With some help from Charles Dickens.

When it comes to Halloween in the workplace, just call me Scrooge.

A reader writes,

Hi, Robin. I dread the prospect of employees coming to work in inappropriate Halloween costumes. I've seen costumes that are sexually provocative, or that reflect racial or ethnic stereotypes. Some people even say that employers shouldn't have Halloween parties because some employees have religious ...

Constangy came out Friday (the 13th! for good luck!) with a new, free iPhone app that is intended for Human Resources professionals and attorneys, and is really nice. (Android version will be coming soon.) If you haven't already downloaded it, you should.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am completely biased. I was a member of the committee that decided what would go into the app, and some of the content ...

We're already into the seventh day of Chanaukkah, and Christmas is only eight short shopping days away ("I've gotta get that football helmet!"), so it must be time for a post on how employers should handle the holidays in the workplace.

Suzanne Lucas of The Evil HR Lady has a depressing-but-funny post about the lamest employee Christmas gifts ever.

And, only slightly off-topic, you may ...