Employee Relations

Disciplinary cases require detailed records

08/24/2015

You know the mantra: To win lawsuits, you must document, document, document! When it comes to employees who sue you for discrimination after they have been disciplined, documentation means making careful, contemporaneous notes about alleged rule-breaking or other wrongdoing. It means and saving records for every disciplinary action. You can’t just zealously document misdeeds by the employee you think will sue. You have to do it for everyone.

How to share really urgent information

08/22/2015

When you have extremely urgent information to share, ensure that your listeners understand your message and can respond accordingly. Use these tips to convey a clear message when it matters most.

Co-workers are complaining: How should we deal with employee’s body odor?

08/17/2015

Q. We have an employee with a strong and unpleasant personal odor. We have gotten several complaints from other employees regarding this issue. What can we do about this, and how do we address it with the employee?

Use Deflategate’s lessons to get a grip on investigations

08/13/2015

The issues raised by this NFL controversy provide great lessons for those tasked with conducting an investigation in the workplace.

Progressive discipline can help win bias suits

08/13/2015

Discharged employees often sue, counting on their protected status—based on race, sex, national origin and so on—to create the impression that they were fired for discriminatory reasons. That’s why it’s important to use a progressive discipline system. It lets you counter discrimination allegations with solid, documented performance or behavior problems that warranted discharge.

Suspended ‘pending investigation:’ What information do we owe the employee?

08/11/2015

Q. If an employer suspends an employee “pending investigation,” what information must be provided to the employee?

Manage a suddenly unhappy staffer

08/11/2015

Before an employee’s performance slips or he or she quits altogether, take these steps to correct the situation.

VA offices cited for cutting corners & falsifying records

08/05/2015

The Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General has issued a blistering report on departmental practices.

Whistle-blower slipping: Punish or let it slide?

08/03/2015

Jack has become a minor celebrity with co-workers ever since he filed an OSHA complaint about a supposedly hazardous condition at the plant. He spends so much time talking about safety that his job performance is declining. Jack needs to be disciplined. What would you do?

How employers respond to the big productivity killers

07/30/2015

Technology keeps finding ways to distract, making employers find ways to get people back on task. Here’s a snapshot of those distractions and the workarounds some are attempting.