The Employee Strikes Back!

or for those who know little about their rights, Human Resoures or Employment Law. (There, that sounds better.) This book was difficult to find six weeks after publication. It flew off the shelves. Here's why: The authors provide real cases of sexual harassment, employee discrimination, front and back pay awards, and how different jurisdictions favor employers or employees. Many of these stories are three or four pages that reduce the legaldygook to the vernacular. Sometimes the authors are tongue-in-cheek, or emphatic. The last printing of this book was 1995. While the information is very useful for those who know little or nothing of employee rights, the reader should consider a few things before feeling "employee-invincible: Some states are still "empoyment-at-will" which means they can fire in those states at any time, without reason, or having to provide one. Two, the administration has changed. Many more conservative judges have been appointed under Bush than under President Clinton. Many of them have made controversial decisions in favor of corporations. And third, the employee may have to pay taxes on the total of an award or settlement. That means even paying taxes on that part that goes to the lawyer. That means the awardees could find themselves in debt to the IRS. (Read "Perfectly Legal.") This is easy-to-read and good to have. It's in paperback and worth the investment.

If only hindsight wasn't 20/20! If someone had recommended this book to me before my nightmare experience of being wrongfully terminated by Western Temporary Services after being employed as Manager of their Hawaii office some years ago, I could have saved myself a lot of emotional pain and heartache. Even though I've rebuilt my life (and dignity) since that event, the scars will always be there. I've made a point to recommend this book to other friends/associates who have been through similar experiences, and hope that these authors will write an updated version soon to reflect the new laws and policies that continue to erode our rights as workers, and human beings in the workplace.

If you work for a large Corporation you should read this book PERIOD. Wish I had read it before a bad day. The author gives you everything you need to know to protect yourself should you find yourself terminated suddenly. Especially useful to long service employees but anyone with 10 years plus should make themselves read it.