Exam 13: Employee Rights and Discipline

Constructive dismissal occurs when an employer unilaterally changes an employee's working conditions such that compensation, status, or prestige is reduced.

Which of the following is NOT a primary goal of ethics training?

Where should termination meetings be held?

Under the employment-at-will concept, who can terminate the employment relationship?

According to a study cited in the text, what is the most important driver of employee trust and loyalty?

Based on the research evidence on summary dismissal cases, in which of the following scenarios does the employer stand the LEAST chance of winning in the courts?

What is a key difference between a step-review process of dealing with employee complaints in nonunionized workplaces versus a grievance procedure in a collective bargaining agreement?

Decision-making leave is typically paid leave, and eliminates the negative effects of loss of pay.

The HR manager at Stacco Ltd. is planning to fire Paul for poor job performance. He is aware that he has to give "reasonable notice" to Paul. What are two factors that he has to consider when determining the amount of notice?

Assume that Rajas Cable Inc. uses a positive discipline system to correct undesirable employee conduct. In this system, which of the following actions will the firm take to deal with unacceptable performance?

Scenario 13.1 The Beer Pitt Inc. is a Canadian brewery that distributes premium lager beers across the country. Over the years, the company has been having problems with employees drinking on the job, resulting in arguments, fights, and back-ups on the production line. Because employees are unionized, it has always been difficult to determine that drinking on the job is the cause of the problems the company is experiencing since these problems have been occurring for decades. Recently, however, an employee was injured. The HR department wants to develop and implement new sets of disciplinary policies and procedures to help curb these problems. -Refer to Scenario 13.1. Which of the following accurately represents some of the steps in the disciplinary model that The Beer Pitt needs to implement?

Management's failure to communicate rules to employees is one of the major reasons for reversing disciplinary action.

The primary responsibility for preventing or correcting disciplinary problems rests with the HR department.

The Juniper Corporation wishes to establish an alternative dispute-resolution procedure that will provide a sense of justice for employees. A peer-review board would offer this benefit.

As a result of a lawsuit, the Gamma Corporation has decided to institute and communicate its disciplinary policies. Which of the following management groups has primary responsibility for the development of disciplinary policies and procedures?

Bill has been found guilty of theft, a termination offence. Before he is dismissed, his manager must apply all the steps of progressive discipline.

Scenario 13.2 Woodbridge Group Inc. (WG), a Canadian consultancy firm, is having a hard time keeping all its employees as a result of the last recession. Most of its clients are based in the United States, and tighter restrictions there have led to some clients severing business ties with WG. With the loss of business, the company claims it cannot afford to continue paying employees even though the company is still profitable. Management is planning to let some of them go, and plans to give them four weeks' pay in lieu of notice. While these employees are not unionized, they do have contracts that entitle them to fixed amounts of weeks worked for each year they have been with WG. -Refer to Scenario 13.2. Either the employer or the employee can terminate the employment contract. What does WG need to do to avoid expensive lawsuits for wrongful dismissal?

ABC Corporation induced computer programmers to leave their old jobs through the promise of higher salaries. However, when the programmers started to work for ABC, the company denied making any promises to them. Through its behaviour, what has ABC likely violated?

Mediation is a formal process resulting in compromise.

It is standard practice for employers and contingent employees to utilize formal employment contracts.