Tag: employment at will

Making Employee’s Intention to Quit Effective Immediately

An employment relationship may be ended in a variety of ways with different legal consequences, so it’s important to accurately determine the method by which it’s terminated. An involuntary termination (i.e., the employee is fired) occurs when the employer decides to end the employment relationship. A voluntary termination or resignation (i.e., the employee quits) occurs […]

Perhaps Silicon Valley’s Pied Piper Could Use Good Employment Counsel

I am currently bingeing my way through HBO’s Silicon Valley after not having watched the show for several years (I’ve always found it entertaining enough, but life, you know?). The series chronicles the experiences of a small group of California techies who found a start-up company called Pied Piper.

Does ‘at-will employment’ really mean what you think?

by Joseph Godwin Many employers rely heavily on “at-will employment” to terminate unsatisfactory employees. In theory, if at-will employment applies, you can fire a worker at will, which means for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all. However, if a termination decision is challenged, it can be difficult to show that […]

U.S. employment agreement ruled inapplicable after transfer to British Columbia

By Katherine Pollock A recent decision of the British Columbia Court of Appeal, Stanley v. Advertising Directory Solutions, considered the rights of an employee of a U.S. company who was working for a Canadian subsidiary when terminated. The court found she was entitled to notice or pay in lieu of notice upon termination according to […]

Zombies, unicorns, and employment law―oh, my!

by Boyd Byers My 15-year-old daughter is an avid reader. She also has an offbeat sense of humor (which she must get from her mother). So perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised to find a book titled Zombies vs. Unicorns lying around the house. “It’s a question as old as time itself: Which is better, […]

4 Tips for Employers Navigating Employment Waters in Puerto Rico

by Sylmarie Arizmendi of Arizmendi & Sanfilippo Often U.S. employers doing business in Puerto Rico assume that certain basic elements of the employment relationship are the same in Puerto Rico as they are stateside. That leads employers to expose themselves to liability because of differences in the employment laws. This article highlights four essential differences […]

Exit Interviews: An Underused Tool for Protecting Your Company

HR professionals are frequently asked to do more with less. Moreover, these are challenging times, with companies facing increased employment litigation but having fewer resources for programs to strengthen the quality and longevity of the workforce. Exit interviews represent an effective and inexpensive, albeit little-used, tool for spotting and fixing problems before they turn into […]

Practical Steps for Addressing Theft in the Workplace

by Robert A. Berry Business is tough. It’s even harder in today’s climate — and that’s assuming all of your employees are working for the good of the business. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It may be a valued and trusted employee with many years of dedicated service, or it may be someone new […]

Remote Control: U.S. Employees Based in Canada

By Stephen Acker and Julia Kennedy Gone are the days when a white-collar job always meant going into the office and occupying a cubicle from 9 to 5. New information technology and network capabilities have made the home office and telecommuting, if not commonplace, at least attainable for many. Employers have realized that they can […]