For many companies, year-end and/or shortly after the new year is a time set aside on the corporate calendar for annual evaluations. Employee evaluations should not only put employees on notice of performance problems and provide feedback for the employee’s continued development and growth, but they should also demonstrate the employer’s efforts to help low performers and challenge high performers. Failure to do so could result in the employer landing on the “naughty” list, specifically on the receiving end of a lawsuit. What, when, and how employers report information on employee evaluations becomes pivotal to the company’s protection from legal liability.
