'First Thursday' - Labor Law Seminar Series

"How Delaying Employee Discipline Proves That “Nice Guys Finish Last”

Many employers, due to the press of business or other reasons, delay disciplining or terminating employees despite having ample justification for doing so.

Far from creating the favorable impression of a “nice guy,” delaying the imposition of well-deserved discipline can create serious legal obstacles to taking action later. This can occur if the employee alleges that the employer’s laxity caused him/her to reasonably believe that the rule did not really need to be complied with.

What’s worse, the failure to enforce one rule can give rise to an argument that the employee believed that nothing in the employee handbook would be enforced, and that the employer thus “waived” its right to enforce workplace rules by rarely enforcing them.


This ongoing seminar series is being conducted by veteran Petaluma labor & employment attorney, Jay Putnam. Putnam, has advised employers exclusively, in labor matters for almost 35 years. He hopes to provide local business owners and managers with a solid, working understanding of California labor law, as a means of helping them avoid the often crippling cost and disruption caused by lawsuits resulting from a misunderstanding of applicable legal requirements.

Members are encouraged to bring their questions.  Putnam says he intends to conduct the seminars as "informal, working sessions, where people can bring their lunch and their questions and leave each month with important information that will immediately improve their business operations."

 To register, please email the Chamber at pacc@petalumachamber.com, or call 707.762.2785