JOIN THE CARRIE LUXEM INNER CIRCLE

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

• 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
• Culture Survey

ARTICLES

• 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

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• 10 Reasons Restaurants Fail {and Solutions to Avoid Each One} (13 minutes)
• Simple and Inexpensive Ways to Keep Your Employees Motivated and Engaged (14 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 Learning & Development Job Description
    • Field Marketing Manager Job Description
    • Accountant Job Description
  • EXECUTIVE
    • 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
    • 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
    • Dishwasher Job Description
    • Line Cook Job Description
    • Food Runner Job Description
  • HOURLY FOH
    • 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

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• 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)

HIRING

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Application
• Exempt Duties Test
• FLSA Fact Sheet – Exempt vs. Nonexempt
• 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

• 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

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• Exempt Vs. Nonexempt: How to Classify Your Employees (10 minutes)
• 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)

ONBOARDING

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• 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
• Form W-4
• Form I-9
• Equal Employee Opportunity (EEO-1)

ARTICLES

• 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

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

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

SAFETY

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• 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
• The DO’s and DON’Ts of Conducting Legal Employee Background Checks
• 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

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• 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?

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

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

PAYROLL

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• Tip Pool Agreement
• 2019 Federal Banking Holidays
• Exempt Duties Test
• Wage Garnishment FAQ
• FLSA Fact Sheet – Exempt vs. Nonexempt
• 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
• A Quick Checklist for Finding the Perfect HRIS Platform
• The 6 Most Common Wage and Hour Mistakes Restaurant Operators Make

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• Maintaining Employee Files (7 minutes)
• Exempt Vs. Nonexempt: How to Classify Your Employees (10 minutes)
• Minimum Wage Compliance (1 minute)

BENEFITS

FORMS & TEMPLATES

• COBRA Notice & Election Form
• Reasonable Accommodation Request Form
• Reasonable Accommodation Sample 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
• 1095-C
• 1094-C
• 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

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• How Much Maternity Leave? (2 minutes)
• FMLA – Understanding the Family Medical Leave Act (3 minutes)

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

FORMS & TEMPLATES

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

ARTICLES

• 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

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• Impact a Life With a Coaching Mindset (6 minutes)
• 10 Reasons Restaurants Fail {and Solutions to Avoid Each One} (13 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

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• 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

• Managing Conflict & Providing Feedback Role-Play Scenarios
• Restaurant Operator’s HR Playbook – Play 11 – Leadership

ARTICLES

• 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.

ON-DEMAND TRAINING

• 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)
• 10 Reasons Restaurants Fail {and Solutions to Avoid Each One} (13 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)
• What Makes You a Better Coach? (2 minutes)
• This One Thing is at the Core of Great Leadership (4 minutes)
• 10 Tips to Become a Better Leader (2 minutes)

COMPLIANCE UPDATES

• Nationwide Minimum Wage Increases Effective Jan. 1, 2020
• 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!