Even the most experienced business owners and HR pros have questions from time to time. Our Quick Q&A series provides answers to not-so-common questions and links to helpful resources.

While outright banning all romantic relationships amongst coworkers is not a realistic option, employers should have handbook policies addressing interpersonal relationships. Tactfully designed policies protect the employees and organization, establish clear guardrails and prevent potential fallout.  

A professional employment organization (PEO) may be an attractive solution for employers needing HR and payroll assistance. A PEO acts as a co-employer and allows a business to outsource payroll, benefit administration and employee relation functions. In a PEO relationship, employees are linked to the PEO’s federal ID number and “leased” back to the business.  

Some states explicitly require anti-harassment or sexual harassment training on a consistent basis for either all employees or for certain tiers of employees, like managers and supervisors. However, even in states where such statutes are not established, court decisions and guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) indicate that employers should provide anti-harassment or sexual harassment training to all employees.