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Terminations

E-mail gets employee axed; she sues recipient

08/01/2008
Menorah Park, a senior living center in Beachwood, found itself in the midst of an Internet war after one of its employees slung cyber-mud at self-proclaimed media maven Perez Hilton …

Why can’t we just go ahead and fire an unpleasant employee?

08/01/2008
Q. About six months ago, we hired a new employee for our accounting department. Although he successfully completed his probationary period and has no formal disciplinary actions issued against him, he simply has an unpleasant personality and does not mesh well with the other employees in the department. Can we simply terminate him? After all, Ohio is an “at will” state. …

Try these 10 creative alternatives to handing out pink slips

08/01/2008

Laying off workers can strain more than the employees who lose their jobs and the managers who have to deliver the bad news. Before your organization starts handing out pink slips, consider some alternatives that have worked for employers during past economic slumps …

Government employees can sue without first filing administrative complaints

08/01/2008
The Supreme Court of Ohio just made it easier for public employees to sue their employers. It ruled employees could go directly to court instead of pursuing administrative remedies first. That means less time and fewer opportunities for employers to resolve any discrimination complaints before they go to court …

Merrill Lynch hit with age discrimination lawsuit

08/01/2008
Lou Telerico, a former stockbroker for Merrill Lynch & Co. in Cleveland, has filed a lawsuit claiming the company forced him out after 30 years of service because of his age …

Can you legally fire a woman who has an abortion?

07/29/2008
When graphic artist Jane Doe became pregnant, she told her boss. Then she learned that the child was severely deformed. She decided to terminate the pregnancy. She took a week off for the procedure, recovery and to bury the child. Then her employer then fired her.

Equality the Hard Way: Women’s Employment, Pay Decreasing

07/29/2008
The economy’s current slowdown—following seven years of growth—is erasing two decades of progress for working women. Women historically have weathered recessions relatively well. A new congressional report says that trend ended in the fourth quarter of 2007, as both employment rates and pay began to fall.

Use patience when disciplining employee who requested FMLA leave

07/28/2008
Some employees who are having performance problems think taking FMLA leave will stop any pending disciplinary action. But an employer doesn’t need to hesitate to discipline if it can show that the employee really does deserve the discipline. But don’t jump the gun …

There’s protected activity, then there’s harassment

07/28/2008
When employees think they are working in a hostile environment, emotions often run high. If an employee believes he is working under intolerable conditions, he may strike back with a harassment campaign of his own. Anonymous letters, e-mails and other unconventional forms of communication may amount to reverse harassment—and you don’t have to tolerate it …

EMS workers lose jobs for racist hazing incident

07/28/2008
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), which operates University Hospital in Newark, fired three paramedics for subjecting emergency medical technician (EMT) trainees to racist hazing …