Meet the New Boss
February 4, 2010 at 11:12 pm by: Brian Kurtz
Litigation Value: Approximately $5,000 - 10,000; Oscar’s Dunder Mifflin vacation time … and the replacement cost of Stanley’s busted windshield.
Posted in Blogging, Erin Hannon, HR, Michael Scott, Oscar Martinez, Privacy, Safety, Social Networking Websites, Wage and Hour Law, Workplace Policies by: Brian Kurtz
1 Comment
Dummies, Morons & Idiots
January 28, 2010 at 11:07 pm by: Jody Ward-Rannow
Litigation Value: $0 (which is good because Dunder Mifflin has no money left!)
Unfortunately, tonight’s episode was another repeat. Matt Rita did a fantastic job covering most of the employee relations issues raised by this episode when it originally aired in November. In this post, we will discuss two moments not discussed in the previous post.
Posted in Michael Scott, Oscar Martinez, Sexual Orientation Discrimination by: Jody Ward-Rannow
1 Comment
Classic Rewind
January 22, 2010 at 10:18 am by: Chris Butler
Litigation Value: In the aggregate, $100 million; most of which is punitive damages
OK, so tonight’s episode – The Banker –- didn’t really bring us much new material, but it indeed highlighted five years of near-catastrophic employee-relations failures. As Dunder Mifflin verges on economic collapse, a potential investor dispatches its self-proclaimed “fact-checker” to conduct a due-diligence assessment of the company’s “H.R. liabilities.” While interviewing HR representative Toby Flenderson, the fact-checker poses a series of provocative questions that invoke Toby’s vivid recollection of why he so dearly hates his job. In essence, we rewind the tape a few years. Let’s take a look: Continue Reading »
Posted in Age Discrimination, Andy Bernard, Angela Martin, Creed Bratton, Discrimination, Diversity, Dwight Schrute, HR, Harassment, Hostile Work Environment, Investigations, Jan Levenson, Jim Halpert, Kelly Kapoor, Management, Meredith Palmer, Michael Scott, National Origin Discrimination, Office Party, Office Romance, Oscar Martinez, Pam Beesly, Phyllis Lapin, Privacy, Race Discrimination, Racial harassment, Ryan Howard, Sex/Gender Discrimination, Sexual Orientation Discrimination, Sexual/Gender Harassment, Stanley Hudson, Supervisor issues, Toby Flenderson, Workers' Compensation, Workplace violence by: Chris Butler
6 Comments
Old Wine in New Skins
January 8, 2010 at 12:32 am by: Matt Rita
Happy new year, faithful readers! Those of you who surfed away from the BCS national championship college football game — apparently sponsored by some company other than Dunder Mifflin — may have noticed that the most recent episode of The Office was another repeat. An erudite colleague and fellow blogger has already posted on that show, so we needn’t gild the lily here.
Posted in Dwight Schrute by: Matt Rita
2 Comments
Jesus Take the Wheel
December 11, 2009 at 10:17 am by: Kristin Starnes Gray
Litigation Value: One “Tranny Claus” = $0; One Disgruntled Jesus Impersonator = $0; Settlement Checks for Offended Employees = $50,000; Getting an XBox from Santa = Priceless.
Posted in Discrimination, Harassment, Hostile Work Environment, Office Party, Religious Harassment, Sex/Gender Discrimination, Sexual/Gender Harassment, Workplace violence by: Kristin Starnes Gray
5 Comments
Who Wanted to Be a Millionaire?
December 3, 2009 at 11:41 pm by: Doug Hall
Litigation Value: From Dunder Mifflin’s corporate perspective, likely $0, though it might find itself having to defend claims that it should be liable for Michael’s tuition promise. Michael on the other hand . . . but you can’t get blood from a turnip, right?
Posted in Andy Bernard, Breach of Contract, Dwight Schrute, Hostile Work Environment, Jim Halpert, Michael Scott, Ryan Howard, Workplace Ethics, Workplace Policies by: Doug Hall
2 Comments
Taking a Twirl on the Big Stage
November 20, 2009 at 10:19 am by: Matt Rita
Litigation Value: $0. For the second week running, our favorite paper company largely avoided any obvious liability on the employment law front. In fact, Dunder Mifflin may have a (nominal) claim of its own against Michael Scott and his road-tripping entourage, based on their unauthorized limousine frolic.
Posted in Jim Halpert, Michael Scott, Oscar Martinez, Ryan Howard, Supervisor issues by: Matt Rita
6 Comments
Belles, Bourbon, Bullets & Bankruptcy
November 13, 2009 at 12:48 am by: Jody Ward-Rannow
Litigation Value: $0. Shockingly no one did anything illegal in this episode. Dunder Mifflin suffered a full day’s lost productivity due to Corporate’s poor handling of the bankruptcy situation.
Posted in Angela Martin, Dwight Schrute, HR, Jim Halpert, Management, Michael Scott, Unions by: Jody Ward-Rannow
5 Comments
Double Trouble
November 6, 2009 at 9:20 am by: Jaclyn West
Litigation Value: up to $5,000-7,500 to settle Erin’s sexual harassment claim; $2,000 for sexual harassment training (again); up to $10,000 to settle with Michael for failing to protect him from Pam’s slap … and Pam might be spending some of her own money on defending against Michael’s battery claim.
Posted in Jim Halpert, Kelly Kapoor, Michael Scott, Pam Beesly, Ryan Howard, Sexual/Gender Harassment, Toby Flenderson, Workplace violence by: Jaclyn West
5 Comments
Acting Koi
October 30, 2009 at 2:48 am by: Chris Butler
Litigation Value: As to Dunder Mifflin, $500,000 (for potential hostile work environment, race discrimination/harassment, and/or intentional/negligent infliction of emotional distress damages); as to Andy, $25,000 (for potential assault, battery, humiliation, and emotional distress damages); as to Michael, $300 (value of decapitated koi).
Posted in Andy Bernard, Darryl Philbin, Discrimination, Dress Codes, Harassment, Hostile Work Environment, Jim Halpert, Management, Michael Scott, Office Romance, Pam Beesly, Race Discrimination, Racial harassment, Supervisor issues by: Chris Butler
4 Comments
