Thanksgiving Meal as Employment Law Compliance

With Thanksgiving only days away, pros in the HR and compliance industries (and everyone, really) is turning their thoughts to family, friends, football and feasting.

But before enjoying some time away from the office, we thought it would be fun to see how some of those employment law challenges line up with a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Turkey: Labor Law Posters

The backbone of any employment law compliance program is labor law posters. Likewise, no Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without a turkey.

Both are foundational pieces. HR and compliance teams know updated posters are the starting point for employment law compliance programs, just like turkey is for Thanksgiving.

Mashed Potatoes: Minimum Wage

Basic, needed, something to always monitor. Mashed potatoes and minimum wage management.

Like turkey, mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple, as is minimum wage management when it comes to employment law compliance. Plus, there are a wide variety and styles of mashed potatoes, just like the various minimum wage laws across the U.S.

Green Bean Casserole: Paid Leave

Sneaky complicated, easy to mess up. Green bean casserole and paid leave management have plenty in common.

Green bean casserole can be a tricky dish to create. There are several components to consider, and nobody puts it together exactly the same way. That’s also true of paid leave laws, as well as the process of tracking and applying the various laws that continue to pop up in jurisdictions from Maine to California.

Gravy: EEOC Poster Update

Gravy. It basically goes on top of everything. And, as employers saw recently, so does a federal labor law poster update.

With all the employment law matters HR and compliance pros already handle this time of year, the new EEOC poster added another layer of complexity regarding requirements for employers.

Like gravy, coping with the new federal poster update could get a little… lumpy.

Stuffing: Hiring Laws

Ban the box. Grandma always said so when she would make stuffing for Thanksgiving.

And ban the box laws are also a big part of employment law compliance. Crafting a homemade stuffing recipe takes time, following the steps and making sure each component is in order. Which is why stuffing equates to hiring laws in our Thanksgiving meal.

Not asking applicants about their previous celery (oops, salary), adhering to marijuana pre-employment laws, pay transparency laws, making sure applicants can see labor law postings and more — stuffing certainly reminds us of the time it takes to comply with hiring laws.

Pumpkin Pie: When It All Comes Together

That sweet moment when you realize all your employment law compliance programs are in place. Savor that feeling — just like a slice of pumpkin pie at the end of the meal.

Rounding out our employment law compliance Thanksgiving meal is pumpkin pie. Whether you outsource your programs (store bought) or bake the “pie” in-house, there’s no better treat than the satisfaction enjoying a slice at the end of all that hard work and hubbub.

Of course, our comparisons here have one more thing in common. Even when everything dies down (after Thanksgiving or when you’re fully complaint in all your locations), there is always additional work around the corner (more holidays, more employment law compliance efforts).

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Employment Law News blog is intended for market awareness only, it is not to be used for legal advice or counsel.