'Have a paper trail': This employment lawyer says these are the 3 things he would never do at work — and explains how they could permanently damage your career
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careers/have-a-paper-trail-this-employment-lawyer-says-these-are-the-3-things-he-would-never-do-at-work-and-explains-how-they-could-permanently-damage-your-career/ar-AA1dma34?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=690298d7233c4f929f621df829327683&ei=45
Story by Vishesh Raisinghani
Here are the top three things he says folks should avoid doing at work.
1. Secretly record conversations
Levey acknowledges that many workers like to record their conversations with their supervisors. But believe it or not, you might be breaking the law by doing so.
That’s because some states require two-party consent for video or voice recordings. “I would not secretly record a conversation I had with my supervisor if I lived in a two-party consent state,” he says, pointing out that the state of Massachusetts— where Levey was when he was making the video — requires employees to notify the other person that they’re recording a conversation.
Recording without permission in these states is illegal, says Levey, which means the employee could face consequences for recording the conversation.
And if they’re involved in a legal case, that recorded evidence could be deemed inadmissible in court. If you’re going to record a conversation, always ask first.
2. Neglect the paper trail
While voice and video recordings without permission are unadvisable, Levey recommends creating a paper trail if you want to complain. If something’s wrong, bringing that grievance to the human resources department is common practice. However, without a paper trail of your complaint, these grievances might as well be whispers in the wind.
“You can certainly go to HR and verbally tell them,” he says. “But it also needs to be in writing so you have a paper trail in case you need it at a later date.”
Such protections could be especially important if your complaint relates to something illegal going on in the workplace, or another employee’s misconduct. So don’t forget to follow up any verbal grievances with an email.
3. Skip your annual review
Most companies have a system in place to review the performance of their employees on a regular basis, however sometimes these reviews might slip through the cracks. Levey’s advice? “I would not let the company forget about my annual performance review.”
Sure, performance reviews might be time-consuming to complete, but Levey says they’re perfect opportunities to prove your worth to your employer — and ask for a raise. And the best part? It’s all documented — another paper trail — which means you can always reference the information at a later date if needed.
Remember that the annual performance review isn’t a test but a platform for you to showcase your talent and hard work. You risk losing out on opportunities to advance your career or boost your compensation if you let a company forget or neglect your annual review.
"Have a paper trail showing that you're an exceptional employee," he says. "Hold those companies accountable and get those evaluations documented."
Levey’s advice is particularly useful in the current economic climate. Layoffs have ramped up, which means employees may need to go the extra mile to protect themselves. So don’t forget to advocate for yourself during those performance reviews, and remember to always create paper trails to protect yourself in the long run.
Finally, it’s important to recognize that TikTok videos aren’t a substitute for personalized legal advice, though. If you need legal counsel, you should always talk to a professional so they can provide feedback on your unique circumstance.