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Terminations

Long service doesn’t guarantee job

12/01/2000
John Guz had worked for Bechtel for more than 20 years when his job was eliminated. Although Guz was an at-will employee, he claimed that his long record of raises, promotions …

Cut legal risk during layoff

12/01/2000

Q. In recent months, a sharp decline in revenue has forced us to consider downsizing. What are the legal risks associated with a layoff and how can we minimize them? —L.C., Hawaii

Craft bonuses carefully

12/01/2000
When a financial analyst changed jobs, he left behind $120,000 in bonuses. The bonus plan paid benefits in quarterly installments but was contingent on continued employment with the company. A New …

Be wary of limiting workers’ job prospects

11/01/2000
Because a temporary staffing agency wanted to protect its investment in recruiting and hiring temps, it made its temps sign restrictive covenants preventing …

Iron out union, legal issues

11/01/2000

Q. We have an apparent conflict between our union agreement and our responsibility to maintain a harassment-free workplace. The agreement says we must give the shop steward 48 hours’ notice before dismissing a regular employee. But we have proof positive that two employees have been harassing—and continue to harass—African-American and gay employees. The two harassers have just caused us to lose a good employee who couldn’t take it any longer. What trumps what? —J.V., Louisiana

Plan any deductions for personal calls

11/01/2000

Q. We allow employees to use their company-issued cell phones for personal purposes up to a certain number of minutes every month. A recently discharged employee exceeded her monthly allotment. Can we recoup the cost of these extra minutes by withholding the amount from her last check? —P.P., South Carolina

Series of ‘minor’ incidents
can add up to hostile environment

11/01/2000
Cheryl Conner blew away her male co-workers in skills training for her new metal-processing job. The trouble started when she went from the classroom …

Avoid overly specific ‘grounds for firing’ list

11/01/2000
A United Parcel Service (UPS) worker broke into a profane tirade at two supervisors in a dispute over his check. When he refused to stop, the HR director dismissed him on …

Don’t ‘shoot the messenger’, retaliation claim will usually stick

11/01/2000
Restaurant manager Peter Ball knew that one of his waiters was preparing to sue the restaurant for unpaid overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). When Ball alerted the company …

Adapt work schedules to worship, religious TV shows included

11/01/2000
Employers are required to adjust work schedules to accommodate their employees’ religious observances, even for nontraditional beliefs. In a recent case, an employee …