Ask the Attorney Archives

Q: “If an employee gets three weeks of vacation in January, and resigns in April, how much vacation time should be paid? I’m confused since the employee is salaried manager and would not get approved to take more than one week at a time.” – Pat, Pennsylvania

Q: “I’ve been counseling a manager who refuses to take my advice and who I think could be headed for a hostile work environment charge. The manager ‘inherited’ an administrative assistant from his predecessor. She’s been there for 15 years; they’ve been working together for the last six. Everyone else loves her; she’s hardworking, efficient and has the best interests of the organization at heart. He refuses to talk with her when he goes past her desk to get to his office. He requires her to schedule a meeting, which he then blows off or cuts short. He complains she screws up his calendar, but he’s the one not showing up for meetings or rolling in late. He frequently asks her when she’s going to retire (she’s 63). What more can I do?” – Anonymous, Washington

Q: “An employee got a divorce, then canceled the ex-spouse’s health insurance, but they later got back together (though they did not remarry), and now the employee would like to add the ex-spouse back onto the health insurance policy. How do we handle this?” – M. Ward, Oklahoma

Q: “Can an employer terminate employment as retaliation for an employee missing three days of work on doctor’s orders?” – HR Assistant, Texas