Dealing with Employees

Federal laws require employers including community associations and management companies to post signs explaining legal information to their employees. Failure to post the signs can cost as much as $10,000 per violation. Fortunately, compliance is easy. The signs are available free of charge from the government agencies that oversee the sign-posting laws.

When you hire a bad apple to work in your community, you run some serious risks. The individual may perpetrate some sort of crime due to easy access to your members. If news of the crime gets out, your community's reputation may plummet and you may fall into a costly legal trap called “negligent hiring.” The association or your management office may be liable because you exposed members or visitors to dangerous employees through poor hiring practices.

All management companies and associations have to deal with a problem employee at some point, no matter how carefully they hire employees or how diligently they try to create a good work environment. For many managers or directors, deciding whether and how to discipline or fire an employee is one of the most stressful parts of the job.