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Discipline / Investigations

DCA employee used his consumer affairs position for personal gain

09/22/2008

David Biederman, former consumer education coordinator for the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA), pleaded guilty in August to two counts of conducting unlawful business transactions, a fourth-degree offense.

Freehold education administrators go back to school … sort of

09/22/2008

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) has found that three Freehold Regional High School District administrators who attained advanced degrees from a purported “diploma mill” did not intend to deceive the district.

Another worry when complaints get to court: Retaliation may be criminal conspiracy

09/15/2008
Here’s another thing to worry about when an employee testifies on behalf of someone suing the company: Retaliating against that employee by punishing him with additional or new work requirements or a poor evaluation may lead to federal criminal conspiracy charges …

Clayton school board members sacked for ethics law violations

09/15/2008
Gov. Sonny Perdue issued an executive order to remove four members of the Clayton County School Board and to confirm the removal of two others after the school system’s accreditation was revoked on Aug. 28 …

Post this story to curb employee credit card abuse

09/15/2008
Donna Gamble, of Marietta, whose purchase card abuses cost the Georgia Institute of Technology more than $300,000, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in federal prison and ordered to pay full restitution to the university …

That wasn’t in the job description

09/12/2008
When 20-year-old Spencer Taylor showed up for the latest Batman feature “The Dark Knight” in full Joker disguise, employees at a movie theater in Three Rivers took him for an unusually enthusiastic fan. But when he started making real-life mayhem in the lobby, theater employees had to subdue him until police arrived …

You can’t ignore—or excuse—Offensive cultural symbols

09/09/2008
There’s no excuse for ignorance when it comes to racially hostile symbols and speech in the workplace. Employers that ignore harassing co-workers—hiding their heads in the sand or relying solely on handbooks that tell employees how to complain—may be setting themselves up for a losing lawsuit …

Don’t be intimidated by sudden disability claim during discipline

09/09/2008
Employees who face discipline and are worried about losing their jobs may believe that claiming they are disabled will stop or at least delay the inevitable. They think the ADA is a shield against punishment. Don’t fall for that trick …

Harassment complaint earns retaliation protection if complaint was made in good faith

09/08/2008
Many employees seem to believe that they can get job protection and immunity from reasonable discipline just by complaining to management about alleged harassment. But employees who make pests of themselves by reporting every comment they overhear or interaction they see aren’t automatically protected from retaliation …

Track discipline to ensure equal treatment for equal offenses, regardless of protected class

09/08/2008
Sometimes, it seems as if everyone belongs to some protected class, or a combination of classes. Since any disparate treatment for the same rule violation may trigger a discrimination lawsuit, HR should be prepared to show that no employee in any particular classification is singled out for more severe punishment. Given the number of possible combinations, that’s a difficult task …