Women and the Workplace Q & A
By Liz Sayre-King

I am in entry-level management with a company, and my husband and I are looking to start a family. I don't want to risk my chance for promotions. Are their rules on maternity leave, job protection, etc.?

This is a complex question on the minds of many professional women. The answer depends on the size of your company. Under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), companies with 50 or more employees must provide a maximum of 12 weeks leave (paid or unpaid is at their discretion) for medical reasons, including childbirth. Companies with under 50 employees have no law mandating whether they offer leave or not. If you work for a smaller company, you should refer to the employee handbook or talk with the person who handles human resources.

Opportunities for promotion should be based solely on work performance and not whether you have a child. However, if having a child interferes with your work performance (tardiness, missing a substantial amount of work, lack of performance), then your employment may be in jeopardy. The best advice is to talk with your boss during the process of planning your leave and make sure they are clear of your expectations and wishes for employment.

I am a small business owner and have an issue with a chronically late and unproductive employee. What do I have to do to document this behavior in order to have grounds for termination?

Work performance should be addressed at the time of hire by setting expectations. Your employees should understand and agree to the expectations of the position and have the right "tools" to be successful and held accountable. Preparing a job description for each position will also help clearly state what the job objectives are to eliminate confusion on duties. Issues with work performance should be addressed immediately, documented, and if not corrected, the employee should be warned prior to termination.

As for chronic lateness, you should have a written policy addressing attendance and the policy should be communicated to all employees and included in your employee handbook. If you have a policy, it MUST be enforced equally among all employees.

That being said, if you don't have a policy, or haven't enforced the policy you have, you still may fire an employee for poor performance or lateness. This process can be a bit "stickier" and it is important to understand if the employee fights the termination, you could have a legal battle and without documentation, this can be a difficult process.

I have recently started dating a co-worker, am I at risk for losing my job? What should I do?

Inter-office romances can be dangerous territory. If the relationship involves a manager and subordinate, dating absolutely should be prohibited. There are too many negative consequences related to this, every manager should know that and avoid it completely.

As for two equal (in terms of job positions) employees, if your company has a policy that prohibits co-worker dating, then yes, you could lose your job. If no policy exists, it would come back to your work performance. If you and the co-worker you date are taking long lunches together or spending an unusually great amount of time in each other's offices or work spaces (not doing work), then your performance could be perceived as substandard and you would be at risk for losing your job. My best advice is for you to keep your business relationship professional and save romance for after hours!

After 20 years as a stay-at-home mom, I am looking to re-enter the workforce. Being a middle-aged woman with a large employment gap, what am I up against in the job market, what can and can't employers ask me?

First, let me say congratulations on successfully raising your children—it may be an unpaid position, but is a full-time job (albeit not one that can go on a resume!) During the interview process, prospective employers CAN ask you to explain gaps in your history, and twenty years is a long time to explain. However, they CANNOT ask you any personal questions, and it is illegal to discriminate based on age alone. I would advise you to start out by becoming involved as a volunteer in your field of choice, or taking an entry-level position. This will give you a start at a work history and add to your resume. Good luck!

Liz Sayre-King is President of Professional Solutions Plus, an employee leasing and medical billing service provider in northern Michigan. Professional Solutions Plus specializes in small to mid-sized businesses. For more information on their services, visit professionalsolutionsplus.com or call Liz Sayre-King @ 935.0411.