Discipline / Investigations

Offer accommodation, but don’t mandate extra leave

02/01/2003

Q. We’re afraid that a previously injured worker returned from medical leave too early. Can we require him to take additional leave if it’s obvious that the injury is still hurting his job performance? —M.D., Wyoming

Transfer to more demanding job doesn’t add up to retaliation

01/01/2003

After railroad laborer Sheila White complained that her foreman sexually harassed her, her employer investigated and temporarily suspended the foreman without pay. Soon after, the company gave White’s forklift duties to …

Job investigation won’t cause ‘mental distress.’

12/01/2002

A New York bank investigated a worker over forged signatures on her expense reports. It eventually fired her and escorted her from the premises. She sued the bank, saying the …

Fix absentee problem; cost of no-shows is rising

12/01/2002

Stop throwing the same solutions at your employee absentee problem. Reason: Per-employee absence costs have reached an all-time high of $789 this year, up from $610 just two years ago, according …

Retaliation threat doesn’t erase time limit for filing lawsuit

11/01/2002

Wal-Mart employee Stephanie Beckel complained to a general manager that her supervisor was sexually harassing her. When the general manager told her not to discuss the matter with anyone but himself …

Investigating workplace harassment: 10 steps to success

10/01/2002

When complaints of workplace harassment arise, as they inevitably do, managers and HR directors are called upon to respond. Doing this right is a high-stakes venture. Here are 10 steps to …

NLRB shake-up may cause reversals on key cases

09/01/2002

You can expect some good news from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Reason: If the Senate confirms a new slate of Bush appointees to the NLRB, it will be the …

High court: Weingarten rights stand; state family leave case on docket

08/01/2002

It’s official: Employees have the right, even in nonunion workplaces, to bring a co-worker as a witness to an investigative meeting that could result in discipline. Nonunion employees won …

Mean-spirited office pranks carry heavy price

06/01/2002

When a manager at an auto body shop went to the restroom, two fellow employees picked the lock, entered and took a photograph of him while urinating. They distributed the picture …

Working miracles isn’t part of accommodation process