Happy Birthday and A Not So Happy Lawsuit!
Happy Birthday and A Not So Happy Lawsuit!
Birthdays are such an interesting holiday. There are years when we just can’t wait for them. There are also years when we wish they would just stop coming. In the middle are times we don’t want them but hey is that cherry chocolate cake? While we figure out how we feel about our next birthday we have another matter to consider. How do our employees feel about their upcoming birthdays? This is important because celebrating a birthday seems like such an easy thing to do. Who doesn’t want other people buying them a cake and gifts for their birthday? Well for one Jehovah Witnesses don’t. Some more conservative Christians don’t either. Along with some Muslims. In fact Birthday celebrations used to be considered as pagan celebrations. Bet you didn’t know that.
This is just one reason why we have to be careful when it comes to celebrating employee birthdays. Many people don’t wear a religious label around their neck with all their beliefs on it. Another reason we have to be careful is that of age discrimination. Some people don’t mind when you celebrate their birthdays. They do mind when you start commenting on their age. Many don’t like to carry the title of “old” or “over the hill” or being asked, “did you ever ride a dinosaur?” While some will take it in good humor some might get upset or even get an attorney involved. It might seem like something small to file a lawsuit over. Remember, however, small things become lawsuits every day.
Another prominent risk is forgetting birthdays. I’ll be the first to say here that at times I get so busy that I forget my own birthday is coming up. That’s not really a problem for me. I understand that I have other things going on. What happens, however, if I celebrate Nancy’s birthday in accounting but forget Drew’s in marketing? Drew is going to wonder why I opted not to celebrate his birthday and his coworkers are going to wonder if there is favoritism in the office. Both make for poor office morale.
So how do you navigate the dangerous legal maze of celebrating Birthdays? The first step should be knowing basic things to do and to avoid. Regardless of someone’s age, you shouldn’t comment on it. Even if they are just eighteen it is best to just avoid the subject altogether. Simply tell them Happy Birthday. Also, make use of a digital calendar to keep track of birthdays. Google Calendars will send reminders to your phone and email when certain events are coming up. This way you never forget a birthday.
Also find a consistent form of celebration as well. Gift cards are a good and basic way to gift employees. Some local restaurants might even give discounts if you go through them. You can also buy gift cards in bulk so they are always on hand. This way even if you miss the birthday notification you’re still ready.
Another option is to have a competent human resource department to handle these situations. Don’t have time to build one? You can always hire a company like Vision H.R. to handle your Ormond Beach human resource management needs.
Ormond Beach Human Resource Management
