diff --git a/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Layout/Home.razor b/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Layout/Home.razor
index f14e477..45089f5 100644
--- a/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Layout/Home.razor
+++ b/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Layout/Home.razor
@@ -231,7 +231,13 @@
         var ctx = await UserCtx.GetAsync();
         if (ctx.User?.Id != null)
         {
-            Nav.NavigateTo("/dashboard", forceLoad: true);
+            if (ctx.User?.Role == "Employee") {
+                Nav.NavigateTo("/tasks");
+            }
+            else {
+                Console.WriteLine("DEBUG: dashboard nav. Role: " + ctx.User?.Role);
+                Nav.NavigateTo("/dashboard", forceLoad: true);
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Layout/NavMenu.razor b/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Layout/NavMenu.razor
index 399dd38..0b05486 100644
--- a/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Layout/NavMenu.razor
+++ b/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Layout/NavMenu.razor
@@ -20,80 +20,67 @@
 
 <div class="nav-scrollable" onclick="document.querySelector('.navbar-toggler').click()">
     <nav class="flex-column">
-        <div class="nav-item px-3">
-            <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/dashboard" Match="NavLinkMatch.All">
-                <span class="bi bi-house-door-fill nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Home
-            </NavLink>
-        </div>
+        
 
-        <div class="nav-item px-3">
-            <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/dashboard">
-                <span class="bi bi-speedometer2 nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Dashboard
-            </NavLink>
-        </div>
-
-        <div class="nav-item px-3">
-            <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/tasks">
-                <span class="bi bi-list-nested nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> My Tasks
-            </NavLink>
-        </div>
-
-        <div class="nav-item px-3">
-            <a class="nav-link @(Nav.Uri.Contains("/inventory-management") ? "active" : "")"
-               href="#" @onclick="async () => await GoToInventory()" @onclick:preventDefault="true">
-                <span class="bi bi-box-seam nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Inventory
-            </a>
-        </div>
-
-        @if (_role == "Admin")
+        @if (_role == "Employee")
         {
             <div class="nav-item px-3">
-                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="recipes">
-                    <span class="bi bi-journal-text nav-icon"></span> Recipes
+                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/tasks">
+                    <span class="bi bi-list-nested nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> My Tasks
                 </NavLink>
             </div>
+        }
+        else if (_role == "Admin")
+        {
+            @* ADMIN ONLY *@
+        }
+        @if (_role == "Admin" || _role == "Manager")
+        {
+            @* NON EMPLOYEE *@
             <div class="nav-item px-3">
-                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/assign-tasks">
-                    <span class="bi bi-clipboard-check nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Assign Tasks
+                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/dashboard">
+                    <span class="bi bi-speedometer2 nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Dashboard
                 </NavLink>
             </div>
             <div class="nav-item px-3">
-                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/purchase-orders">
-                    <span class="bi bi-cart3 nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Purchase Orders
+                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/assign-tasks">
+                    <span class="bi bi-clipboard-check nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Assign Tasks
                 </NavLink>
             </div>
             <div class="nav-item px-3">
-                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="users">
-                    <span class="bi bi-people nav-icon"></span> Manage Users
+                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/inventory-catalog">
+                    <span class="bi bi-card-list nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Inventory Catalog
                 </NavLink>
             </div>
             <div class="nav-item px-3">
-                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="margin-edge">
-                    <span class="bi bi-terminal nav-icon"></span> MarginEdge
-                </NavLink>
+                <a class="nav-link @(Nav.Uri.Contains("/inventory-management") ? "active" : "")"
+                href="#" @onclick="async () => await GoToInventory()" @onclick:preventDefault="true">
+                    <span class="bi bi-box-seam nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Inventory
+                </a>
             </div>
-        }
-        else if (_role == "Manager")
-        {
             <div class="nav-item px-3">
                 <NavLink class="nav-link" href="recipes">
                     <span class="bi bi-journal-text nav-icon"></span> Recipes
                 </NavLink>
             </div>
             <div class="nav-item px-3">
-                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/inventory-catalog">
-                    <span class="bi bi-card-list nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Inventory Catalog
+                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="users">
+                    <span class="bi bi-people nav-icon"></span> Manage Users
                 </NavLink>
-            </div>
-
+            </div>   
             <div class="nav-item px-3">
                 <NavLink class="nav-link" href="/purchase-orders">
                     <span class="bi bi-cart3 nav-icon" aria-hidden="true"></span> Purchase Orders
                 </NavLink>
             </div>
             
-            
         }
+            @* all users have access for now *@
+            <div class="nav-item px-3">
+                <NavLink class="nav-link" href="margin-edge">
+                    <span class="bi bi-terminal nav-icon"></span> MarginEdge
+                </NavLink>
+            </div>
     </nav>
 </div>
 
diff --git a/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Pages/EmployeeView.razor b/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Pages/EmployeeView.razor
deleted file mode 100644
index 4de9701..0000000
--- a/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Pages/EmployeeView.razor
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-@rendermode InteractiveServer
-@implements IDisposable
-<div class="employee-dashboard">
-    <h2 class="mb-4 text-warning">Employee Dashboard</h2>
-    <p>Welcome, </p>
-
-    <ul>
-        <li>View your active tasks and prep items</li>
-        <li>Check your assigned location: </li>
-        <li>Submit updates to your manager</li>
-    </ul>
-</div>
-
-@code {
-    [Inject] private CulinaryCommand.Services.LocationState LocationState { get; set; } = default!;
-
-    private async void HandleLocationStateChanged()
-    {
-        await InvokeAsync(async () =>
-        {
-            StateHasChanged();
-        });
-    }
-    
-    protected override void OnInitialized()
-    {
-        // Subscribe to the change event
-        LocationState.OnChange += HandleLocationStateChanged;
-    }
-
-    public void Dispose()
-    {
-        LocationState.OnChange -= HandleLocationStateChanged;
-    }
-}
diff --git a/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Pages/PostLogin.razor b/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Pages/PostLogin.razor
index c438889..539d719 100644
--- a/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Pages/PostLogin.razor
+++ b/CulinaryCommandApp/Components/Pages/PostLogin.razor
@@ -62,7 +62,13 @@
             // JS-safe now (we're in OnAfterRender)
             await LocationState.SetLocationsAsync(ctx.AccessibleLocations);
 
-            var target = (ctx.AccessibleLocations?.Any() == true) ? "/dashboard" : "/onboarding";
+            var target = (ctx.AccessibleLocations?.Any() == false) ? "/onboarding" : "/dashboard";
+            if (target == "/dashboard") {
+                if (ctx.User?.Role == "Employee") {
+                    target = "/tasks";
+                }
+            }
+
 
             status = $"Redirecting to {target}…";
             StateHasChanged();