Temperatures are falling, which means holidays are approaching. For employers, there is one piece of good news: Halloween is on a Friday! Otherwise, buckle up for another year of holiday-related requests.We've gathered some of the most frequently asked questions employers have around the holidays to make them a little less scary.

Can employees be disciplined for inappropriate holiday party conduct?

They can, and they should be. Ignoring inappropriate conduct when it occurs can open up problematic doors in the future. Goof ups at a party may not necessitate termination, but the unacceptable conduct must be addressed for consistency.

Do paid holiday hours count toward overtime?

Under North Carolina and federal law, if the employer pays employees for taking time away from work on certain holidays, then those paid hours off work will not count toward calculating overtime hours. However, employer policies or practices often contradict this default rule, and the employer must be consistent.

Do gift cards count toward compensation for purposes of calculating overtime?

If Clark Griswold were a non-exempt employee waiting for his annual holiday bonus check, and that bonus was based on a pre-determined formula, then the bonus would count toward the overtime calculation for the applicable workweek. However, purely discretionary bonuses and gifts do not count toward overtime.

Is an employer required to reimburse employees for traveling to the company holiday party?

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