TIP OF THE DAY – KEEP UNEMPLOYMENT PREMIUMS DOWN BY DOCUMENTING EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE

Because Florida is an “employment at will” state, an employer does not need “good cause” to terminate an employee. An employee terminated without good cause, however, will be entitled to receive unemployment compensation benefits. Because the number of claims awarded to your former employees has a direct impact on increases to your company’s unemployment compensation insurance premium, you should take steps to ensure that benefits are not awarded to employees who were fired for misconduct.

An employee who is terminated because their performance is not up to your standards, or because they are simply unable to perform the job, is entitled to benefits. Likewise, an employee whose excessive absenteeism is a result of a health issue is eligible for benefits. However, an employee who repeatedly, after warning, violates company policy is not entitled to unemployment compensation. That behavior qualifies as misconduct under the statute.

The key issue in unemployment compensation hearings (conducted when the employee applies for benefits and the company contests their entitlement) involving policy violations is whether the employee had notice that their behavior was unacceptable and was warned that future violations could result in termination. The best evidence you can present is a written warning, signed by the employee.

Remember to do the following:

(1) Put a warning in writing so that there is no dispute about what information was given to the employee.

(2) Note in the warning whether the employee has been verbally counseled for the same behavior in the past.

(3) State whether the conduct violates a company policy, and identify that policy.

(4) Have all employees sign a form acknowledging that they have received, understand and will abide by company policies.

(5) Have the employee sign the written warning, acknowledging receipt of it. You can include a space for the employee to make a statement if they disagree with the warning.

By following these steps, you can protect your company from being charger higher unemployment compensation premiums as a result of benefits awarded to former employees who continued to willfully violate company policy after repeated warnings.