Have you ever discovered that an employee lied about something important at work? For example, what would you do if an employee called in sick on two scheduled workdays and then you found out she had really been in Las Vegas during her sick leave?

The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a city’s discharge of a worker for dishonesty about her sick leave was a valid reason for discharge even though she produced a doctor’s note confirming her illness. Hughes v. City of Bethlehem (October 2, 2008). The city suspended her without pay while they investigated her sick leave excuse and confirmed her little gambling jaunt. Since the investigation confirmed the employer’s suspicions of dishonesty, the city terminated her job.

She, of course, sued for everything but the kitchen sink, including gender discrimination, disability discrimination, unlawful retaliation for seeking accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, violation of Family and Medical Leave, and deprivation of procedural due process, since she was employed by a governmental agency.

Fortunately, the Third Circuit was able to see through all the allegations to the main point: Continue reading Employees Who Lie →