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Terminations

Require everyone to report harassment—you’ll be justified firing those who don’t

02/24/2009

If you’re serious about wiping out sexual and other forms of harassment in your workplace, consider adopting a zero-tolerance policy for failing to report suspected or known harassment. By readily disciplining those who ignore that rule, you can create a new climate in which employees really believe you take harassment seriously.

Memo to managers: Don’t embellish reason why employee was terminated

02/24/2009

Tell managers and supervisors not to embellish the reasons for discharging an employee. If they do, they risk the potential for a defamation lawsuit. That may be true even if the former employee is compelled to repeat the allegedly false information.

Cal State Fresno settles coach’s bias claim for $5.2 million

02/24/2009

California State University Fresno has settled a suit brought by a female former volleyball coach who accused the school of sex discrimination. The settlement was reached 18 months after a California Superior Court jury returned a $5.85 million verdict in the favor of Lindy Vivas …

What should we do about a disgruntled worker who disparages us on the web?

02/24/2009

Q. One of my employees has created his own web site. Recently, he has been posting negative comments about our company. Specifically, he has accused the company of failing to provide adequate benefits and paying below-market wages. Can we fire the worker for this conduct?

Don’t sweat EEOC complaint after discipline if you can prove process was fair

02/24/2009

It’s a fact that employees who think they are in trouble will look for ways to avoid termination—or profit from it. So it should come as no surprise if an employee files an EEOC discrimination complaint after you discipline him and warn that he may soon be terminated.

Forget FMLA absences when rating employee attendance

02/24/2009

Employers aren’t allowed to count absences covered by the FMLA when they discipline employees. That’s why it’s important to segregate any such absences from performance reviews and any discussions about attendance.

When FMLA leave is denied, damages can add up fast

02/24/2009

Here’s a lesson to pass on to managers and supervisors: Employees who win FMLA lawsuits after being denied the right to take leave can end up with a large pot of gold at the end of the litigation—a pot that has to be filled by the company.

Management company pays big for pregnancy discrimination

02/24/2009

Carole Smith, who worked for property management firm Normandy Properties, sued the company for pregnancy discrimination, and a jury awarded her $600,000 in compensatory damages. Then it assessed the company $1.2 million in punitive damages.

Los Angeles region expected to be hard hit by job losses

02/24/2009

A forecast by the U.S. Conference of Mayors says the Los Angeles area will suffer some of the largest job losses in the nation in 2009. It’s expected to lose about 164,000 jobs this year …

Rules for tough times: California’s Baby WARN Act and layoffs

02/24/2009

The downturn has hit California hard. Many stable California employers find themselves for the first time contemplating reductions in force in order to survive. If you’re considering a large-scale layoff, be prepared to familiarize yourself with California’s version of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.