By Bob Lankard
CTW Features

Layoffs and cutbacks seem to crop up in every conversation these days. We're all quick to blame the tough economy. However, I also hear many stories about employees who have been fired or who quit jobs as a result of disputes with an employer.

Here's a well-meaning reminder: This is no time to lose your job or quit in haste.

Only rarely were clients I encountered as an employment counselor placed on probation at work due to lack of skills. "She can't type" or "He is all thumbs" were only occasional complaints that employers cited when they placed an employee on probation and recommended job counseling. Instead, the most common complaint was simply, "She doesn't fit in." Companies might tolerate an efficient, productive grouch in good times. In a downturn, though, highly skilled workers lacking in people skills were always among the first to find themselves out of work and on the unemployment line.

Often, a lack of correct information gives rise to tension between employers and employees. Employees are typically ill-informed about laws that govern the workplace, firing, severance and unemployment.

Many of the things employees assume are covered by law are not.

One woman approached me after she quit a job and was denied unemployment compensation. "What they did was illegal," she insisted. "An employer has to provide parking." There is no law requiring the employer to provide parking for employees. Breaks, paid sick leave and pensions were other benefits workers incorrectly insisted were law.

"How was I to know I had to call in an hour before starting time?" a man recently discharged from his job told me. When I told him it was in the employee's manual he was given on the first day of work he admitted, "Oh, that, I threw it in the drawer with my socks."

When an employee confronts an employer based on erroneous information, the employee is likely to find himself in jeopardy. If you have questions about what's legal or not in the workplace, go to a qualified source to get a solid answer. Contact the local workforce development office (employment office) in your city or area. Since some issues are covered by state law and others by federal law, the workforce development office will direct you to the correct source. Others may be comfortable researching answers to their questions using the Internet. State labor department Web pages all publish a laws and regulations section. The U.S. Department of Labor offers a reference area called "elaws," interactive tools that provide information on federal employment laws: www.dol.gov/elaws.

Never approach your employer with a workplace complaint by saying, "This is how we did it at ABC Corp." Comparing the new company with a former employer causes animosity with coworkers and management. Some other "get-along-ability" hints to help keep you happily employed:

Don't go over your supervisor's head with a complaint to a senior official.

Don't discuss salaries with other employees.

Take criticism graciously.

Don't pass the blame for your mistakes to co-workers.

Be on time to work, and don't make a habit of missing work Employers tend to be less tolerant of absence than schools.

A recent high school graduate proudly told me he only missed ten days of work in the preceding year year. He was surprised to learn this record would be unacceptable on the job.

Availability for overtime is a related area that can disrupt the employer-employee relationship

Another employer headache centers on employee work habits. Employees who goof off, need someone to check their work constantly, have to be told when to do everything or are clock- watchers are candidates for replacement.

Employees should try to learn company rules before starting a job. Read the employee manual before filing it with your socks.

Some people knowingly pursue a job that has unattractive features, such as an overnight shift or weekend work hours, thinking they can talk the employer into changing terms after the employee is on the payroll.

Don't conclude from this article that the worker is always wrong. Illegal and intolerable conditions do exist. What should a worker do in these circumstances?

Again, it's imperative to understand what applicable laws cover. Consult your employee's manual and the state and federal offices mentioned above. Your employer is likely to have established grievance procedures that will at least enable you to voice your concerns.

If you find yourself in a job that simply isn't right for you, seek other employment but don't quit before you find a new job. Economic conditions may make finding a new position difficult. And eligibility for unemployment compensation insurance is seriously jeopardized when a worker quits a job.

Bob Lankard Bob Lankard, a business columnist for the Indiana Gazette and former program manager at the state Job Center in Indiana, Pa., offers common-sense advice and innovative tactics to help all levels of job seekers satisfy their employment ambitions.

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