Resignations

When co-workers marry, you can require one of them to resign

03/05/2012

It’s perfectly legitimate to try to prevent sexual harassment and allegations of favoritism by instituting a policy that bans romantic relationships between co-workers. You can even require one spouse to resign when co-workers marry.

Quit over offensive graffiti? He can get unemployment

02/03/2012

Here’s another reason to act fast when an employee complains about offensive graffiti in the workplace: He can quit and collect unemployment compensation benefits.

OK to insist on initial retirement request

02/01/2012

When an employer doesn’t have a set policy on whether an employee can change his mind about retiring, refusing to rescind a retirement request isn’t enough to support a discrimination or retaliation lawsuit.

No unemployment benefits after quitting to avoid firing

01/12/2012

Employees who quit usually aren’t eligible for unemployment compensation. Only those who quit for “a good reason caused by their employer” are eligible for benefits.

Degrees of separation: 6 terminations, 6 ways to avoid lawsuits

12/31/2011

Terminations are the spark to many employment lawsuits. And for each of the six kinds of firings, there are some common steps employers can take to defend themselves if a termination is challenged in court. Master these and you will cut down on HR headaches — and legal bills.

What HR pros must know about protecting trade secrets

12/30/2011

When any valued employee leaves, the company experiences a loss. The loss is greater, however, when the former employee departs to work for a competitor and begins using the company’s confidential information or trade secrets. HR has a key role to play in protecting a company’s proprietary information. Here’s how to do it.

Equal opportunity for women trumps even outrageous reaction to resignation

12/19/2011

A boss’s secret prejudice won’t support an employee’s sex-bias lawsuit if the employer provides equal opportunities to both men and women. That’s true even if the sexist boss reacts outrageously when the subordinate quits.

No unemployment for employee who quits to retire

11/29/2011

Employees who fear they’re facing disciplinary action may quit. Then they argue that they would have been fired and quit preemptively, so they’re eligible for unemployment compensation. But if the employer can show there really was no good reason for the employee to think her job was in danger, then the employee can’t receive unemployment.

Innuendo alone doesn’t amount to harassment

10/31/2011

Generally, anti-discrimination laws are designed to punish egregious offenses rather than rude or inconsiderate behavior. That’s good news for employers dealing with isolated, sexually suggestive comments or behavior.

Cut unemployment liability by working to keep employee

10/26/2011

Employees who quit their jobs aren’t eligible for unemployment compensation benefits unless they legitimately believe they had no choice but to resign. But if an employer makes a genuine effort to help the employee stay and he turns down that offer, he may lose eligibility for unemployment.