Strange but True

Firefighter uniform courtesy Topeka Fire Department, Fire Station #7

Have you ever dealt with an HR 911 situation?

If you think you've seen and heard it all, check out our list of strange but true employee relations scenarios. Team CBS can help put your HR fires out so you can focus on your business. Get Creative!

1. Your company has just terminated an employee. Within hours of the termination, the former employee has posted on Facebook his many grievances about the company and his immediate supervisor. What is your advice about possible action towards the terminated employee?
2. Your company CEO receives an anonymous letter advising that two employees of the company are actively using and abusing drugs. An accusation is even made that the abuse is happening at the workplace. There are 11 employees at this particular company location. How do you advise your company CEO?
3. Your company has an employee who was involved in a really bad motorcycle accident. The employee will be off the job for months because of this injury. What questions do you ask to provide proper guidance on next steps?
4. Your company has an employee returning from active military duty. This is a union job and his job was filled during his absence. Does he get his job back? Why or why not?
5. A manager calls to complain that one of his female employees - just back from maternity leave - is "pumping" her breast milk more than the allocated time authorized by the policy manual for morning and afternoon breaks (15 minutes each) and lunch break (30 minutes). The manager is a male. What rights does the breast pumping employee have or not have? How should the manager approach the employee about his concerns?
6. Your company has reasonable suspicion that two members of the management team are having an affair. Company follows up on this suspicion by looking at the employees' company emails and texts. Did the company "violate" the employees' right to privacy?
7. A company employee has been acting dramatically different in the last six months. Behaviors such as paranoia (i.e. complaining that Wendy's has been putting bugs in his food), etc., are common. You are concerned for the employee's safety and the safety of others. What do you advise? Do you terminate this employee? What concerns do you have legally with this decision?
8. Your company has two employees who are not getting along. In fact, when they were off-site, one employee obtained a restraining order on the other which stipulates they cannot be within 100 yards of each other. How do you advise?
9. Your company has been contacted with concerns that a prospective employee has a felony in his background (10 years ago for child pornography; served 5 years in federal prison). Your company doesn't want to hire this person based on his past record. Is your company being discriminatory? What reason(s) does your company give the prospective employee about not getting the job?
10. The company's HR Manager and General Counsel have told the CEO that one of its upper management staff became intoxicated at a company-sponsored function and acting inappropriately with her subordinates. To make matters more interesting, the behavior occurred in front of a lot of staff, who took pictures and recorded the incident on their cell phones. Since no one is complaining, should the CEO discipline this person?