You Could Be Fired for Reading This Book: Protect Your Employment Rights [Paperback]

Glenn Solomon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2004

According to author Glenn Solomon, the "at-will" employment rule has undermined economic security and basic civil rights for decades. In this book he exposes it for what it is and tells workers how to maximize their job protection. The rule essentially is that anyone can be fired at any time, with or without warning, for any reason not specifically prohibited by law (such as race). Moreover, it is extremely difficult to prove wrongful termination in court. Solomon discusses exceptions to the rule (government and union workers) and dispels popular myths about employee rights (many people believe they can only be fired for just cause). Although it deals with sometimes complex legal concepts, the book is written in a style accessible to the average reader. Real-life cases illustrate the author's points throughout. Important topics include contracts, discrimination, deciding whether or not to sue, and setting a damage amount. Solomon concludes with a proposal for a "workplace without fear" and replaces the at-will rule with a for-cause standard for terminating employment.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...conversational writing style and use of real-life examples make complex issues...approachable...become proponents of a workplace without fear." -- Dragonfly Review, June 2004

...helps readers understand employment laws and it might help save their jobs. It's written in a breezy, accessible style. -- Statesman Journal, June 27, 2004

About the Author

Glenn Solomon has more than twenty years experience in employment law, mostly representing lower- and middle-income clients. He also has considerable experience defending employers. Before beginning private practice, Solomon served as a clerk to the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Solomon is a graduate of Marlboro College and Northeastern University School of Law, and he has a graduate degree in Philosophy from the University of Ottawa. He has published articles on labor and economics in The Christian Science Monitor and The Oregonian.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576752550
• ISBN-13: 978-1576752555
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Law > Specialties > Labor Law

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read This Book, April 7, 2004

By 

Diane Schauer (Salem, Oregon United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Could Be Fired for Reading This Book: Protect Your Employment Rights (Paperback)

You Could Be Fired for Reading This Book is an important book for anyone with a job. The fact that most workers are employed "at-will" (at the will of the employer) and, therefore, disturbingly vulnerable to losing their jobs is crucial information and not very well known. Author Glenn Solomon explains this basic employment reality -- and how we got there -- and presents ways to combat it, both on the job and if one is fired. With engaging style and wit, Solomon brings his legal expertise to an important subject whose time has come.
As Solomon guides the reader through the reality of being an "at-will" employee, he dispels often-held myths of employment protection and gives guidelines for genuine empowerment. There are things that can be done to make one's job more secure, as well as pitfalls to avoid. And should one lose one's job unfairly (all too common in the "at-will" universe), Solomon gives a step-by-step description of the processes involved in filing a claim. You Could Be Fired for Reading this Book is both an interesting eye-opener and an important resource to have on hand.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lawyer coaches workers on real life work problems, March 8, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: You Could Be Fired for Reading This Book: Protect Your Employment Rights (Paperback)

There are several aspects to this review that I would like to cover.

First, the author seems very credible, with decades of valuable
experience, with real-life situations that he's gone through,
and this is what people need more and more, versus ivory tower,
university textbooks from PhD professors who are out of touch.

Second, perhaps this book will be helpful with the author's
consulting profession, as I would guess that a large amount of
his unbillable, hours wasted was spent explaining the a-b-c's
to the average American worker, who would ring him up, or visit
his office about a labor conflict. This book, I would imagine,
will help greatly the average person in sizing up what can and
cannot be done in legal terms about that work conflict.

Third, the author clearly is more Democrat leaning ideologically
speaking, so it's no surprise that this book is for workers,
and NOT for bosses, or HR Managers or even to kiss up to those
people looking to overpower and maintain tight control over
laborers.

Fourth, it's written in a layman's manner, understandable, and
not disnecessarily or overly complicated, which is the right
way to present the facts - which themselves, are introductory
but essential.

Overall, this is an interesting book for people who don't have
any ideas how the workplace and workers' rights relate to
laws as they apply to workers and employees.

e.g. I hired an employment specialized attorney 2 years ago,
and when I finished reading this book, I began thinking that
the lawyer I had hired was absolutely clueless in matters of
law, and was merely trained in procedural events.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Go Home Without It, June 14, 2004

By 

Robert Rappaport (Worcester, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Could Be Fired for Reading This Book: Protect Your Employment Rights (Paperback)

If you are one of the many that have to work for a living, the information contained in this book is important and a little scary. Easy to understand and written with a laid back humor this book informs you of your rights and obligations as an employee. It contains practical information, suggestions and various resources.