Tag: PIP

age discrimination

New ‘Kid’ on the Block Fires Longtime Employee and Sends Age Discrimination Claim to Trial

What do you get when a new supervisor in his late 20s begins managing a longtime employee who is 36 years his senior, begins documenting the employee’s alleged performance deficiencies while still giving him “meets expectations” reviews, and places the employee on a performance improvement plan (PIP) that results in his firing? An age discrimination […]

PIP

Getting the PIP Process Right: Tips for Employers

An employee continues to make mistakes that cost the company money. You meet with her and place her on a performance improvement plan (PIP). After the 60-day PIP period ends, you conclude that her performance did not improve adequately and terminate her employment.

FMLA

Can an Individual Supervisor Be Liable Under the FMLA?

Most supervisors know that they risk personal liability under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Chapter 151B if they sexually harass a subordinate employee. But that isn’t the only way supervisors may be held individually liable in Massachusetts.

Yahoo embraces stack ranking of employees as Microsoft abandons it

As Microsoft is washing its hands of a controversial employee performance appraisal practice, Yahoo is reportedly adopting it. Stack ranking systems—also known as forced ranking or forced distribution—require managers to rank their employees from best to worst, apply the rankings to a bell curve and use the results to determine pay as well as who […]

Workers’ Compensation: Avoid Adverse Action Claims

“Most state workers’ compensation laws provide that it is unlawful for an employer to discharge or otherwise discriminate/retaliate against a worker for claiming worker’s comp or testifying at a workers’ comp hearing.” Adele Abrams explained in a recent BLR webinar. And this goes beyond just standard discipline or firing: “Anything that is an adverse action […]

PIPs + Progressive Discipline = Caution Required

Performance Improvement Plans — or PIPs — have become a common part of progressive discipline programs. After an initial verbal counseling, many employers use formal PIPs to set specific goals for employee improvement, and to document employee progress or lack of progress in relation to future discipline.