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Terminations

Minnesota Senate braces for Brodkorb’s sex bias lawsuit

07/13/2012
Michael Brodkorb, the once-powerful Minnesota Senate staffer fired following allegations he had a sexual affair with former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, has filed a sex discrimination complaint with the EEOC. So far, the state Senate has racked up $46,000 in legal bills contesting Brodkorb’s suit.

Unemployment may depend on seeking accommodations

07/13/2012
Minnesota employees can still collect unemployment benefits if they quit their jobs because of medical problems. However, before resigning and applying for benefits, they must ask for accommodations.

Shoddy work may cost unemployment benefits

07/13/2012
Are you frustrated with an employee who seems to never get the job done right? Before you terminate her, give her plenty of opportunity to improve. Show her what she is supposed to do and document when she doesn’t.

Exit interviews: Get more honest feedback by conducting them online

07/13/2012

Determining why employees leave is one key to taming turnover. Employers often use exit interviews to identify the answer. But departing employees are often uncomfortable opening up to management. Here’s an alternative: Conduct exit interviews using online surveys.

Don’t be afraid to fire insubordinate supervisor

07/12/2012
Not everyone is cut out to be a boss. Some employees just can’t direct others or criticize their work. If a supervisor can’t—or won’t—do his job, termination may be inevitable.

Years-old comments won’t support discrimination claim

07/12/2012
Everyone occasionally says something insensitive. Fortunately, verbal blunders can’t form the basis of a lawsuit if the comments occurred ages ago.

Document decision-making criteria before choosing who stays and who goes in RIF

07/12/2012

Courts understand that during a RIF, perfectly competent employees may lose their jobs. Any legitimate business reason can back up that decision. Just make sure you document the reason before you terminate anyone.

Layoffs looming? Help workers find internal opportunities

07/05/2012

You never know which terminated employee will sue or for what. That’s why you should treat every layoff as a potential lawsuit. Defend yourself by doing all you can to help employees who may lose their jobs find other opportunities within the company.

Equal opportunity discipline: Don’t let rogue bosses subvert your anti-harassment policy

07/05/2012

If you set rules for employees to follow, then make sure everyone in the organization follows them. That includes supervisors. Otherwise, your policies aren’t worth the paper they are written on.

Need to contact employee out on FMLA leave? Be sure to document reason for the call

07/05/2012

Employees on FMLA leave are entitled to be left alone. Super­visors shouldn’t send work home with the employee or call constantly to check up. That could be considered FMLA leave interference. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t get in touch with the em­­ployee about important and urgent matters or enforce your broader call-in policies.