• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Firing

Do we have to warn someone before firing?

06/19/2014
Q. Is it OK to terminate an employee without first issuing some kind of a disciplinary warning?

‘Just cause’ clause may stop firing after ‘last chance’

06/16/2014
If your union contract has a “just cause” for termination clause, get the union’s sign-off on a covered employee’s last chance agreement.

Abused employee: Give her FMLA or let her go?

06/06/2014
Q. An abusive boyfriend sent nude photos of one of our employees to other employees. We’ve deleted everything from our server and blocked his email. But now we have complaints from other employees that we should have fired the employee. We did not. In fact, we let her take FMLA leave due to the depression she suffered. How should we handle these co-worker complaints?

These days, that ‘T’ stands for ‘terminated’

05/27/2014
Recently sacked New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson might be looking ahead to new professional opportunities, but a sign of her tenure at the helm of the “Grey Lady” will always be behind her.

Can we fire employees who collaborated on writing letter complaining about pay cuts?

05/22/2014
Q. We recently notified employees that we will be cutting pay due to difficult economic times. Then we received an anonymous letter expressing concerns about this decision. It suggested alternatives to pay cuts, such as eliminating our employer 401(k) match. We determined that the letter was written by one employee and edited by another. Can we terminate them?

Lying about criminal record? That’s grounds for firing–with no unemployment!

05/22/2014
While most Minnesota employers can no longer ask about an applicant’s criminal record until after the grant of a job interview offer (or, if there is no interview, a conditional employment offer), that doesn’t mean the applicant or new employee can lie about his criminal record later.

Former superstars aren’t immune from scrutiny

05/19/2014
The best approach to dealing with declining performance is careful and meticulous record-keeping showing expectations and how the employee isn’t meeting them. Objective facts trump the employee’s feelings that she is being discriminated against for some reason.

A RIF of one?

05/12/2014
A manager for U.S. Seal Manu­fact­­urers probably envisioned a retirement ceremony and gold watch after working for the company for more than half a century. Instead, he was called to his supervisor’s office, given a severance package and escorted from the property by security guards.

Your best bet for preventing lawsuits: Prompt action, unimpeachable fairness

05/12/2014
Prompt, fair resolution of harassment complaints is the best way to prevent litigation—and defend yourself if a lawsuit happens anyway.

Outrageous behavior? Don’t fear fast discipline

05/12/2014
Some workplace behavior is so outrageous that employers must take immediate action. While a complete and thorough investigation is ideal, don’t be afraid to act fast when necessary.