Includes index.

Discharge as an at will employee. What is a wrongful termination? Debunking myths about your employment rights -- Strategies to survive a disciplinary action. Are you really on a termination track? How employee discipline works. How to survive employee discipline -- How to diffuse potentially volatile situations. Strategies for executives. Strategies for mid-level managers. Strategies for first line non-union supervisors. Strategies for non-management employees -- How to use human resources to survive an abusive work environment. Your need to report. Using judgment in reporting harassment. Your objective : to change the subject -- Strategies to preempt or prevent an anticipated termination. Preempt it by proposing that you resign. Demonstrate submission to authority. Enlist third party assistance. Assume a legal posture. Engage in a political war -- Managing an imminent termination. Ten things to do. Ten things to avoid doing -- Handling the termination itself. The termination meeting. Post-termination winding up. The exit interview. Your "final check" and benefits. Post-termination filings to protect your rights. The effect of termination on your receipt of benefits -- Ten more "do's" and "don'ts" if you have been terminated. Ten "do's" if you have been terminated. Ten "don'ts" if you have been terminated -- Negotiating a severance agreement. How to get more severance. What should your severance agreement contain? -- All about lawyers. How to find a lawyer. Engaging your lawyer -- What makes a termination unlawful? How our legal system works. Public policy "wrongful discharge." Statutory "wrongful discharge." Employment contracts -- Other legal claims available to terminated workers. Intentional infliction of severe emotional distress. intentional interference with economic relations. Invasion of privacy. Defamation. Misrepresentation -- Termination of special group members. Termination of union workers. Termination of government employees -- Evaluating your termination case. How can I tell if I have a case? What if my case has problems? Is there any chance something could happen to help my case? Are there any other factors that can help? -- Top ten mistakes employers make during employment that lead to liability for wrongful discharge -- Deciding whether to pursue your case. Your need for litigation. Your support from others for litigation. Your health. The effect on your marketability -- What to expect during litigation. The prefiling stage. The trial stage. The appeal stage -- Things you can do to help your lawyer win -- Common questions about case settlement -- Special rights and benefits legislation of interest to terminated employees. Unemployment compensation. Health insurance legislation (COBRA and HIPPA). Retirement legislation (ERISA). Notice of plant closure legislation (Warn Act). Employee leave legislation (FMLA) -- Twelve steps to build your workplace power.