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Terminations

When riffed employee sues for discrimination, back up your actions with documentation

12/09/2010

Sometimes, courts are suspicious of an employer’s claim that it conducted a reduction in force if it can’t support the claim with facts and figures. Supply the data and make the court comfortable with your company’s decision.

Leave disciplinary wiggle room in handbook

12/09/2010

Here’s a tip if you are revising your employee handbook: When it comes to discipline, make sure you give yourself some flexibility to deal with unusual circumstances. For example, if you want to use progressive discipline, be sure to account for the rare situations that may warrant immediate suspension or discharge.

Of separation & slimebags: ‘Common slang’ & severance agreements

12/07/2010
I’ve seldom, if ever, negotiated a separation or settled an employment dispute for an employer without insisting that the signed agreement include a nondisparagement clause. The reality, however, is that a clause in a contract is only as good as one’s ability to enforce it after it has been breached. That’s not as easy as it once was.

After career ups and downs, Ironton officer is still fired

12/06/2010

Beth Rist’s story with the city of Ironton goes back years. She was the Ironton Police Department’s first female officer when she was hired in 1996. In 2001, she sued the department, alleging sexual harassment. She won that lawsuit. But Rist’s string of success appeared to stop at that point …

Employee can be AWOL even if he phones in

12/06/2010

Many public employees assume rules against being absent without leave protect them from termination as long as they call in. But the Ohio Civil Service Act makes it clear: “[U]nexcused failure to appear for duty as scheduled” may be considered job abandonment if it lasts for 10 days. Calling in doesn’t matter.

Consider uniform, ADEA-compliant severance and rights-waiver releases–even if age isn’t factor

12/06/2010
There’s a way to make it easier to get severance agreements for older workers to stick. Instead of a general severance agreement for most employees, and a special ADEA-compliant one for older workers, use a uniform agreement that complies with the ADEA for all severance agreements. That’s what one employer recently did. When the former employee who signed the agreement tried to get out of it, the court refused.

Head off harassment suits: Review all firings

12/06/2010
Quid pro quo harassment cases, in which a supervisor makes a pass at a subordinate and then punishes her if she rejects the advance, are hard for employers to defend. Your best bet is prevention. Institute a review process for all adverse employment actions such as demotions or terminations. Require a second signature before any firing becomes final.

Document reason for terminations after FMLA

12/06/2010

Generally, employers don’t need a reason to terminate an at-will employee. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t carefully document how, why and when you made the decision—even if you don’t plan to share the information with the employee. Documentation is especially crucial if you are terminating an employee who is returning from FMLA leave.

Remind bosses about legal risk of ‘make workers so miserable they quit’ strategy

12/03/2010

Some supervisors wrongly assume that employees can’t sue if they quit—only if they’re fired. That makes some bosses think the best way to get rid of overly litigious employees is to make life so horrible that they quit. That’s not smart. Employees who find working conditions so intolerable that they have no choice but to quit can still sue for constructive discharge.

Are we liable for defamation if we make allegations during an unemployment comp hearing?

12/01/2010
Q. We fired an employee for stealing company property. While we didn’t catch her red-handed, the circumstantial evidence was overwhelming and we felt comfortable letting her go. The employee filed an unemployment compensation claim that we contested, and now a hearing has been scheduled before an appeals referee. We would like to say at the hearing that the employee is a thief, but we’re afraid we’ll face a defamation claim because we can’t absolutely prove this charge. Would that be a well-founded concern?