A telephone company employee was on disability leave. Company policy prohibited taking vacation while collecting disability. The employee disregarded the policy and left for his planned fishing trip. Managers became suspicious and went to his house to wait for him, finding no one home. Phone records were checked to verify that the employee had not called in from home as he had claimed or made any other calls. The employer also contacted the kennel where the employee had boarded his dog, the city where he obtained a fishing license, and the post office that he had instructed to hold his mail. The employee was fired. He was reinstated without backpay by an arbitrator, but he sued for invasion of privacy.

What should the court decide?  Why?

A telephone company employee was on disability leave. Company policy prohibited taking vacation while collecting disability. The employee disregarded the policy and left for his planned fishing trip. Managers became suspicious and went to his house to wait for him, finding no one home. Phone records were checked to verify that the employee had not called in from home as he had claimed or made any other calls. The employer also contacted the kennel where the employee had boarded his dog, the city where he obtained a fishing license, and the post office that he had instructed to hold his mail. The employee was fired. He was reinstated without backpay by an arbitrator, but he sued for invasion of privacy.

What should the court decide?  Why?

Grades for discussion assignments will be assessed on the basis of the following standards:

Discussion Rubric

Criteria

Exceeds Expectations

(90-100%)

Meets Expectations

(80-89%)

Developing

(70-79%)

Beginning

(60-69%)

Quality of Initial Learning Activity Posting

Initial posting fully addresses all aspects of the prompt. Comments include many personal or professional experiences. Posts demonstrate excellent critical thinking skills through multiple examples and ideas. Excellent discussion of course readings or other resources is used if appropriate.

Initial posting addresses all aspects of the prompt. Comments include some personal or professional experiences. Posts demonstrate adequate critical thinking skills through some examples and ideas. Good discussion of course readings or other resources is used if appropriate.

Initial posting addresses part of the prompt. Comments include some personal or professional experiences. Posts demonstrate minimal critical thinking skills with minimal examples and ideas. Minimal discussion of course readings or other resources is used if appropriate.

Initial posting does not address the prompt. Comments do not include connections to personal or professional experience. Posts do not demonstrate evidence of critical thinking. No discussion of course readings or other resources is used. Or no initial posting submitted.

Quality of Response Postings

Responses to peers are highly reflective, insightful and add to the discussion in a meaningful way moving it forward.

Responses to peers are reflective, insightful and add to the discussion.

Responses to peers are minimally reflective or insightful and do not significantly add to the discussion in a meaningful way.

Responses are present but don’t add to the discussion OR no response postings submitted.

Organization and Technical Aspects of All Posts

Information is exceptionally well organized; spelling and grammar are correct and complete sentences are used. Proper citations are effectively used. Initial posting and at least three quality responses are made prior to the due date.

Information is well organized; 1-2 spelling and/ or grammar mistakes are evident. Complete sentences are used. Proper citations are used.  Initial posting and at least two quality responses are made prior to the due date.

Organization is scattered; 3-5 spelling and/ or grammar mistakes are evident. Some incomplete sentences are used. Citations are missing.  Initial posting and at least one quality response are made prior to the due date.

Information is not well organized; more than 5 spelling and/or grammar mistakes are evident. Incomplete sentences are used. Citations are missing. OR No postings submitted.