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Firing

Justified firing doesn’t mean employee can’t show harassment

01/01/2008

Sometimes, a problem employee claims harassment as a way to protect herself from legitimate discipline. When that happens, it may be tempting to ignore such claims on the presumption they are bogus. It may be tempting to dismiss her complaints as much ado about nothing. But you’ll ignore her at your own peril …

Ability to conceive irrelevant to pregnancy discrimination

01/01/2008

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination against pregnant women and those who may become pregnant. It also makes it illegal to retaliate against these women. In an interesting twist, the actual ability to become pregnant isn’t particularly relevant as long as the employee who claims discrimination can show her employer thought she might become pregnant …

Overturning human rights commission decisions is an uphill battle

01/01/2008

When defending the termination of an employee who has filed a complaint with a local human rights commission, you must take the commission’s process seriously. Always get your attorney involved early, so you can defend yourself during the crucial initial stages. And don’t count on getting the commission’s findings overturned on appeal. Indiana courts have shown they won’t readily overrule commission conclusions …

St. Vincent Hospital fires worker over threatening note

01/01/2008

A white environmental services attendant recently sued St. Vincent Carmel Hospital, claiming racial discrimination and retaliation. He was fired for violating the hospital’s anti-violence policy …

The 10 rules every HR pro must know

01/01/2008

Lawsuits may be inevitable in today’s litigious society, but losing them is not. Follow these 10 rules to prevent the most common employment-related lawsuits—or at least increase your chances of winning them.

Show fairness by documenting all rule violations, discipline

01/01/2008

You must be prepared to show that you treated each and every employee equally when it comes to discipline. Otherwise, you may find yourself in the same situation as, in the following case, an employer that couldn’t recall how it had disciplined a white employee for violating an attendance rule, but fired a black employee for the same infraction …

Individual assessment—Not diagnosis—Key to ADA disability

01/01/2008

It takes more than a trip to the family doctor, a diagnosis and a prescription to establish a disability and qualify for protection under the ADA. Employees who say they are disabled must be able to show that they are substantially impaired in a major life function. And taking medication may mean an employee is not disabled because it can reduce the effects of even serious illnesses …

Noncompete agreements protect against the competitor working in your midst

01/01/2008

Texas law says that employees owe a duty of loyalty to their employers, but can still plan to enter into competition with that employer while still employed. That’s why it’s important to protect your trade secrets and business plans by developing a clear, comprehensive and binding noncompete agreement for employees to sign—one that prohibits the poaching of staff and clients and enforces confidentiality …

Grocery clerk stops shoplifter, loses job for breaking rule

01/01/2008

File this one under “no good deed goes unpunished.” Michigan grocery clerk John Schultz says he lost his job after trying to thwart the getaway of an alleged shoplifter. The firing offense? Touching a customer …

Discharge due to downsizing? Document your RIF plan

12/01/2007

In a company downsizing, management may make what seem like capricious decisions on who stays and who goes. That can be a huge problem if an older employee suspects age discrimination and sues—especially if there are other smoking-gun signs of discrimination, such as a supervisor’s apparent antipathy for older workers …