Resignations

Merrill Lynch hit with age discrimination lawsuit

08/01/2008

Lou Telerico, a former stockbroker for Merrill Lynch & Co. in Cleveland, has filed a lawsuit claiming the company forced him out after 30 years of service because of his age …

What’s wrong with letting an employee ‘Resign’ instead of firing him?

07/25/2008

Q. I have an employee in my department who was involved in a fight at work. He has asked to be allowed to resign rather than be terminated. I like this guy. Should I let him do this? …

15 Questions to Ask Employees in Their First 60 Days

07/21/2008

A good employee who seemed happy quit after just three months. His supervisor never saw it coming. What happened? That unexpected turnover might have been avoided if the boss had checked in to uncover any potential problems. Here are 15 questions supervisors or HR should ask all new employees in their first 60 days on the job.

Recoup training costs, but beware doing so with last paycheck

07/18/2008

Employers can and should get applicants and employees to agree to pay back training costs if they depart before the company gets fair value. But collecting the money can be tricky. You can’t, for example, withhold the money out of a final paycheck if that move takes the employee’s hourly wage below the minimum allowed by law …

Assistant sues judge for age, disability discrimination

07/14/2008

Barbara Tomlinson, a former judicial assistant, has filed an age and disability discrimination charge against Hillsborough County Judge Joelle Ann Ober. Tomlinson worked for Ober for 11 years before quitting in February …

When former employees compete: Getting noncompetes right

07/09/2008

Good employees, especially those in sales or professional services positions, can quickly turn into enemies when they quit. Employers frequently require those employees to sign employment agreements containing noncompete and nonsolicitation restrictions when they start work. However, Illinois courts generally do not favor these kinds of restrictions and will look at them very closely. In fact, our courts are quite likely to rule in favor of employees …

Kansas Court of Appeals enforces covenant not to compete against physician

07/09/2008

In a case that’s good news for Kansas employers, the Kansas Court of Appeals reversed a lower court involving a restrictive covenant. The appeals court found that the noncompete agreement’s three-year term and liquidated damages provisions were enforceable.

Employee should have given firm a chance to stop harassment

07/08/2008

Preston Kelley began working for Taher Acquisition Corp. in October 2006. Approximately three months later, Kelley’s supervisor, Mark Good, kicked him in the buttocks, laughed and blew kisses at him. Kelley reported the incident to the company’s operations manager …

Warn supervisors: Over-the-Top, irrational behavior may mean personal liability

07/07/2008

Do you have a problem supervisor or manager who acts like a Marine Corps drill sergeant? While it may not be technically illegal to berate and yell at subordinates, abusive bosses sometimes cross a dangerous legal line—the one that marks the boundary of behavior that constitutes intentional infliction of emotional distress …

‘Offering’ chance to quit may still be constructive discharge

07/01/2008

Employers commonly give employees a chance to resign rather than be fired. And employers often believe that as long as they get employees’ signatures on the “voluntary” resignation letters, they’re in the clear. That’s simply not true …