Workplace: How to avoid pitfalls during holiday parties

Ah, the office holiday party, when co-workers gather to celebrate the season. But amid the chicken wings and egg nog, there are legal pitfalls aplenty that employers should consider.

Richard Rabin, a labor lawyer, offers a few tips for minimizing liabilities:

• Make the party optional. People who feel obligated to attend are not a good party addition.
• Avoid flammables. You don’t need candles, and they can smoke outside.
• Arrange transportation. If they’re going to be drinking, don’t let employees take themselves home.

Career: ‘Tis the season to begin job hunting, agency says

Contrary to popular perception, the holiday season can be a fine time to begin scouting a new job.

January is often the peak hiring month at many companies, making December an optimal time to get your resume before a hiring manager, according to The Five O’Clock Club, a career counseling agency.

Also, many managers reduce their travel toward the end of the year, so they’re more likely to be in the office with time to peruse your resume or take your phone call.

Motley Fool: Name that company

I was founded in 1980 by a home economics teacher named Doris. Today I’m the premier direct seller of high-quality kitchen products and pantry food items. I serve more than 13 million customers each year, raking in three quarters of a billion dollars annually. There are 70,000 independent Kitchen Consultants worldwide who sell my wares, and I employ more than a thousand people in Illinois. This year I have a new home, as Doris agreed to sell me to Berkshire Hathaway, headed by Warren Buffett. You might call me the mollycoddled hash slinger. Who am I?