Short takes: deadbeats, EEOC, third places, medical marijuana, and more

Problem employees – Susan Heatherfield of Human Resources of About.com talks about how to manage deadbeat employees: “You know the occasional employee I am talking about. He doesn’t show up for work, calls in sick, and milks the time off policy, always walking on the edge, but never falling off. He walks the edge of the work policies and processes, too.”
EEOC – Attorney Jonathan Segal lists 6 killer EEO mistakes employers most commonly make in investigating discrimination or harassment complaints in HR Daily Advisor. In a related post, HR Lori shares results of a recent survey, which found that most companies have formal anti-discrimination policies in place, but communicate these policies poorly to managers and employees. Of the organizations responding, 43% reported that they have faced EEOC-protected class harassment charges, discrimination charges or litigation at some point. Also related, Diane Pfadenhauer of Strategic HR Lawyer points us to a recently issued EEOC Fact Sheet on On Employment Tests and Selection Procedures to Screen Applicants and Workers.
Third places – Jim Ware of The Future of Work links to a recently published article on the trend to “third places” – alternatives to the first place, the formal corporate office, and the second place, the home locations – and the need for employers to include the concept of the third place in a comprehensive workplace strategy.
Medical marijuana and discrimination – Paul Secunda of Workplace Prof Blog discusses an interesting California case involving an employee who filed a discrimination suit for being terminated after revealing marijuana use, a right the worker claimed under doctor’s recommendations and the state’s Compassionate Use Act. Secunda notes that “Plaintiff’s position might have merit if the Compassionate Use Act gave marijuana the same status as any legal prescription drug. But the act’s effect is not so broad.”
Dubious practices – Chris McKinney of HR Lawyer’s Blog awards a Grand Prize in the Questionable HR Management Award to Packaging Corporation of America in Counce, Tenn. for its inadvisable termination of an employee in response to said employee’s election to the Mississippi State Senate. Read his comments about why this was a bad move.
Productivity – MindGym offers 8 Management tips that can stretch your time in The Ninety Minute Hour at Management Issues Workplace Blog.