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Terminations

Tell supervisors: No pregnancy comments allowed

05/01/2008
It seems simple enough: No one should make cracks or comments about an employee’s pregnancy. Still, supervisors and managers often say things they shouldn’t, which can come together to form the basis for a Pregnancy Discrimination Act lawsuit …

Excessive absences justify firing—And bar unemployment compensation

05/01/2008
Ohio employers can fire chronically absent or tardy employees without worrying that unemployment compensation will be the reward for missing work. That’s true as long as the absences weren’t covered by the FMLA or other leave laws …

Writing your memoirs? Consider a pen name

05/01/2008
A pseudonym might have helped Adrienne Zurub hold onto her job. In January, Zurub self-published a memoir, Notes from the Mothership, that included reflections on her life as a cardiac nurse at The Cleveland Clinic. Two weeks later, the clinic fired her …

Molson Coors to trim staff by outsourcing IT work

05/01/2008
Molson Coors Brewing Co. has announced plans to outsource technology work to Hewlett-Packard Co., resulting in job cuts of about 4% of its global work force, or 390 jobs …

Can we enforce noncompetes against staff we’ve laid off?

05/01/2008
Q. Due to the competitive nature of our business, our sales force signs restrictive covenant agreements that prohibit them from working for a competitor for a six- month period. We are about to lay off some of these employees for lack of business. Is the covenant enforceable? …

AAM strike rocks GM operations across North America

05/01/2008
A strike by workers at five American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings (AAM) plants in Michigan and New York led to temporary closures at more than a dozen General Motors plants in February and March. GM’s Moraine Assembly facility, south of Dayton, ran out of parts mid-shift within a week. GM laid off more than 1,800 workers at the plant …

You picked a fine time to leave me: Penalties for quitting without notice

05/01/2008
Q. Can an employer in Colorado fine an employee who quits without giving two weeks’ notice? …

OSU-Mansfield librarian sues over religious persecution

05/01/2008
Scott Savage, a former Ohio State University-Mansfield reference librarian, is suing the university over discrimination he says he suffered because of his Christian beliefs …

You smoke, you’re fired! Lessons from the Whirlpool Case

04/29/2008
The dangers of smoking are well documented: heart disease and cancer, shorter life expectancy, higher health care expenses. Now add another risk: As workers in Indiana just found out, smoking could get you fired. Was their employer justified in taking action, or did it step into a legal quagmire?

Downsized Work Force, Supersized Liability: The Legal Risks of Layoffs

04/29/2008
Whether we’re in slowdown or a full-blown recession, many employers may be contemplating job cuts to cope with tough economic times. But employers that downsize the wrong way may end up spending more on litigation than they save on labor costs. To avoid a costly court fight, know your WARN Act compliance responsibilities.