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Terminations

Justice Dept. report: Rumors cost U.S. attorneys’ jobs

09/12/2008
A report from the U.S. Department of Justice’s inspector general indicated that Margaret Chiara, former U.S. attorney in Grand Rapids, and former federal prosecutor Leslie Hagen may have been fired during the term of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales because of false rumors the women were romantically involved …

Ludington librarian’s book hits too close to home

09/12/2008
Sally Stern-Hamilton was fired from her job as a library assistant in the Ludington library after writing a book titled Library Diaries.  Stern-Hamilton used a pen name and called the book fiction, but the cover featured a picture of the Ludington library. Promotional copy invited readers to “meet the naked patron, the greedy, unenlightened patrons …"

Did old rap sheet lead to firing and another appearance in court?

09/12/2008
Sometimes it takes awhile for a company to find out how well an employee is going to work out. For example, it took Guardian Alarm Company of Michigan 21 years to figure out that Ronald Schocker wasn’t a good fit. Now a judge has said, “Wait a minute!”

How do layoffs affect employees on sick leave?

09/12/2008

Q. Our company is planning a layoff, for which we will follow a “seniority” system to decide whose jobs are affected. When I look at our seniority list, I see that some of our current employees are out on medical leaves of absence. How should these employees be treated for layoff purposes? …

Legislators file suit to keep state jobs in the capital

09/10/2008
Springfield city officials and several state legislators have filed a lawsuit to try to stop Gov. Rod Blagojevich from moving the Illinois Transportation Department’s Division of Traffic Safety to Harrisburg …

Fire employees who take FMLA leave? Yes, with reason

09/10/2008
Employees sometimes think taking FMLA leave gives them special protection. Some may even attempt to go out on leave when they know they are about to get into trouble at work. Don’t fall into that trap. The fact is, if you would have fired the employee even if she had never taken FMLA leave, you can do so if she has taken leave …

Title VII doesn’t protect employees who complain about discrimination against customers

09/10/2008
Employees who complain about co-worker or management discrimination against employees are protected from retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. But what about employees who complain to management that their co-workers may be discriminating against customers? Are they protected from retaliation, too? Not in Illinois …

Be patient and keep thorough records to make sure your firing decisions stick

09/10/2008
When it comes to discharging an employee, the best policy may be to bide your time and carefully document her deficiencies. Unless there is a compelling reason to act immediately, be patient and build your case with solid, verifiable criticism …

Muslim corrections officer keeps beard, gets fired, sues

09/10/2008
Abal Zaidi, a former corrections officer in Geneva, has sued the Kane County Sheriff’s Department, claiming he was fired for refusing to shave his beard …

Hearings before the IDES: ‘The People’s Court’ or the Supreme Court?

09/10/2008
Should you contest a fired employee’s Illinois unemployment compensation claim if you really believe the employee isn’t eligible for the benefits due to misconduct? Is it worth the hassle and expense? Generally, the process is informal and sometimes resembles the television show “The People’s Court.” At other times, it may seem like you’ve landed in the Supreme Court …