“These are people in their late 40s or early 50s, who’ve worked at the company for 15 to 25 years,” she says, “and who, until recently, had spotless records.”
Now, more of them are being accused of sudden underperformance – usually just months before being terminated “for cause.”
From a business standpoint, it may make sense to direct resources toward current employees through bonuses or raises rather than spending large sums on people leaving the company. But, as Sheikh says, the law is clear on what grounds justify termination without severance.
“These employees work at executive levels for 15 or 25 years without incidents, and then in the six months preceding their departure, all of a sudden, there are all these allegations of misconduct or performance issues.”
Legal departments are not immune
While many assume legal professionals might be safe from these tactics, Sheikh says she sees the same strategies used against lawyers and paralegals in corporate legal departments and law firms.
