10 Things That Can Get You Fired

10 Things That Can Get You Fired10 Things That Can Get You Fired Nobody wants to get fired. Most people avoid it by generally doing good work and keeping complaints about their jobs to themselves or close family.Unfortunately, its notlage that simple. There are many things that can get you fired beyond the obvious you dont have to burn down the office to earn a pink slip.If you have created a situation for yourself where theres some level of dissatisfaction with your performance, any organization with figure out where there is an option or a point of entry where they can separate you from them, said Roy Cohen, a New York City career coach and author of The Wall Street Professionals Survival Guide . Assuming youre in an employment-at-will environment, you dont ever have to be told why youre being fired.Most professional employees are employees-at-will, which means that they can be fired for any reason or none at all. Employment-at-will laws vary from state to state , but if youre not in a union or dont have a contract, they likely apply to you.It may not be fair to get fired because you choose not to shower, think youre smarter than your boss or have issues admitting when youre wrong, but it can happen. Here are ten ways to get thrown off your job.Its okay to take sick days when you need them, but if you take too many at the wrong times, it could mean more free time to convalesce.If you want to get fired, repeatedly call in sick on Mondays, said Randy Merrell, vice president of operations at Elite Network, a San Francisco-based search firm. Muscle up and get yourself in there. Hangovers are no excuse.The same goes for vacation days, said Cohen. Ditching the company for a few days of sun and surf in the middle of a busy season reflects poorly on your dedication to the well-being of the business.An administrator in my clients department had a key role in planning a major event, and the admin called in sick for three days the week before the ev ent, said Cohen. A check of her records showed that she had a pattern of calling in sick around major events. All of the work gets dropped on others shoulders. Her sick days might have been legit, but they were legit too frequently, he said. That, when combined with her sloppy work and incomplete projects, got her cut from the roster.Everyone beefs up their resume , and assumes that once they have the job, its no longer important what they did to get it. Not so fast. If your job performance lags, your resume may be reviewed again. An inconsistency or poorly timed embellishment could be used to get rid of you.If theyre dissatisfied with you and then they find out that you lied, thats an easy ticket for them, said Cohen.For example, Bruce Hurwitz, president and CEO of New York-based Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, recalls a staff member at a former employer who noted on his resume that he had his CPA when he did not. He had taken all the coursework, but did not take the exam.He had the j ob, welches doing a good job, but was fired on the spot when his boss found out he had lied on his resume. The job didnt require a CPA, but the boss checked to see if he had it anyway, said Hurwitz. Even though it wasnt a requirement, it reflected on his character.If you arent diligent with your hygiene, people probably arent going to go out of their way to keep you around.I have a number of clients who are managers that have employees who were unkempt, said Cohen. When it came time for downsizing, they were at the top of the list.You might think that hygiene habits should be a personal decision left to each staff members own discretion, but Cohen said that the reach of bad body odor goes beyond the cubicle around you. Its engaging in anti-social behavior, he said. Not bathing, being unkempt You have to be very careful, especially if youre in a client-interfacing role.As the old adage goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you always keep your head down, never remind your boss of your accomplishments, and arent a familiar face to the higher-ups, you arent going to be remembered for what youre worth when headcount is being shaved.Its not enough to just work hard, stay late, and be intelligent, said Linda Farley, founder of Farley Training, a San Antonio-based management coaching firm. It shows youre not a team player. If you dont speak up in meetings and share your ideas, youll be the one who doesnt have ideas, instead of the one who works late and meets deadlines.People need to know you as a person before they can trust you as a worker, she said.An ego is arguably a necessity in the business world. But a big head thats consistently getting in the way of efficiency and teamwork is a head that will roll.If youre not forceful to the proper degree in promoting your own ideas, youre not going to get anything accomplished, said Hurwitz, but you have to be able to do it in the proper way.Those who always need to do things their way, come across as single-minded and critical of others ideas, said Cohen. If your ideas are smarter than everyone elses, theyll rise to the surface and be appreciated - unless you dont listen to anyone else, ever.With unemployment hovering around 9%, try to be thankful for what you have, instead of whining about what you think you deserve. A lack of humility can earn you a pink slip.If you want out, ask for a raise before a round of job cuts, and get angry when they dont give it to you, said Cohen. It shows poor judgment.Another way to get the ax, said Cohen, is telling your boss that the work theyre providing you with is beneath you.In one word, complain. Thats how you get your personenname at the top of the list, said Cohen.Its likely that the current chain of command in the office has long been in place, and for good reason. Except in the most extreme of circumstances, experts recommend respecting it.When youre emotionally intelligent, aware of your surroundings and know who the players are, you have a sense of what you should say when, and when you should keep your mouth shut, said Farley. You know when you should go over someones head, and when you should follow the chain of command.No matter how much you hate your boss or how dumb you think he is, its usually career suicide to reveal those sentiments to a higher-up.When company information is leaked or major deadlines are missed, someone will likely be fired. Even if you werent involved, you dont want your name associated with those of the usual suspects.Even if youre not a non-performer or a complainer yourself, if youre associated with them, people will start thinking of you in that way, said Farley of Farley Training.Theres a birds of a feather mentality to this one - if youre in a clique with your most toxic colleagues , its easy for your boss to liken you to them. If you are associated with the gossip, its going to be assumed you are spreading rumors too, said Hurwitz, of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing.Take a page out of former Rep. Anthony Weiner s book on this one. If you do something stupid, dont lie about it. The truth will come out - and youll get a lot of negative attention if youre forced to admit you tried to cover up.Its not the crime, its the cover-up, said Hurwitz. If youre the source of bad news about you and if you admit to your mistakes and you dont repeat them, thats a positive. Youll get leistungspunkt for it.But if you blame failed technology, time crunches, or the errors of your colleagues when things go awry and youre to blame, youre expendable.No one likes a freeloader. If you are the worker who never presents an original thought at work, or you take credit for others accomplishments, youre likely to find yourself out the door.One guy stole commissions from co-workers when everyone was out on Christmas break, said Merrell at Elite Network. Commissions at the company were given to the person who did the legwork and sold the services to the client, said Merrell, not by the person who a nswered the phone when the client called to conclude the sale. The company policy was that you gave commission credit to the correct person, even when they were out, said Merrell. I took great pleasure in firing this guy.This posted appears on AOL Jobs and is a FINS original post written by Kelly Eggers

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency charged with enforcing laws whichprohibit job discrimination. The EEOC investigates charges of discrimination and attempts to settle them when discrimination is found. If charges cant be settled, the EEOC may file a lawsuit on behalf of the individual or the general public. (However, the agency leides, We do not, however, file lawsuits in all cases where we find discrimination.) In addition to investigating complaints and dealing with charges of discrimination, the EEOC conducts outreach programs to prevent future cases of discrimination. The EEOC is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has 53 field offices throughout the United States. EEOC and Employment Discrimination Legislation covered by the EEOC includes laws that prohibit discrimination, provide for equal pay, and mandate equal access to employment for qualifi ed individuals with disabilities. These laws include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII),which prohibitsemployment discriminationbased on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Federal contractors and subcontractors must take affirmative action to ensure equal access to employment without considering race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.Employers are prohibited from discriminating in any phase of employment including hiring, recruiting, pay, termination, and aufsteigens. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or mora employees, as well as colleges and universities (both public and private), employment agencies, and labor organizations such as unions. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 also created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission(EEOC). EEOC and Wage Discrimination The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA),which protects men and women who perform substantially equal work in the same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination. Employers are p rohibited from offering a lower wage to women (or men) if another man (or woman) is doing the same work at a higher wage. Labor organizations or their agents are also prohibited from influencing employers to offer different levels of pay to male and female employees. The EPA is part of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which it amends to prohibit wage discrimination based on sex. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which codified into law the EEOCs stance that each inequitable paycheck is a separate incident of wage discrimination. In practice, the Act extended the statute of limitations for filing lawsuits in cases of pay discrimination based on sex, race, national origin, age, religion, and disability. EEOC and Age Discrimination TheAge Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967(ADEA),which protects individualswho are 40 years of age or older. The ADEA applies to organizations with 20 or more workers, including governmental entities, labor organizations, and employment agencies. Employers are allowed to give preference to older workers over younger ones (even if those younger workers are age 40 or older). Further, the ADEA does not protect workers younger than age 40 from employment discrimination based on age. Therefore, if you work in an age-obsessed industry, are less than 40 years old, but think youre being discriminated against based on age, the ADEAs protections wouldnt apply to your case. EEOC Protections for Workers With Disabilities Title I and Title V of theAmericans with Disabilities Actof 1990 (ADA),which prohibit employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector, and in state andlocal governments. Title I covers employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against people with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, compensation, job training, and other employment conditions. Title I also applies to labor organizations and employment agencies. Title V con tains various provisions related to Title I and other Titles of the ADA. For example, Title V specifies that the ADA doesnt override other federal, state, or local laws that provide equal or greater protection than the Act. It also specifies that people who engage in illegal drug use are not covered by the ADA. Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,which prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities who work in the federal government, as well laying out specifications about legal remedies and attorneys fees. The Civil Rights Act of 1991, which, among other things, provides monetary damages in cases ofintentional employment discrimination. It also amends several EEOC statutes, allowing, for example, jury trials and potential damages in Title VII and ADA lawsuits involving intentional discrimination. EEOC and Enforcement Protections for LGBT Workers According to the EEOC, the EEOC interpretation of Title VII provisions prohibiting discrim ination based on sex includes any acts of discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Prohibitions will be enforced regardless of any state or local statutes to the contrary. Examples of LGBT-Related Sex Discrimination Claims Some examples of LGBT-related claims that theEEOC views as unlawful sex discrimination include Failing to hire an applicant because she isa transgender woman.Firing an employee because he is planning or has made agender transition.Denying an employee equal access to a commonrestroomcorresponding to the employees gender identity.Harassing an employee because of a gender transition, such as by intentionally and persistentlyfailing to use the name and gender pronoun that correspond to the gender identity with which the employee identifies, and which the employee has communicated to management and employees. Denying an employee a promotion because he isgay or straight.Discriminating interms, conditions, or privileges of employment, such as provid ing a lower salary to an employee because of sexual orientation, or denying spousal health insurance benefits to a female employee because her legal spouse is a woman, while providing spousal health insurance to a male employee whose legal spouse is a woman.Harassingan employee because of his or her sexual orientation for example, by derogatory terms, sexually-oriented comments, or disparaging remarks for associating with a person of the same or opposite sex. Discriminating against or harassing an employee because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity, in combination with another unlawful reason for example, on the basis of transgender status and race, or sexual orientation and disability. EEOC Oversight and Enforcement The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces all of these laws and provides oversight and coordination of all federal equal employment opportunity regulations, practices, and policies. State Equal Employment Opportunity Commis sions Additional oversight, and in some cases additional protections, are provided byhuman rights agencies at the state level. Individuals who believethat their rights have been violated might also consult with these agencies for redress of their grievances. States can add additional legal protections but are not permitted to negate any of the protections provided through the EEOC.

Manager Tips to Keep Millennial Employees

Manager Tips to Keep Millennial EmployeesManager Tips to Keep Millennial EmployeesYouve hired Millennials. Now how can you keep them around? If I could give you one bit of advice about dealing with the latest generation of employees to come under your management, it would be to remember those words. Things arent always what they seem with Millennial employees. If you are like most business leaders, youve no doubt elendiced a trend in the way employees behave in recent years. fruchtwein likely you consider it a negative trend - too much entitlement, bedrngnis enough loyalty, no work ethic, only interested in themselves, and on and on. You should consider that perhaps these are not negative trends, just different ones. Things arent always what they seem with Millennial employees. To better understand who your Millennial employees are and what drives them to succeed, perhaps its easiest to understand who they are not. You. Thats right. They may even be your offspring but in the workpla ce, they bear little resemblance to the you of yesteryear. Gen Xers (born 1965-1979) and Millennials (born after 1980) are operating in this world with a completely different perspective. Their definitions of loyalty, time, and success are often quite different from yours. Rest assured they do recognize all of these concepts and value them in very important ways. The key to your organizations future success is understanding how the Millennials view the world and using that knowledge to motivate them in a way that works. Heres a hint meet them where they are and they will achieve your underlying goals try to force them to fit your definitions and they will run for the door every time. So lets take a look at some of the pervasive myths about our youngest generation in the workforce and discuss why these changes are happening. You can tailor your workplace to meet your needs and your employee needs. In meeting these needs, the company will thrive. Myth Younger Generations of Millenn ials Have No Work Ethic Reality Millennials have a self-centered work ethic. This is not necessarily the negative that it may seem at first. Millennial employees are dedicated to completing their task well. They have not been raised in a way that demands them to look around and see what should be done next. Instead, they ask what is my job and go about figuring the best, fastest way to complete that task. Then they consider themselves done. This is a key differentiator between your employees and yourself. The younger they are, the more your employees view their jobs as something to do inbetweenweekends. For most, early employment has nothing to do with a career path it is a way to earn money to have fun in their free time. And that is okay. When you understand what motivates your employees you are better able to set mutual expectations for success. Instead of being frustrated that your youngest employees are not interested in climbing your corporate ladder, embrace their true motiv ation - reliable spending money - and use it to your advantage. When you tell an employee, I understand this is not your lifelong career, but to earn the paycheck every weekhere is what I expect. They are much more likely to respond than if you try to motivate with promises of promotions and titles down the road. Understanding that being at the job isnt as important to Millennials as completing the assigned task also opens up new opportunities for motivation and reward. Younger employees are very likely to respond to offers of paid time off. A leading retail organization has recognized this new way of thinking with its Working Hard Card When managers witness an employee rising to a challenge, exceeding expectations or otherwise giving 110%, they can hand the employee a Working Hard Card on the spot. Each card is worth a set amount of paid time off to be used at the employees discretion. It is a simple strategy that rewards employees in the currency they value most - their time. Myth Millennials Dont Want to Put in the Hours to Get Ahead Reality Millennial employees are willing to put in the time to do the job, however, they are uninterested in face time. Gen Xers and Millennials view time as a currency. While Baby Boomers tend to see time as something to invest, the younger generations view it as a valuable currency not to be wasted. These are the generations that demand work-life balance and paid time off. They want to get the job done, then put it behind them and enjoy life. Boomer managers have a tendency to lose the interest of their Millenial employees by looking too far into the future. Millennials live in the time frame based on right now. Their world has proven that nothing is a guarantee - from nationwide layoffs to war to soaring divorce rates, they have decided that theres not a lot you can count on. As a result, they are not interested in promotion plans for five years from now. They dont even want to know what will happen at the end of the summer. Life is uncertain. To reach the Millennial employee and reduce turnover, make it certain. Tell your employee that you have a plan. Take pains to ensure it is in a timeframe short enough for them to enimagination. Be prepared to fulfill your promise - once fooled, the Millennial employee is forever jaded. This approach feeds into their realitywhile simultaneously building trust and buying you more time. Reward small successes along the way, string these milestones together, and you will soon realize longer tenures among your staff. Myth Millennial Employees Have No Respect for Authority Reality Millennial employees have great respect for leaders and loyalty. But no, as a rule, they dont respect authorityjust because. For the younger generations, every ounce of loyalty and respect must be earned. But when it is earned, it is given fiercely. In fact, loyalty to the individuals leaders and thebabo is the number one reason Gen Xers and Millennial employees stay in a job, es pecially during the first three, tenuous years. Dissatisfaction with the boss is the number one reason they quit. So in buchung to increase retention, managers must take a flipped view onleadership- it is no longer enoughto hire the right peopleand show them the way, now you mustbethe right person to win their affection. Sounds a little touchy-feely for the workforce? Yes, but the more quickly leaders understand this new relationship, the faster you will see the rewardretention of Millennial employees. There is one big caveat to the be the person they want you to be approach to leadership, however. Millennials have a tendency to seek tight bonds they want a boss who is close, caring, and aware. And, you can be all that as the boss of a Millennial. But, be careful. It is very easy to cross the line fromthe boss as advocatetothe boss asfriend. That is a slippery slope. Friendship can be especially tempting in situations where managers and employees are close in age. When activities o utside of the office become too regular, too casual, or largely social in nature, it is time to examine how this will affect your role as a boss and leader. What Millennial employees need most from their boss is a guide - not a social life. Myth They Dont Want to Grow Up Reality Millennial employees really dont know how to grow up. The youngest generations in todays workforce are facing a delayed adulthood. They are getting married later, having children later and just generally facing the real world later. This isnt the result of a mutated maturity gene, it just is. And, if we are being completely honest about this situation, Boomers had a lot to do with why its happening. As parents, Boomers had a tendency to coddle their children and use their own good fortune to make sure their children didnt experience adversity.As career models, Boomers demonstrated the toll of working long hours andpaying their duesin a way that made their children less likely to follow in their footstep s. Millennials today look at the corporate ladder and think, there must be another way. Advice About Managing Millennials Dont waste time wishing your Millennial employees were different. Dont spend your energy comparing todays youth to the desires and drive you had at age 18. These employees are not a reflection of you, nor are they an earlier version of you. And again, that is okay. Your task is to take this new understanding and use it to reposition how youinteract with, motivate, andreward your staff. Take attire for instance. Your 18-year-old self would have gladly donned whatever uniform was necessary to fit the company mold. Be it pressed khakis and a tie or a specific corporate uniform, fitting in was part of the package. Todays youth wants to stand out. They want their individuality to shine through even when required to provide a consistent voreingestellt of service and performance. Balancing corporate needs with individual desires takes some creative thinking. Home De pot is one company that has addressed this dilemma at a very basic level - company uniforms. They simply require that all employees wear a standard Home Depot apron. Be yourself underneath (within reason) and show the customer that you are on the Home Depot team with this bright orange apron. Is there a standard that you can adopt to accommodate individual preferences? Something to think about. Not all change is bad. The myths surrounding todays young employees are not always what they seem. Attitudes toward work, life, loyalty, andrespect have all changed, but each is still considered valuable. In fact, some of the demands made by todays youth are creating positive benefits for employees in every generation. Flexibility and respect for the individual, as well as the organization, are good for everyone. Loyalty from younger employees, once earned, is long-lasting. Theadjustments you make to accommodate the changing attitudesof todays youth will be returned to you tenfold withdecreas ed turnover,improved morale, and measurable business results. And when the frustration mounts, just remember things arent always what they seem. Open your mind to the possibility that there is a benign, generational reason for the disconnect between what you want and what your Millennial employees are providing, and you may just find room to create a sharedvisionof success. - Cam Marston is a consultant who specializes in multigenerational communications and marketing, educating executives about the workplace expectations of different generations. Marstons expertise has also been featured in theWall Street Journal,The Economist, theChicago Tribune,BusinessWeek,Fortune, Money,FastCompany,andForbes, as well as onGood Morning America,CNN International, and theBBC.