Q. In recent months, a sharp decline in revenue has forced us to consider downsizing. What are the legal risks associated with a layoff, and how can we minimize them?
There’s a downside to agreeing to decide disciplinary matters in arbitration. Once you agree to have your decisions second-guessed in arbitration, don’t...
Have you ever presented an employee the option to resign or get fired? Maybe you believed you were helping the employee to graciously exit the workplace without the...
When announcing a termination, make sure no one says anything that’s potentially defamatory. Keep the announcement professional and don’t make gratuitous...
As technology expands, so do business owners’ fears that ex-employees will share company secrets with their new employers. Here are 8 ways to minimize those risks...
Most employers outsource employee assistance plans, which offer confidential counseling to help workers deal with personal problems, work-related stress and other...
You have the right to expect honesty from your employees. You can fire if you reasonably believe an employee lied about an absence, knowing that you are on safe legal...
The Penn State Hershey Medical Center has agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging that a cancer surgeon was fired in retaliation for defending the rights of his secretary,...
When it comes to reductions in force, employers must make sure that they develop a fair, reasonable and explainable selection process. Be prepared to show that the...
Even before the birth of Obamacare, managing company benefits was becoming a more complex process. Here are some issues to consider when choosing the right broker:
What should you do if you learn one of your employees brandished a gun and threatened suicide, but a doctor released him back to work? Shouldn’t you be concerned...
While you may not want to share the information with your employees as you prepare for a reduction in force, be sure to document the reasons. That’s especially...
First impressions are important. But when it comes to preventing employment lawsuits, it’s typically the last impression that employees have at work that matters...
Efforts to make life so miserable for an employee that she quits can come back to haunt you. It could be seen as retaliation—even if the employee never quits.
Public employees can’t be terminated without a pre-dismissal hearing of some sort, to give the employee an opportunity to learn why she’s being fired and a...
Q. As a California employer, what forms and notices am I required to provide to employees I discharge? Also, are the forms and notices due immediately upon termination?
Employees are increasingly using their personal smartphones for work purposes. But when employees depart, those phones may contain a wealth of confidential company...
