Lawyer: Let-go people try to keep job

by Jahna Berry - Jan. 2, 2011 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Many workers fantasize about what they will say on the way out the door if they ever get a pink slip.

In Arizona, these days those parting words often include a threat to call Sheriff Joe Arpaio or immigration officials, a local attorney says.

Increasingly, laid-off workers are trying to convince their former employers that they shouldn't be let go because there are illegal immigrants on the payroll who should be fired instead, said Julie Pace a Phoenix attorney who represents employers.

"We get that at least once a week now," Pace said. "So now we have a process where we send a letter from the company to the former employee and tell them how important it is that the company is compliant with immigration laws and if they can identify anyone who is undocumented, that we need to know."

Sometimes ex-employees eventually sign a declaration saying they never really knew of any illegal-immigrant workers. But about 20 percent of the time, those former workers provide names and supporting information. Occasionally, those tips lead to terminations, Pace said.

But the information doesn't save their jobs. "The other person doesn't get their job back, of course," Pace said.


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