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Firing

What to do when employee is caught stealing

07/25/2008
Q. While a manager at one of our locations was on vacation, we performed an audit of her books and discovered that she had written unauthorized checks to herself totaling $25,000. We intend to confront her and terminate her. What else should we do? …

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? …

Job bias against women who’ve had abortions is illegal

07/24/2008

By now you know that employers can’t fire or otherwise punish employees because they’re pregnant. But what about employees who choose to have an abortion? Make sure your supervisors know it’s illegal to discriminate against them, too.

Social Security disability doesn’t automatically earn ADA status

07/24/2008
Employees who are approved for Social Security disability payments sometimes think that automatically means they’re also deemed “disabled” under the ADA, which requires their employers to offer “reasonable accommodations.” But that’s simply not true …

FMLA leave-Takers aren’t untouchable, but courts will look closely at timing

07/24/2008
Employers that come down hard on employees who have just requested FMLA leave are looking for trouble—especially if the employee was performing well until recently. The timing will look suspicious …

Refusing reinstatement after FMLA? Get your story straight

07/24/2008
Employees who take FMLA leave are entitled to return to their same jobs (or substantially equal ones) after leave ends. But what happens if employees can’t return to their same jobs because they aren’t completely well or able to do the same duties they did before?

Never, never on a Sunday

07/24/2008

Timothy Walker was hired in 1995 at the Lafayette, Ind., plant of Alcoa Inc., based in Pittsburgh. Walker also served as a pastor at an area church. In May 1998, when he was appointed head pastor, Walker asked to be excused from work on Sundays …

Termination by phone: legal but unwise

07/24/2008

Q. We have an employee who has been working from home. We’ve decided we really need someone in the office. Can we terminate her by phone? Or do we have to call her into the office? …

Pregnancy discrimination law covers women who’ve had abortions

07/24/2008

By now you know that employers can’t fire or otherwise punish employees because they’re pregnant. But what about employees who choose to have an abortion? Make sure your supervisors know it’s illegal to discriminate against them, too.

Time for a snap inspection: Make sure bulletin boards don’t show signs of bias

07/22/2008
If you want to make sure all managers and supervisors are playing by the nondiscrimination and no harassment rules, get out of the office and onto the shop floor. Someone from HR must visit each and every work location regularly—but unannounced …