Legal Question in Employment Law in Virginia

At work, we have recently formed an "employee committee" to help with the communication gap between administration and the employees. The president of said committee, in acting as the president and not by himself, recently submitted a letter to administration, and even signed it with his name and title of president. Administration took offense to this letter and have subsequently suspended the president, along with other "punishments". Even further, he took the letter to his vice president and the secretary in order to get their input and opinions. The question is simple. Can administration suspend, punish, and strip this person of his employee elected title and role, when he was so obviously acting on behalf of the employee body as the president of the employee relations committee? Can they take an action that was a representation of the entire employee body and bring reprocussions down solely on the person to deliver such representation? A killing the messanger type of action.

Asked on 11/28/10, 8:17 am

Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

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Yes, it would be my opinion that they can unless such action might be

in violation of a currently valid contract or collecting bargaining type of agreement prohibiting such action on the part of the employer.

Answered on 12/03/10, 9:10 am

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