Terminations

Griping about low pay isn’t always protected activity

12/09/2021

Countless federal laws make it illegal for employers to retaliate against employees for engaging in protected activities such as reporting alleged discrimination or unfair labor practices. However, not all employee complaints earn protection against retaliation.

How not to lay off employees

12/09/2021

If you ever have to lay off hundreds of employees, don’t do it the way the CEO of Better.com did on Dec. 1.

No need to tell employee why she was fired

11/29/2021

When terminating an employee, you don’t necessarily have to explain the exact reason for your decision. However, you must still document your rationale at the time you decide to fire. If the employee sues, a court will want to see when and why you arrived at the decision, all documented at the time.

Can you fire employee for saying, “Let’s go, Brandon!”?

11/18/2021

Southwest Airlines is investigating a pilot for saying, “Let’s go, Brandon!” during an in-flight announcement. Southwest sent a reminder to staff that “public expressions of personal opinions while on duty is unacceptable.”

Firing during FMLA leave? Prove FMLA wasn’t reason

11/04/2021

Employees cannot be fired for taking FMLA leave. If you must terminate someone who has taken FMLA leave, be prepared to show it had nothing to do with their leave-taking. Do that by contemporaneously documenting what led to the termination and when you made the decision to fire.

Low-wage resignations are reshaping labor market

11/02/2021

“The Great Resignation” moniker probably overstates the magnitude of the job changes roiling the labor market. However, the employees who are seeking new jobs demand employer attention, according to a new report by the Mercer consulting firm.

How to take the sting—and legal risk—out of terminations

10/21/2021

Is there a “best” way to fire an employee? There is no conversation more traumatic for both the employer delivering the message and the employee receiving it. That said, there are some best practices that can help for all involved.

The Great Resignation: What it means for you

10/21/2021

Every economic era comes with a label. In the 1930s, there was the Great Depression. The Great Recession followed the housing and stock crashes of 2008. Now we have a new moniker, this one tailored to the market-shaping power of the coronavirus.

Employers begin firing covid vaccine refusers

10/07/2021

The Biden administration hasn’t even finished drafting rules for mandatory employee covid-19 vaccinations, but employers are already taking action. Some large employers have begun firing noncompliant workers or announced new mandates after previous incentives failed to get more workers vaccinated. Here are some examples.

If employee is fired for refusing vaccine, can he still collect unemployment?

09/17/2021

As more employers mandate the vaccine for their workers, some employees are asking an important question: If I’m fired for refusing my company’s vaccine mandate, would I still qualify for unemployment?