Grand Traverse Woman
Women in Business Q & A
Employment Issues

Women and the Workplace Q & A
Nov-Dec 2005
By Liz Sayre-King

My children will be taking part in special school concerts and other events during December that I would hate to miss. How should I approach my boss about leaving for an hour or two on these days?

I'm assuming from your question that your workplace is not very flexible about employees taking time off. This may be due to the type of work you do, or a short-staffing situation. Whatever the case, the important thing is not to approach your boss with a problem that needs to be solved. I would recommend that instead, you should present several possible solutions that will allow you to attend your children's events and satisfy your employer's need to get the work done. For example, you might offer to work late several days or come in on a weekend to make up the time, take the time without pay, or arrange for someone else to cover your position while you're gone – and then repay them at some point. If you can offer viable solutions, it will show that you take your job seriously and are well organized – and it will make it much easier for your boss to grant you the time off.

The season for company parties is approaching, and I'm a little concerned about alcohol issues. Am I liable as an employer if one of my staff members has too much to drink and has an accident?

The short answer to this is yes, you could be liable. I am assuming that you are referring to a party that would be held at your office, but you should be aware that liability also applies beyond the workplace. If you were to have a holiday party at your home, and one of your guests became inebriated, you could be liable for any accident they might cause, as well. In both cases, be sure that there is plenty of food available to offset the alcohol consumption, and always keep a close eye on how much your guests drink! If someone does drink too much, you could call a cab for them, or give them a ride home yourself.

Can you suggest any guidelines on how much to spend on Christmas gifts for my employees?

That would depend primarily on your budget. I have seen everything from coffee mugs filled with candy to cash bonuses of several hundred dollars. The key thing to remember is fairness. If you are going to give gifts or gift certificates, make sure the value of each is the same for each employee. If you have employees who are in positions with high levels responsibility (supervisors or managers, for example), you might want to give them more, but again, the value of what you give should be equitable for employees who hold similar positions.

Christmas falls on a Saturday this year. Am I required to give my employees an extra day off? And what about time off for those who observe other religious holidays?

I would strongly suggest that you write a policy to address this issue, and that the policy be distributed at a time of year when no holidays are fast approaching. Identify which, if any, holidays your business will be closed, and whether or not employees will be paid for them. You are not required by law to provide any time off, paid or unpaid, for any holiday. There are many businesses that remain open on some or all holidays, and they require their employees to work on those days. Some businesses do provide a Friday off to observe a Saturday holiday, but such a decision is at the business owner's discretion.

Professional Solutions Plus specializes in employee leasing and medical billing services for small to medium-sized businesses in Northern Michigan. If you have questions about employment or HR issues, please contact PSP president Liz Sayre-King: esayreking@professionalsolutionsplus.com.

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