Is sleeping on the job automatic termination?

Is sleeping on the job automatic termination?

Most employers would say that an employee who is caught sleeping on the job will usually end up getting fired, and that is usually fine! However, in reaching this conclusion, the court suggested that, in some situations, termination of an employee who falls asleep at work may be problematic under the FMLA.

Can I be fired for falling asleep at work?

If you do not want to allow employees to nap at work, you need to come up with a reasonable punishment for sleeping on the job. Termination is not usually a fair punishment for sleeping on the job, as we talked about earlier, this could get your company in trouble.

Can a company fire you for sleeping on the job?

But 29 percent of respondents reported falling asleep or becoming very sleepy at work during the month before the survey. Another 12 percent were late to work because of sleepiness. Some courts have weighed in on workers who sued companies that fired them for sleeping on the job.

Is it dangerous for an employee to fall asleep at work?

Employees don’t usually want to fall asleep at work, but sometimes the circumstances lead to it. Often when an employee is asleep on the job, they are not a danger to themselves or others. Usually, employees are behind their desks, taking a nap or dosing off.

Can a nurse be fired for sleeping on the job?

In a recent case decided by the Northern District of Ohio, the court determined that a hospital that terminated a night shift nurse’s employment because she was caught sleeping on the job did not interfere with nurse’s right to FMLA-protected leave, nor did it retaliate against the nurse for taking FMLA-protected leave.

When to discipline an employee for sleeping on the job?

Anderson suggested that if an employee with a sleep disorder or medical condition routinely nods off in meetings, managers may want to let him or her record the gatherings and fill in the gaps later. While the employee may not finish work in the same manner as others, he or she might be able to produce the same results.

Why was an employee fired for falling asleep on the job?

In February 2014, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that a former employee at an Illinois packing company—who was fired after repeatedly falling asleep on the job—was let go after the company knew she had an ADA-covered medical condition that caused her sleepiness.

In a recent case decided by the Northern District of Ohio, the court determined that a hospital that terminated a night shift nurse’s employment because she was caught sleeping on the job did not interfere with nurse’s right to FMLA-protected leave, nor did it retaliate against the nurse for taking FMLA-protected leave.

Anderson suggested that if an employee with a sleep disorder or medical condition routinely nods off in meetings, managers may want to let him or her record the gatherings and fill in the gaps later. While the employee may not finish work in the same manner as others, he or she might be able to produce the same results.

Can you fairly dismiss someone for sleeping at work?

Sleeping on duty will not always justify dismissal and dismissing for sleeping at work will not always be fair. The “other factors” to take into account are clearly important, before any decision is made.