• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Firing

Facebook & the First Amendment: Limited free speech right for government employees

09/22/2016
Workers don’t give up their First Amendment rights when they take a government job. But that doesn’t mean that they can say anything, anywhere.

In Minn., one-time mistake that’s arguably not serious may not bar unemployment

09/22/2016
Under Minnesota’s unemployment compensation rules, an employee’s single incident of misconduct can be grounds for discharge—and can keep the employee from collecting benefits if it was a serious violation.

Can you fire worker for bringing gun on company property?

09/15/2016
Before terminating an employee for bringing a gun to work, check your state law.

Firing OK for cheating discovered during FMLA

09/15/2016
Employees who take FMLA leave are entitled to return to their old jobs or equivalent ones. But what if you learn during an employee’s time out on FMLA leave that she wasn’t everything you believed her to be?

Get legal help when contesting unemployment

09/08/2016
Employers have the right to contest a former employee’s eligibility for unemployment benefits. Talk it over with your attorney first.

Arbitration decisions tend to stick

09/07/2016
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 expect to get the arbitrator’s decision easily overturned.

Legitimate discipline isn’t retaliation

09/06/2016
Some managers fear disciplining a worker who has complained about discrimination or other allegedly illegal conduct. Quite reasonably, they worry that punishing an employee after he or she complains may precipitate a retaliation claim.

Judge reinstates fired teacher despite drug conviction

08/26/2016
A judge has ordered the New Kensington-Arnold School District in Pa. to reinstate a fired music teacher even though he was convicted of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Fired Pittsburgh TV anchor sues station for race bias

08/26/2016
A former Pittsburgh news anchor whose social media post led to community outrage and her eventual firing is suing the TV station where she worked.

Known rules broken? Then no unemployment comp

08/26/2016
If employees know the rules but are fired for breaking them anyway, they may not be eligible for unemployment compensation.