Legal Side of Performance Appraisals

Performance appraisals can be a problem. Sometimes, for example, employee handbooks state that employees will be evaluated periodically--annually or semiannually. If an employee is discharged and contests the discharge, it may be difficult for the employer to explain why the employee didn't get the performance appraisal when he or she was supposed to. Also, even though they may be done only once a year, employees shouldn't be surprised when they sit down to get their appraisal. If there's a problem, the employee should have had some sort of feedback on the way, rather than waiting for the formal appraisal at the end of the year.