurateurs
• 4 Qualities the BEST Managers Possess
• 9 Important Traits You Need to Inspire Others
• The Restaurant Success Differentiators: HR Systems + Leadership
• How To Build Strong Professional Relationships
• 3 Keys to Developing Homegrown Leadership Talent
• 6 Life and Leadership Lessons Courtesy of the Military
• 7 Reasons Your Employees Don’t Care {and How to Fix It}
• Ditch Regret and Live Your Best Life: 9 Strategies to Keep Regret at Bay
• 8 Types of Supervisors Most Disliked by Employees
• 6 Tips to Facilitate Difficult Employee Conversations When You Don’t Like Conflict
• Successful Managers Are Skilled Coaches Too
• How to Effectively Supervise Former Peers Following a Promotion to Management
• 7 Ways to Improve the Communication in Your Company
• 7 Characteristics of Highly Skilled Problem Solvers
• 4 Restaurant Pros Weigh In: What It Really Takes to Be a Great Leader
• Help Others Achieve Success First and Then You Will Find Success Too
• Millennials Are Not the Problem! How You Manage Them Is.
• Why the Transition from Restaurant General Manager to Multiunit Leadership Frequently Fails
• So, You Want to Become the Employer of Choice? What We Can All Learn From In-N-Out Burger
• 7 Simple, Inexpensive Ways to Keep Your Crew Motivated and Engaged
• 3 Tips to Facilitate a Smoother Transition to Foodservice Multiunit Leadership Roles
• How to Get Your Business and Team Back On Track
• The Fundamentals of Great Leadership: 9 Necessary Soft Skills
• Are You a Manager or a Leader? 3 Quick Ways to Tell.

VIDEOS

• How to Gain Respect From Your Team (12 minutes)
• 6 Steps To Becoming a Conflict Resolution Master (3 minutes)
• 4 QUALITIES THE BEST MANAGERS POSSESS (4 minutes)
• 3 Tips To Help You Successfully Lead Your Team (6 minutes)
• How To Be An Effective Communicator (5 min)
• Impact a Life With a Coaching Mindset (6 minutes)
• Part 1: How to Improve Your Soft Skills – Building Relationships (14 minutes)
• Part 2: How to Improve Your Soft Skills – Improving Communication (15 minutes)
• Part 3: How to Improve Your Soft Skills – Problem Solving (13 minutes)
• Part 4: How to Improve Your Soft Skills – Managing Conflict (15 minutes)
• Part 5: How to Improve Your Soft Skills – Learning & Growing (14 minutes)
• Leadership Is Who You Are, Not Just What You Do (5 minutes)
• Leadership is the Differentiator (2 minutes)
• Leadership is Who You Are, Not Just What You Do (3 minutes)
• 3 Keys to Developing Homegrown Leadership Talent (3 minutes)
• 5 Ways to Show Your Employees You Care (3 minutes)
• This One Thing is at the Core of Great Leadership (4 minutes)
• 10 Tips to Become a Better Leader (2 minutes)

STATE & FEDERAL REGULATIONS

• Deductions From Employee Wages
• Federal and State Regulations Related to Family and Medical Leave
• Jan. 1, 2021 Nationwide Minimum Wage Increases
• Time Off to Vote State Laws
• Mandatory & Protected Leave
• Voluntary Vacation, Sick Pay & Similar Paid Time Off Benefits
• Documentation Required Upon Termination
• Unemployment Insurance Information by State
• Predictive and Fair Workweek Laws
• Labor Law Poster and Notice Requirements
• Nationwide Child Labor: Time and Hour Restrictions
• Nationwide Child Labor: Employment Restrictions and Permits
• Nationwide Salary History Ban Requirements
• Nationwide Minimum Wage Rates
• Nationwide Ban-the-Box Regulations
• Nationwide Harassment Training & Education Requirements
• Nationwide Record Retention Requirements
• Exempt Employee Minimum Salary Requirements
• Nationwide Break, Rest & Meal Period Regulations
• Nationwide Paid Sick Leave Regulations
• Nationwide Final Wages Upon Termination Regulations
• Nationwide Overtime Regulations

“ASK TEAM CL”

Have a question, or are you looking for a form or process you’re not seeing on the platform? Send Carrie and our team your specific questions or requests 24/7/365 through the membership dashboard and we will respond, and assist you, promptly!

MEMBER & TEAM CL Q&A

• We are changing our current PTO policy for executive level employees to unlimited PTO from an accrual-based policy. When we make the switch over to the new unlimited policy, is the company obligated to pay out the already accrued PTO time? Or is the accrued time they currently have forfeited when the new policy takes effect?
• Can an employer send electronic onboarding documents to a new employee before their first day so they can fill it out online at home? Or, does the new employee need to complete the onboarding documents at the restaurant while they are on the clock?
• When a former employee is offered COBRA to continue their health insurance benefits, do the COBRA plans offered have to be the exact insurance plans they were enrolled in while still employed with the company or can it be changed? Additionally, if COBRA is elected and the participant has a baby during their time on COBRA, do they have the opportunity to add a dependent to the coverage?
• We have some policies written for our company but we’re looking to see if you offer some sort of organizational template for a handbook? We currently have a number of policies but they are simply on a Word doc and printed out, and we would like to make these policies look more professional. Also, do you also have a list of highly recommended policies that will help protect the rights of both the employer and employees? We want to make sure we have at least the basics covered.
• If a tipped employee files for unemployment, how does the unemployment agency determine their tip wages?
• As an employer, can I create and decide what the vacation/Paid Time Off (PTO) policy will be for my company? Can I decide whether to allow this vacation or PTO time to carry- or roll-over if not used, or are these policies mandated by federal or state law?
• Why is an employer required to fill out the Notice of Eligibility & Rights and Responsibilities for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FLMA) form if the employee already knows they are eligible for FMLA? Is it for the employee’s personal records?
• If an employee is injured at work, would the employer have to assist with any missed pay while the employee is not able to work due to their injury? If so, is there any way around having to pay the employee? For instance, can the employer provide a job in the restaurant for the injured worker to perform while they perhaps are not able to return to work “full duty”?
• How is worker’s compensation insurance handled when an injury happens to an employee who is working from/injured at home?
• When would accident insurance be used? Do you have to be currently enrolled in the employer’s insurance to receive this?
• Why do some offer letters state that the employee is allowed to quit or resign at-will? Does an at-will statement always have to be included in an offer letter? What if it isn’t and the employee quits suddenly?
• If an employee needs to take time off under the FFCRA expanded family and medical leave, and they start this extended leave March 1, 2021, would they only have until the March 31st to use that time? Would they get four weeks total, instead of the 10 available weeks under FFCRA?
• When calculating average hours for FFCRA used in 2021, should an employer use the last six months (including 2021) or only 2020 hours?
• Is it possible for an employer to continue offering FFCRA employee sick pay, but not the expanded family and medical leave sick pay?
• Is it legal to not hire a candidate that is re-applying for a position due to a negative reference from a current employee? Does an employer have to give reason to reject an applicant? Or is it just when a criminal background check is conducted?
• Can a manager or company be penalized for sending out a schedule less than two weeks in advance?
• Can an employee opt out of FMLA? Is it mandatory or optional? If optional, can an individual company make it mandatory?
• When someone has been out on furlough, how does an employer use this time to determine if an employee qualifies for FMLA?
• Can setting standards for an employee’s appearance (makeup, piercings, nails, etc.) be considered discriminatory? For example, if an employee comes to work looking disheveled (like they were out late the night before), what is the best way to handle that conversation? Also, what if the employee feels the way they look is OK?
• How would a company perform a background check if it is not through a 3rd party?
• How do tip credits work?
• Flexible Spending Accounts is listed as a possible benefit in the article I recently read on the platform. What is an FSA and when would it be used?
• How does a company obtain the right to ‘terminate an employee at-will without cause?’ Isn’t a cause usually needed to avoid legal action from the employee? Or is this right protected by the handbook?