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Discipline / Investigations

If discipline must differ, be sure to note extenuating circumstances that required it

05/17/2018
Generally, employers should be careful to discipline workers in a consistent manner. Employees who break the same rule should earn the same punishment. However, employers can sometimes justify differences in discipline if they can offer detailed explanations why.

Disciplining disabled worker for absenteeism? Make sure she knows your rules

05/17/2018
It is essential to grant FMLA leave when eligible employees need it. At the same time, it is perfectly legal to require employees to follow specific procedures for using leave. Just make sure employees understand those rules.

Bookkeeper accused of embezzling to place online bets

04/25/2018
The bookkeeper for Farm Mercantile in Fairfax, Minn., faces five charges of filing false tax returns because she failed to report $266,333 in embezzled income. In all, she allegedly pocketed $535,000 from the hardware and farm supply store from 1998 to 2016.

Don’t let employee’s whistleblower status dissuade you from legitimate discipline

04/25/2018
To win a retaliation case, the worker would have to prove that the discipline was motivated by a desire to punish him or her for making the report. That’s unlikely to succeed if 1) the discipline began before the safety problem was reported or 2) it is clear that any other worker would have been disciplined for the same rule violation.

Bring together sparring co-workers

04/18/2018
If you have two great employees who don’t like each other, follow these tips.

Document all details about employee discipline

04/16/2018
It’s impossible to predict which employee will sue and why. That’s why you must carefully document every disciplinary action, including enough specific information to later justify those decisions.

Jail for law firm embezzler who couldn’t ‘Let It Go’

04/09/2018
An accountant for the Valley Forge office of the Chartwell Law Firm saw an opportunity to take money and just couldn’t hold back anymore.

Dig into harassment case to learn what really happened

03/08/2018

There’s aren’t many ways for an employer to defend against allegations that a supervisor sexually harassed a subordinate. But a careful investigation may uncover evidence that the relationship was wholly consensual, which may help.

Impartial discipline: The best defense against bias claims

02/20/2018

Treat all employees impartially and you’ll rarely end up on the losing end of a discrimination lawsuit.

No slack for employees who take FMLA, then get caught breaking your rules

02/20/2018

Employees who take FMLA leave are not immune to discipline discovered while they are out on FMLA leave or after they return to work.