Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A blog by the attorneys at the law firm of Ford & Harrison about the popular television series “The Office.” Each article takes a look at a different episode, and summarizes the employment law lessons for the week.
It was another nonproductive workday at The Office. After 10 years, Michael’s little known, self-written, self-produced, self-directed, and self-starred-in movie, Threat Level Midnight, finally debuted in Scranton. Despite a private staff-only viewing a few years back in which the movie was mistakenly taken for a comedy (it’s really Michael’s rip-off of James Bond and Austin Powers […]
Litigation Value: none now, but plenty in the making. Studio 54 was a nightclub in New York City with infamously loose rules related to sexual expression. Rumor has it that back-room rendezvous were the norm. Sabre/Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton office may be trying to give the club a run for its money. Dwight Schrute reminded us that […]
Litigation value: $8.99 + tip for Michael’s “free” lunch, although Michael’s tort action for false imprisonment against Mr. Chu and the Chinese restaurant will more than cover it. From an employment liability perspective, it is probably a good thing for Dunder Mifflin/Sabre that Michael’s character is leaving the show soon. One suspects that his soon-to-be-rekindled relationship with […]
Litigation Value: No immediate employment law liability. Under the applicable statute of limitations in Pennsylvania, however, Andy’s seminar invitees would have up to two years in which to claim personal (digestive) injury caused by Kevin’s “off the rails” motivational display. The Scranton Business Park was a busy place last night, with a number of visitors spending time […]
Listen up, friends: We’ve recently been handed some very exciting news! According to Sabre’s corporate offices, Will Ferrell will be joining “The Office” for a four-episode arc later this season. Will and his old pal Steve Carrell will be reunited for at least three of the four episodes, as Will plays a Sabre branch manager […]
Litigation Value: Inappropriate Comments by Kevin, Creed, Michael, and Darryl = Yet More Expensive Fodder for Hostile Work Environment Claims; Cost of Sparkly Resolution Board = $4; Michael Force-Feeding Broccoli to Kevin = Priceless. It’s a brand new year, and our friends at Sabre are determined to start off on the right foot by sticking […]
This week was another repeat of “Niagara,” the hour-long Pam and Jim wedding episode. Doug Hall and Matt Scott did a nice job with this episode here and here offering different takes on employee behavior outside the office. But seriously, does an employer really have to be concerned about what happens at an employee’s wedding? Yup. The […]
Litigation Value: Likely no liability against Sabre/Dunder Mifflin, but Gabe could have some property damage claims against Michael and Andy Only two more weeks until new episodes of The Office return, and I’m eager to find how the writers will wrap up Michael Scott’s career. Quick question for you Officeheads out there: How do you think they […]
Litigation Value: Class action by day-laborers hired by Dwight = $500,000; penalties for violations of the Immigration Reform and Control Act = $50,000. [Tonight’s entry was authored by Josh Drexler, whom you’ll be hearing more from in the coming year.] While watching last night’s two repeat episodes, I noticed that Dwight Schrute potentially exposed Sabre/Dunder […]
Tonight’s Office (originally aired October 2010) involved the courtship — a/k/a sting operation — of Danny Cordray, the slick-talking, good-looking uber salesman from Osprey Paper Company. Cordray keeps stealing Dunder Mifflin clients, so Michael, Jim, and Dwight set up a fake office front with Meredith posing as the CEO of a fictional company. The goal […]