Is it legal for a managerto discuss with an employee the upcoming termination of another employee?
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Is it legal for a managerto discuss with an employee the upcoming termination of another employee?
The other two employees are not in management.
Asked on December 29, 2010 under Employment Labor Law, North Carolina
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Unless this type of situation is prohibited by an employment/union contract or violates company policy, there really isn't much that you can do about this. While unprofessional, it is legal. In most states employment relationships are what is known as "at will". Therefore an employer can hire or fire someone for any reason or no reason whatsoever, as well has increase/decrease salary/hours, promote/demote, generally impose requirements and conduct business as it see fit (this includes discussing an employee's upcoming termination).
Unless some slanderous remarks were made about the exiting employee or there was some form of discrimination involved in their termination, there really isn't any legal action that can be taken in a case such as this.
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