Dive Brief:
- The Chicago Tribune reports on the latest court settlement awarded to a former Chicago State University employee; this time, a former CFO who will receive more than $1.3 million in back pay and legal fees for his alleged retaliatory firing in 2013.
- Glenn Meeks had accused the university of wrongful termination after being dismissed for reporting questionable hiring practices and salary commitments to unqualified university employees.
- Meeks is the second former employee to receive a multi-million payout from a lawsuit filed under Illinois whistleblower protection statutes.
Dive Insight:
Other schools should be warned about the delicate potential of wrongful termination, and should fully build a comprehensive case against underperforming employees with consultation from human resources and general counsel.
Most employees can claim that an unfair supervisor or unmanageable workload led to an unlawful dismissal. And because colleges are large business entities and are more inclined to offer settlements than to bear the costs of a trial, disgruntled employees are often instructed to go for easy claims which can generate quick press and an even quicker process for settlement.