Legal Question in Employment Law in California
I received a verbal reprimand written on paper for "Falsification of company records" when I accidently signed our weekly timesheet for an hour I didn't work, I hadn't signed in for the entire week and when I came into the office to fill out the timesheet I was in such a hurry wanting to get home that I had put the same time in and same time out for every day, forgetting that I called in late an hour for one of those days, like I stated, the reprimand was a verbal with the "Action Taken" being "Counseling" When I came in the next day I was told I was being suspended, my question is, can they suspend me after notifying me that it was going to be just a counseling and a verbal one at that?...Thank you for your time.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Yes, they can change their minds, unless restricted by union contract. Generally, employers are free to exercise unlimited discretion on personnel matters, subject only to unlawful motives or contractual constraints.