Of the many questions I receive and respond to each week, I thought this one was particularly interesting because it shows how short-sighted and employee-unfriendly H.R. departments can be. A gentleman used medical leave for the first time in his twelve year career. He had to work with his doctor to adjust some medications; then he was set to return to work and continue in his twelfth year with the company without a single bad appraisal. "CAN I SCREAM DISCRIMINATION..." Suddenly and without warning he receives a letter from the Human Resources Department that states: "....if you will need accommodation(s) when you return, please contact the Office of Workplace Diversity before your return. They will assist you with that process......" The letter doesn't sound mean, but what … [Read more...]
Go To Trial or Settle Your Case?
Whether or not to take a case to trial, especially an employment case, can be a gut wrenching and life changing decision. Make the right decision, and you vindicate yourself, prove your boss wrong, and walk away with two or more years' worth of wages in your pocket. Make the wrong decision, and you spend $15,000 in costs (not the attorney's fee, but the attorney's trial expenses), and you walk away with nothing to show for it besides 2-4 wasted years of your life. And a gloating ex-boss. So, it's obviously a HUGE decision. That's why I want to tell you about how the decision to go to trial was studied by scientists, and what they found out about what is usually the right decision, what what is usually the wrong decision. There article is from the Journal of Loss … [Read more...]
Bad News: No Home Sales = No Emergency Cash
Why are people so concerned about their jobs right now? Because they see the "For Sale" signs going up all around them -- and they know the reason is because these neighbors can't afford their mortgages any longer. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Friday the economy continues to be in a recession, by his definition, and will continue to be for at least several more months. (Full Article Here.) U.S. Fed Chief Ben Bernanke said Friday that "the financial storm that reached gale force" last year "has not yet subsided, and its effects on the broader economy are becoming apparent in the form of softening economic activity and rising unemployment," . (Full Article Here.) That certainly appears to be the case in my own neighborhood. I live in a sub-division that was built five … [Read more...]
La Represalia en el Trabajo
Bienvenidos al podcast Episodio 4 del "Lugar de Trabajo Hostil". Yo soy su anfitrión, el Abogado Encubierto, conocido como Curt K. El podcast "Lugar de Trabajo Hostil" es un programa de cada dos semanas, en el que Ud. puede aprender toda la ley que afecta su derecho al trabajo. Además, Ud. puede aprender cómo pelear contra un lugar de trabajo hostil, contra un mal jefe, y saber que su trabajo está seguro. A lo largo de los episodios del lugar de trabajo hostil, voy a revelar los consejos y trucos y leyes poco conocidas del trabajo que he aprendido en más de una década de ejercer la ley laboral para grandes empresas, compañías, dentro de firmas grandes. Yo les traigo esto desde el "otro lado". Por eso hago esto de manera encubierta, mi meta es proveer a los individuos con el … [Read more...]
Podcast #4: Michelle + Dan = Retaliation
Download PDF Transcript Michell and Dan began their working relationship as friends. Dan supervised a group of 8 employees; 7 young men plus Michelle. Michelle was only 21. Before work each morning, however, she had to drop off her young son at her mother's house. As a result, Michelle often arrived between 5 and 15 minutes late. But Dan was sympathetic to Michelle's struggles as a single mom. He was the only other person at work with children. Plus, how could you not like Michelle? She worked hard, she was cute, and she could talk "like one of the boys." In fact, sometimes she made the boys blush! Yet, little voice in the back of Michelle's head kept telling her that the crude sex talk at work wasn't something to be proud of. In fact, she admitted to herself … [Read more...]
Hostile Workplace Podcast #3: Straight-Male to Straight Male Sex Harassment
Download PDF Transcript Episode #3 of the Hostile Workplace Podcast, by the Undercover Lawyer To access this podcast through the iTunes music store (for free) click HERE. Announcements In Epsisode #3 I mentioned that you can follow me on Twitter. In you are not familiar with it, Twitter is a “micro-blogging” site, where people can post short, text message length updates about what they are doing each day. You can see it for yourself at www.Twitter.com . My username on Twitter, if you would like to follow me, is “Undercover_Lawr”. Quick Tip For the Quick Tip, we talked about how employees have zero expectation of privacy for anything done with their work computer, or their work network (like signing in from home – still utilizes work network). Feature Segment – … [Read more...]
El Acoso Sexual del Mismo Sexo
Bienvenido al Episodio 3 del podcast "Lugar de Trabajo Hostil". Yo soy su anfitrión, el Abogado Encubierto. Hoy vamos a tener para nuestro segmento estelar, el Acoso Sexual del Mismo Sexo. Yo no estoy hablando de gay-a-normal, pero más bien de acoso sexual hombre normal-a-hombre normal y mujer normal-a-mujer normal. Y luego en nuestro consejo rápido, hablaremos sobre privacidad en el trabajo, especialmente de su computadora. Ud. puede esperar su podcast "Lugar de Trabajo Hostil" todos los domingos por la noche, estará disponible a la media noche hora estándar del pacífico. Estará disponible para la mayoría cuando lleguen a sus trabajos por la mañana. Aquí es donde aprenderá los mismos consejos y trucos, tendrá el mismo conocimiento legal como las grandes firmas legales y … [Read more...]
