Are there things that are frowned upon? Things you could get fired for? Below, we will be talking about a few examples of workplace etiquette and what you should and shouldn’t be doing.

The Do’s

– Make Sure You’re On Time: You should make it a habit to leave your house at the same time every day – and account for things like traffic. If your boss or manager sees that you’re late every day they might take it as a sign that you don’t care about your job! This is such a common error in workplace etiquette that so many people make!

– Help Your Co-Workers: Whether you are giving someone a helping hand in a project or sharing a piece of wisdom you’ve learned over the years it’s always a good idea to help your co-workers out if they need help.

– Adopt The Code Of Conduct: Make sure when you start a new job that you read their employee handbook. It’s going to include tips such as what the dress code is, how parking is handled, who to talk to if you have issues at work and more.

– Stay Positive and Smile!: No one likes grumpiness in an office setting, especially if it’s a small office. Try to stay as happy and positive as you can. This might not be considered the usual for workplace etiquette, but it can make those around you happier.

– Keep Copies Of Everything: If you have workplace contracts, time cards, pay stubs or anything else that involves your time on the job, make sure you keep everything in a folder at home. This way you can refer to them later if you have any issues with payments or time worked and proof.

The Don’ts

– Don’t Gossip: People don’t like grumpiness, but they also don’t like that co-worker that constantly gossips about everyone or bad mouths people – or worse the boss. Even if everyone is laughing while it’s happening it could short change you in the future if one of the higher ups finds out about it.

– Don’t Overstep: If you hear a conversation going on that involves religious, racial, or sexual overtones – stay out of it. It’s work. You’re there to work, not to make fun of people behind their backs.

– Don’t Try To Become Your Boss’s Right Hand: Most of the people out there that get promotions or move up in a company do so on their own accord. They work hard, they get to work on time, they get more projects done and they show that their job is important to them.

You don’t need to suck up to the boss or try to court favor in order to move up in the company. Just work hard!

– Don’t Lie About Your Mistakes: Everyone makes mistakes! The worst thing you can do is lie about making a mistake – or worse blaming it on someone else. Make sure that you have integrity and professionalism. If you’re dishonest about your mistake not only does it make you look bad, but it can ruin trust with you and your boss or you and your co-workers.

Working at a job, for the most part, is easy. You got hired to do a specific job. Come in on time, do your work, get along with people at your job, and go home. Don’t get involved with less-than-savory activities like gossip or joking about someones sexual orientation – and you’ll be just fine.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock Jacob Lund/Rawpixel.com 

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If you have an employee who is always late to work or absent, then you must be really worried. You must be thinking how to discipline him or if it is possible to fire him. However, before taking any drastic step, you should be aware of the various rules and laws in this situation.

The FMLA

Otherwise, you may land up in legal trouble later on. The first thing which you should do is find out whether FMLA applies or not. As per this Act, you are supposed to give ” intermittent leave” to an employee is he is suffering from a serious medical condition. Some examples of serious medical conditions are cancer or diabetes.

In cases where FMLA is applicable, then the employee is allowed to 12 weeks of leave in a year. It will be illegal to fire him. However, the good thing about FMLA is that you don’t have to pay the employee during the leave period.

Providing Proof

You can require the employee to provide the necessary medical certificates and give a notice in advance if they know of an upcoming medical absence (such as a scheduled surgery.) In case the illness is affecting the ability to work, then you will have to transfer him to a position per his capabilities. However, the pay has to be the same.

The ADA

You also have to worry about the ADA. As per the ADA, you are expected to accommodate an employee if he is able to perform the basic functions even if there is a disability. However, the definition of ” Disability” given by ADA is very vague.

If your employee is neither protected by the FMLA or ADA, then you have every right to fire him provided there are no other state restrictions. One way to avoid such a situation from happening is to have a policy regarding this.

Employee Handbooks

When any new employee joins, you should provide him with an employee handbook which covers all the important topics like leave, FMLA, and ADA. You should also make the employee acknowledge the receipt of the handbook.

Another thing which you should do is provide a detailed job description for every position which you hire for. Also, make sure that you keep a track of the attendance records of all the employees so that you can protect yourself in case there is a case against you.

In order to reduce the risk further, you can also take an insurance regarding this. And in case you need legal assistance, you can contact a labor attorney. They will be able to help you out in these tough situations.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Gutesa

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