When HR Tilts

Attorney Boyd Byers, writing in HR Hero, on how HR managers can be tempted to “tilt”:

How can managers and HR pros go on tilt? Consider the following examples (all from real-life cases and experiences):

• Your company promotes an up-and-coming employee to become its first female senior vice president. A year later, she announces she's pregnant and misses work because of pregnancy complications. After the baby is born, she takes a six-week maternity leave. She then returns to work part-time for several weeks before deciding to become a stay-at-home mom. When the process to find a replacement begins, the company president complains about being "burned" and makes it clear he's never going to allow another woman, at least one of childbearing age, into senior management. Tilt.

• An employee hurts his back and files a workers' compensation claim. Three months later, the doctor releases him to work with minor restrictions. You can accommodate his restrictions but find an excuse to lay him off because you're steamed about his workers' comp claim or you're worried he might get hurt again and file another claim. Tilt.

• You find one of your subordinates extremely annoying. One day, you receive a report that she has engaged in misconduct, so you call her into your office. She makes a smart-aleck comment, and you blow a gasket and fire her on the spot. Tilt.