QUESTION
Last week a co worker with 18 years service was fired. Our employer just tells us they can't tell us why for legal reasons. Is this true?
Asked on Jun 26th, 2016 on Labor and Employment - Tennessee
More details to this question:
The company has been sold this year and the new owner on day one brought in a personal friend with no experience. The person who was fired has spent the last six months training this person as she was told they were brought in to help her. The new employee and the veteran employee did not get along. There were many other employees that questioned the hiring of this inexperienced person who appears to have ADHD and still needs help doing everday tasks in the office. We current employees have taken the dismissal very hard and it has caused a split in our small office of just 10 people. The new boss has told us they can't tell us why she was fired for legal reasons. Is this really true or are they just trying to cover their ass?
1 ANSWER
4 Awards
There is no law that prohibits the company from tellling employees why the person was fired. However, there are numerous reasons that telling employees would create legal problems for the company. So, in a way, there are legal reasons not to tell employees. It is also just good HR practice not to discuss the reasons a person was terminated with employees.
Answered on Jun 27th, 2016 at 5:17 AM
I am an experienced attorney focusing on employment law in North Carolina and Tennessee. This post/response is not meant to constitute legal advice.