diff --git a/apps/hq-web/src/pages/Employees.tsx b/apps/hq-web/src/pages/Employees.tsx
index 6d129d9..c24f593 100644
--- a/apps/hq-web/src/pages/Employees.tsx
+++ b/apps/hq-web/src/pages/Employees.tsx
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ export function Employees() {
       )}
       {error !== undefined && <Notice tone="err">{error}</Notice>}
       {list.error !== undefined && <Notice tone="err">{list.error}</Notice>}
-      {employees === undefined ? <EmptyState>Loading…</EmptyState>
+      {/* Branch on the fetch error first — `employees` stays undefined on failure,
+          so falling through would show "Loading…" forever under the error notice. */}
+      {list.error !== undefined ? null
+        : employees === undefined ? <EmptyState>Loading…</EmptyState>
         : employees.length === 0 ? <EmptyState>No employees yet.</EmptyState> : (
         <>
           <DataTable