DOCSLIB.ORG

A Little Bird Told Me So...:The Emotional, Attributional, Relational and Team-Level Outcomes of Engaging in Gossip

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Little Bird Told Me So...:The Emotional, Attributional, Relational and Team-Level Outcomes of Engaging in Gossip University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2012 A Little Bird Told Me So...:the Emotional, Attributional, Relational And Team-Level Outcomes Of Engaging In Gossip Shimul Melwani University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Commons, and the Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons Recommended Citation Melwani, Shimul, "A Little Bird Told Me So...:the Emotional, Attributional, Relational And Team-Level Outcomes Of Engaging In Gossip" (2012). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 548. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/548 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/548 For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Little Bird Told Me So...:the Emotional, Attributional, Relational And Team-Level Outcomes Of Engaging In Gossip Abstract In this paper, I examine the consequences, both positive and negative, of initiating and participating in gossip in work-related contexts. While a commonly held perspective is that gossip is harmful in that it hurts relational interactions by encouraging coalition-building and engendering divisiveness, an alternative hypothesis is that gossip's emotional attributes, can also help to foster stronger relationships and help individuals navigate complex environments. Specifically, I explore the influence of gossip at multiple levels of analysis: individual, dyadic and group. In Study 1, a laboratory experiment that looks at the short-term benefits of engaging in gossip (versus two control conditions, self-disclosure and task discussion), I find that individuals who engage in gossip experience higher positive emotions, energy and motivation but lower levels of state self-esteem. These gossiping dyads also experience dyadic benefits of relationship closeness and cooperation. Study 2 explored both the reputational and team-level outcomes of gossip. This study showed that team members who engaged in gossip were seen as being less trustworthy. Furthermore, gossip centrality had an inverted U-shaped curvilinear relationship with perceptions of competence. Study 2 showed that gossip about team members negatively influenced team outcomes such as psychological safety, cooperation and viability and increased team-level perceptions of politics while gossip about individuals outside the team has a positive effect on these outcomes, enhancing levels of team cooperation and decreasing perceptions of politics at the team-level. More detailed mediation analyses showed that team process variables, psychological safety and perceptions of politics measured halfway through the course of the team, mediated the negative relationship between intra-team gossip density and team cooperation and team viability measured at the end of the team's lifecycle. In terms of the relationship between extra-team gossip density and team cooperation, it was mediated by decreased team perceptions of politics. This research contributes to the emerging field of inquiry on gossip by providing a comprehensive model of the consequences of gossip at three different levels of analysis as well as a strong empirical test of the effect of gossip on organizationally-relevant outcomes. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Management First Advisor Sigal G. Barsade Keywords cooperation, emotions, gossip, relationships, teams Subject Categories Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Organizational Behavior and Theory This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/548 A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME SO…: THE EMOTIONAL, ATTRIBUTIONAL, RELATIONAL AND TEAM-LEVEL OUTCOMES OF ENGAGING IN GOSSIP Shimul Melwani A DISSERTATION in Management For the Graduate Group in Managerial Sciences and Applied Economics Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2012 Supervisor of Dissertation Dr. Sigal Barsade, Joseph Frank Bernstein Professor of Management Graduate Group Chairperson Dr. Eric Bradlow, The K.P. Chao Professor of Marketing, Statistics and Education Dissertation Committee: Dr. Nancy Rothbard, David Pottruck Associate Professor of Management Dr. Jennifer S. Mueller, Assistant Professor of Management A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME SO…: THE EMOTIONAL, ATTRIBUTIONAL, RELATIONAL AND TEAM-LEVEL OUTCOMES OF ENGAGING IN GOSSIP COPYRIGHT Shimul Melwani 2012 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Anyone who knows me even slightly would know that that this is one of the most difficult sections for me to write. As someone who finds it difficult to ask for help and tends to be overwhelmed with gratitude for help on even the smallest of tasks, just reminding myself about how each individual here has helped me develop this dissertation, both intellectually and affectively floods me with emotion. My deepest gratitude is to my advisor, Dr. Sigal Barsade. I have been amazingly fortunate to have an advisor who gave me the freedom to explore my ideas, while providing me with the guidance to recover when I needed to start afresh. From the moment that I was accepted into the PhD program at Wharton and had a stimulating- and very welcoming- conversation with Sigal to the very end of my journey here, Sigal has been a brilliant researcher, teacher and mentor. Sigal taught me to trust my ideas and give them flight while always working, working, working to perfect the way I expressed them in writing. Sigal, I cannot thank you enough for your positive affect and support as I worked through this dissertation. Your own work is a constant inspiration to me and I can only hope to be as good a mentor to my students as you have been to me. Dr. Nancy Rothbard’s insightful comments at different stages of my research were always thought-provoking and served to help me focus my ideas. I am grateful to her for holding me to a high research standard. As I go about analyzing my data, I often ask myself the question “What would Nancy do?” and that helps me think through a iv problem in a more detailed and analytical way. Whether it was a conceptual discussion about how to frame a particular paper or write a review, an impromptu discussion of how to deal with an interpersonal issue, words of advice in navigating the job market, or fascinating and enjoyable conversations over (delicious) salad lunches at Gia Pronto, she always had an open door and valuable wisdom to share. Dr. Jen Mueller has been a tireless cheerleader of my ideas, my work and my choices. Working together has been effortless and always fun. Right from the day we met in my first semester at Wharton, she treated me as a colleague and taught me to trust my gut, something I was (and am) constantly afraid to do. I really enjoyed sitting in her office throwing ideas around for hours, thinking of different ways to solve many of the questions we were interested in. Most of all, Jen’s creativity and boldness really taught me to just “do”, to experiment with methods and ideas, to obsess a little less over each decision. Your creativity and generosity of spirit continue to spur me on. Many other faculty at Wharton were essential to my development as a scholar and teacher, among them Adam Grant, Lori Rosenkopf, John Paul Macduffie, Katherine Klein and Hans Penning. A special thanks to Chandrani Ray, Agatha Darocha, Patricia Zapator-Ghosh and Paul Cohen for their research assistance carried out with care and good humor. Dave Lebel and Noah Eisenkraft, you saved me and this dissertation with the offer to collect data together. Study 2 would not exist without you. v Friends from the Management department who accompanied me on this journey and forced me to celebrate every win along the way cannot be thanked enough. I would like to especially thank Lakshmi Ramarajan (whose advice “that a finished dissertation was the best kind” pushed me through these last few months), Monica Stallings (whose question “what’s the scuttlebutt?” was central to my thinking about this topic), Elisa Alvarez-Garrido (who introduced me to the Graduate Student Center and sat by me as I gulped free coffee and frantically wrote my dissertation proposal), Dave Lebel (I owe you many thanks for not kicking me out of your office as I wasted your time on a daily, if not hourly basis). So many, many thanks to Noah Eisenkraft- statistical guru, generous colleague, wonderful friend. To all those who supported me through graduate school and attended my various informal talks on this topic: Justin Berg, Adam Castor, Anindya Ghosh, Aseem Kaul, Jingoo Kang, JR Keller, Jihae Shin, Shef Patil, Alison Wood Brooks. A special thank you to Dave Hofmann and Michael Christian at the Kenan- Flagler Business School for your support this past year and your help on my questions around multilevel theorizing. In and out of Philadelphia, Vanisha Lakhina, Lauren Buckley, Jermaine Taylor, Sunayana Banerjee- you provided sustenance in more ways than you can even imagine. To Rano Burkhanova and Edmond Krasniqi- your move to Philly during my time at Wharton brought me much joy. Meeting every Friday night and discussing the “real world” and “real jobs” kept me grounded and provided much fodder for future research. Thank you for being the best possible friends. vi I do not have enough words to thank my parents, Navnita and Haresh Melwani and my brother, Shloka, my favorite people in the whole world. To my brother Shloka, thank you for always being on my side. You knew that I could be something better and different and always encouraged me to chase whatever that was. I am lucky (and so proud) to have you as my brother. Mama and Papa, I know you had so many reservations about me abandoning my prior career and going back to school to study “emotions” and “gossip” of all things. This is a chance for me to thank you not only for your love and support through this process but for being there even when you weren’t sure that this was the right step for me.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • How to Recognize Workplace Bullying and Harassment
    How to recognize Workplace bullying and harassment The Workers Compensation Act explains the rights and responsibilities of employers and workers as they relate to workplace health and safety. These obligations include preventing and addressing workplace bullying and harassment, as outlined in WorkSafeBC’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policies D3-115-2, D3-116-1, D3-117-2. Under these OHS policies, employers must train supervisors and workers to recognize the potential for bullying and harassment in the workplace. Examples of bullying and harassment Definition Not all inappropriate, offensive, or disrespectful WorkSafeBC’s OHS policies use the conduct is bullying and harassment. The phrase “bullying and harassment” as a behaviour must be humiliating or intimidating single term, which: to be considered bullying and harassment. The (a) includes any inappropriate conduct following are some examples of behaviour or or comment by a person towards comments that might suggest bullying and a worker that the person knew or harassment is taking place: reasonably ought to have known • verbal aggression or insults; calling someone would cause that worker to be derogatory names humiliated or intimidated, but • vandalizing personal belongings (b) excludes any reasonable action taken • sabotaging someone’s work by an employer or supervisor relating to the management and direction of • spreading malicious gossip or rumours workers or the place of employment. • engaging in harmful or offensive initiation practices Intent does not determine whether the behaviour • physical or verbal threats (this could also is bullying and harassment. A person cannot constitute “violence” or “improper activity or excuse their behaviour by saying he or she did behaviour” under the Occupational Health and not intend it to be humiliating or intimidating.
    [Show full text]
  • Whistleblower Protection Act
    WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION ACT U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL ProtectedProtected WhistleWhistle BlowingBlowing • An employee, former employee, or applicants for employment • Makes a disclosure which he/she reasonably believes evidences: – A violation of a law, rule, or regulation – Gross mismanagement – Gross waste of funds – Abuse of authority – Substantial and specific danger to public health or safety • To a supervisor, high ranking agency official or the Inspector General – Fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement must be reported to the Inspector General Reprisal/RetaliationReprisal/Retaliation • Whistleblower Protection Act also prohibits acts of reprisal or retaliation for making a protected disclosure (see previous slide) • Reprisal or retaliation can include but are not limited to imposing or unreasonably refusing the following: – Adverse action or disciplinary action – Detail or reassignment – Appointment – Promotion – Decisions concerning pay, benefits or awards – Performance evaluations (positive or negative) • Act of retaliation should be reported to the OIG and/or EAC management – OIG can protect employees against retaliation and reprisal ProtectedProtected DisclosuresDisclosures • Violation of any law, • Gross mismanagement rule or regulation – More that a difference of – Need not involve a specific opinion type of waste, fraud or – Not simple negligence or abuse wrongdoing – Can include violations of – Management action or agency policy or procedure inaction that creates a – Must be a substantive
    [Show full text]
  • Workplace Incivility: What Do Targets Say About It?
    Workplace Incivility: What Do Targets Say About It? Priyanka V. Doshy Texas A&M University Jia Wang Texas A&M University Every year millions of people fall prey to workplace incivility. Although current literature attempts to discuss the nature of workplace incivility, its impact, outcomes, and solutions, researchers stated that further work is required to understand this complex phenomenon. Thus, the purpose of this paper was to understand how workplace incivility is manifested in organizations and ways in which targets cope with uncivil behaviors. Findings suggest that power dynamics, perpetrators intentions and personality, and lack of organizational policies play a huge role in inhibiting workplace incivility that result in targets facing detrimental consequences. Implications for research and practice are provided. INTRODUCTION Workplace incivility is steadily rising with the changing nature of work in the new millennium (Estes & Wang, 2008; Roscigno, Hudson, & Lopez, 2009). Every year millions of people fall prey to workplace incivility. Pearson and Porath (2009) reported that about one-fourth of the workers they polled in 1998 received rude treatment once or more in a week. By 2005 that number had risen to nearly half; about 95 percent reported experiencing incivility from their coworkers (Pearson & Porath, 2009). It is terrifying yet a reality that incivility prevails in all types of organizations, ranging from Fortune 500 companies, medical firms, government agencies, to national sports organizations, academia, and many other for-profit and non-profit organizations (Person & Porath, 2005). Researchers have conceptualized workplace incivility in various ways with an attempt to capture the complexity and intensity of the phenomenon. For instance, Rau-Foster (2004) described workplace incivility as “subtle rude or disrespectful behavior that demonstrates lack of regard for others” (p.
    [Show full text]
  • Is It Harassment? Workplace Gossip Is No Joking Matter
    425-454-4233 sebrisbusto.com Employment Law Note March 2019 Is it Harassment? Workplace Gossip Is No Joking Matter By Jillian Barron, [email protected] locked her out, then discussed the rumor during the Few workplaces are entirely free from gossip meeting. When Parker sought to discuss the rumor with and rumors. Employers typically consider such Moppins, he blamed her for bringing the situation to the chatter an annoying but inevitable part of workplace. He said he had had “great things” planned for social interactions among their employees, something to her, but he could no longer recommend her for promotions be ignored if possible. Supervisors sometimes join in the or higher-level tasks and would not allow her to advance discussions of other employees’ personal lives. They may further because of the rumor. In a later meeting he told even pass on rumors themselves. As a recent federal Parker he should have terminated her when she began appeals court case demonstrates, however, gossip can “huffing and puffing about this BS rumor,” and he began perpetuate discriminatory stereotypes and, if left screaming at her. The rumor continued to spread, resulting unchecked, lead to an unlawful hostile work environment. in Parker being treated with resentment and disrespect by The problem is compounded when supervisors accept or other employees. contribute to a rumor instead of putting a halt to it. Parker filed a sexual harassment complaint against Moppins and Jennings with Human Resources (“HR”). The Case: Parker v. Reema Consulting Jennings then submitted his own complaint with HR, Services (4th Cir. 2019) alleging Parker was creating a hostile work environment for him.
    [Show full text]
  • Gossip, Exclusion, Competition, and Spite: a Look Below the Glass Ceiling at Female-To-Female Communication Habits in the Workplace
    University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Masters Theses Graduate School 5-2013 Gossip, Exclusion, Competition, and Spite: A Look Below the Glass Ceiling at Female-to-Female Communication Habits in the Workplace Katelyn Elizabeth Brownlee [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes Part of the Organizational Communication Commons Recommended Citation Brownlee, Katelyn Elizabeth, "Gossip, Exclusion, Competition, and Spite: A Look Below the Glass Ceiling at Female-to-Female Communication Habits in the Workplace. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2013. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/1597 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a thesis written by Katelyn Elizabeth Brownlee entitled "Gossip, Exclusion, Competition, and Spite: A Look Below the Glass Ceiling at Female-to-Female Communication Habits in the Workplace." I have examined the final electronic copy of this thesis for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, with a major in Communication and Information. Michelle Violanti, Major Professor We have read this thesis
    [Show full text]
  • Incivility, Bullying, and Workplace Violence
    AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION POSITION STATEMENT ON INCIVILITY, BULLYING, AND WORKPLACE VIOLENCE Effective Date: July 22, 2015 Status: New Position Statement Written By: Professional Issues Panel on Incivility, Bullying and Workplace Violence Adopted By: ANA Board of Directors I. PURPOSE This statement articulates the American Nurses Association (ANA) position with regard to individual and shared roles and responsibilities of registered nurses (RNs) and employers to create and sustain a culture of respect, which is free of incivility, bullying, and workplace violence. RNs and employers across the health care continuum, including academia, have an ethical, moral, and legal responsibility to create a healthy and safe work environment for RNs and all members of the health care team, health care consumers, families, and communities. II. STATEMENT OF ANA POSITION ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements states that nurses are required to “create an ethical environment and culture of civility and kindness, treating colleagues, coworkers, employees, students, and others with dignity and respect” (ANA, 2015a, p. 4). Similarly, nurses must be afforded the same level of respect and dignity as others. Thus, the nursing profession will no longer tolerate violence of any kind from any source. All RNs and employers in all settings, including practice, academia, and research, must collaborate to create a culture of respect that is free of incivility, bullying, and workplace violence. Evidence-based best practices must be implemented to prevent and mitigate incivility, bullying, and workplace violence; to promote the health, safety, and wellness of RNs; and to ensure optimal outcomes across the health care continuum.
    [Show full text]
  • The Influence of Negative Workplace Gossip on Knowledge Sharing
    sustainability Article The Influence of Negative Workplace Gossip on Knowledge Sharing: Insight from the Cognitive Dissonance Perspective Xiaolei Zou, Xiaoxi Chen * , Fengling Chen, Chuxin Luo and Hongyan Liu * School of Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; [email protected] (X.Z.); [email protected] (F.C.); [email protected] (C.L.) * Correspondence: [email protected] (X.C.); [email protected] (H.L.) Received: 4 March 2020; Accepted: 15 April 2020; Published: 17 April 2020 Abstract: Increasing attention is drawn to the effect of workplace gossip on the organization. Negative workplace gossip is a negative evaluation of others behind their back in the workplace. Based on the cognitive dissonance theory, the study explored the relationship between negative workplace gossip and knowledge sharing, through the mediation of organizational trust and the moderation of self-efficacy. The regression results of a two-stage questionnaire survey on 173 Chinese employees suggested that negative workplace gossip negatively influenced employees’ knowledge sharing through organizational trust. Additionally, findings also showed that self-efficacy moderated the mediation of organizational trust in the relationship between negative workplace gossip and knowledge sharing. This research provided a new theoretical perspective on the impact of workplace gossip, which has management implications for informal communication and team-building. Keywords: workplace gossip; knowledge sharing; organizational trust; self-efficacy 1. Introduction Workplace gossip is defined as informal conversation or evaluation (i.e., positive or negative) about a member beyond the person’s hearing [1], typically involving unproven details. Just as a famous proverb says, ‘Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spreads far and wide’, gossip spreads rapidly and influences broadly.
    [Show full text]
  • Gossip, Slander, and Talebearing Parashat Va-Yeishev, Genesis 37:1-40:23 | by Mark Greenspan
    Worse than Sticks and Stones: Gossip, Slander, and Talebearing Parashat Va-yeishev, Genesis 37:1-40:23 | By Mark Greenspan “Gossip, Slander, and Talebearing” by Benjamin Kramer (pp. 582) in The Observant Life Introduction According to Rabbi Kramer, the ability to express ourselves in words is central not only to our humanity but to the divine image in which we are created. Just as God created the world through language, we have the power to create or destroy worlds and lives by the way we use words. As soon as we begin to speak, we reveal to the world our true character. It is for that reason that the sages placed so much emphasis on the ethics of language. Yet where does one draw a line between good and bad words? Few people would argue with the suggestion that slander and defamation of character are wrong; yet it‟s hard to resist the temptation to engage in a tasty bit of gossip. Simple straight-forward words can sometimes be destructive in ways we never anticipated. We also live in a time when the destructive or constructive power of words is amplified by digital and social media. What type of ethic should we have for the means and goals of communication at the beginning of the twenty-first century? The ethics of language plays an important role in Jewish life. The Talmud devotes a good amount of space to this topic and Maimonides codified the laws of lashon ha-ra in the Mishneh Torah. And yet there can be no simple or obvious rules for „good talk‟ and „bad talk.‟ While we can easily identify „bad talk‟ it is not easy to know what type of conversation is appropriate and inappropriate.
    [Show full text]
  • The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet
    GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works Faculty Scholarship 2007 The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet Daniel J. Solove George Washington University Law School, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.gwu.edu/faculty_publications Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Solove, Daniel J., The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet (October 24, 2007). The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet, Yale University Press (2007); GWU Law School Public Law Research Paper 2017-4; GWU Legal Studies Research Paper 2017-4. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2899125 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/ abstract=2899125 The Future of Reputation Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/ abstract=2899125 This page intentionally left blank Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/ abstract=2899125 The Future of Reputation Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet Daniel J. Solove Yale University Press New Haven and London To Papa Nat A Caravan book. For more information, visit www.caravanbooks.org Copyright © 2007 by Daniel J. Solove. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • An Upstanding Approach to Address Bullying in Nursing
    HEALTHY NURSE An upstanding approach to address bullying in nursing Learn how to become more comfortable with speaking up. By Cynthia Clark, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander. —Elie Wiesel In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. —Martin Luther King Jr. GALLUP consistently rates nurses as having the highest standards of honesty and ethics among professions assessed by U.S. adults. Despite this impressive designation, acts of in- civility and bullying persist within nursing, partly because individual workplace bullying incidents aren’t addressed. (See Bullying and group of professionals from intervening on its impact.) Sometimes nurses (and other their colleague’s behalf? Why did they assume healthcare professionals) don’t speak up be- the role of bystander? To understand their lack cause they don’t want to “get involved” even of response, let’s take a closer look at what it when the situation is serious, they worry means to be a bystander or an upstander. about retaliation, or they don’t know what to say. This article describes a bullying scenario, What’s a bystander? including the lack of response to the situation Various terms are used to describe by- by those close to it, why some individuals standers including witnesses, observers, ac- don’t speak up, and how to become an “up- complices, and indirect victims. Regardless of stander” (rather than a bystander). the term, bystanders’ actions and inactions, whether intentional or not, contribute to the The case of the demeaning colleague outcome of an uncivil or bullying event.
    [Show full text]
  • Employee Policy Handbook
    Ghai Management dba Burger King (Franchise of Burger King Restaurants) EMPLOYEE POLICY HANDBOOK Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 5 EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 5 Equal Employment Opportunity 5 Anti-Harassment Policy 6 Retaliation Is Strictly Prohibited Error! Bookmark not defined. Open Door Policy 9 Confidentiality and Trade Secret Information 9 Conflicts of Interest 10 Employment At-Will 11 Business Conduct Policy 11 Prohibited Conduct 12 Customer Complaint Procedure 13 Use of Alcohol, Illegal Drugs or Controlled Substances 13 Drug Testing 14 Testing Based on Reasonable Suspicion 14 Employee Consent to Release Chemical Analysis 14 Confidentiality of Test Results 15 Analysis of Test Results 15 Work Area, Employee Container Search Policy 15 Positive Test 15 Personal Information 16 Personnel Files 16 Security 16 Injury Reporting Procedure 17 Workplace Violence Policy 17 Professional Appearance 17 Personal Telephone Calls 17 Cell Phones 17 Personal Relationships in the Workplace 18 EMPLOYMENT AND PAYROLL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 19 Employment Status 19 Meal and Rest Periods 19 Meal Break Policy 20 Punctuality and Attendance Standards 20 Overtime Policy 21 Holiday Pay Policy 21 THE COMPANY WORKS ALL 365 DAYS IN THE YEAR INCLUDING THANKSGIVING DAY AND CHRISTMAS DAY. 21 Time Records 21 Paydays 21 Absences 21 Expense Reimbursement 22 2 Employee Separation Procedures 22 LEAVES OF ABSENCE 22 Sick Leave 22 Pregnancy Disability Leave (California Employees Only) 24 Personal Leave of Absence 25 Jury Duty or Witness Leave 25 Military Leave 26 Eligibility
    [Show full text]
  • The Politics of Gossip in Early Virginia
    "SEVERAL UNHANDSOME WORDS": THE POLITICS OF GOSSIP IN EARLY VIRGINIA Christine Eisel A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2012 Committee: Ruth Wallis Herndon, Advisor Timothy Messer-Kruse Graduate Faculty Representative Stephen Ortiz Terri Snyder Tiffany Trimmer © 2012 Christine Eisel All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Ruth Wallis Herndon, Advisor This dissertation demonstrates how women’s gossip in influenced colonial Virginia’s legal and political culture. The scandalous stories reported in women’s gossip form the foundation of this study that examines who gossiped, the content of their gossip, and how their gossip helped shape the colonial legal system. Focusing on the individuals involved and recreating their lives as completely as possible has enabled me to compare distinct county cultures. Reactionary in nature, Virginia lawmakers were influenced by both English cultural values and actual events within their immediate communities. The local county courts responded to women’s gossip in discretionary ways. The more intimate relations and immediate concerns within local communities could trump colonial-level interests. This examination of Accomack and York county court records from the 1630s through 1680, supported through an analysis of various colonial records, family histories, and popular culture, shows that gender and law intersected in the following ways. 1. Status was a central organizing force in the lives of early Virginians. Englishmen punished women who gossiped according to the status of their husbands and to the status of the objects of their gossip. 2. English women used their gossip as a substitute for a formal political voice.
    [Show full text]