As an employment law attorney representing employers for 22 years, I have encountered the Murphy’s Law of employment relationships many times. It never seems to fail: the employee you bend over backwards to help is the employee who ultimately sues you.
I can’t remember how many times clients have said, “I can’t believe [fill in the blank] is making a complaint after all we have done for [him/her].” Clients have loaned money, granted special leaves of absence, overlooked performance nightmares, and changed workstations to satisfy a personal preference for employees who ultimately made allegations of unfair treatment against the employer. I once advised a restaurant that was sued for sexual harassment by a waitress to whom it had given a substantial amount of money and an outlet for fundraising in order to help fund her sister’s kidney transplant.
So, what’s behind this employment Murphy’s Law? Employees who need extra help from their employers generally cannot afford a job loss and resort to desperate measures when they feel their jobs are threatened. In addition, these employees often view their relationship with the employer as a personal relationship and are offended when the employer treats it as a business relationship.
While it is admirable for an employer to care about its employees, employers should be cautious when an employee’s need for special assistance becomes frequent or extreme.