b'(i.e.,whoever got the sales manager job). He thenimportant reminder to employers that the NLRBs told another manager he was done and you willprotections extend to employees even if there is no have my resignation. In a call to HR later that day,unioninsight. HeretheBoardfocusedonthe however, Heidenreich denied he was resigning. ButcigarclubconversationsandtheHRcoee CintasacceptedHeidenreichsresignationthatchats for the evidence that Heidenreich was not same day. acting solely for himself but as a part of concerted action with other employees. Taking action against Sofarthissoundsthechallengesofaan employee for what appears to be his concerted dysfunctionalworkplace,withlotsoflessthanactivities is a sure way to get the attention of the admirablebehaviorallaround. ButHeidenreichNLRB. And not in a good way.claimedthatCintasredhimforhisprotected concertedactivityhisworkplaceactivism.That would be a ULP.AnALJagreedwithHeidenreich,ndingthat CintasviolatedSection8(a)(1)oftheNLRAby threateningHeidenreichwiththelossof promotionalopportunitiesbecausehe talkedtotoomanypeople,a euphemism for his protected concerted activities. Two members of the NLRB agreedwiththeALJsconclusion. In particular, the Board found the temporal proximity between Heidenreichs voicing workplace concerns and his termination to be strong evidence of the employers intent to re him illegally. Your trusted Partner for Cleaning up environmental spills Indissent,memberRingsaid[i]f anything,thesurroundingfactstendto supportaninference thatthe RespondentacceptedHeidenreichs resignation because, despite his value to t h eb u s i n e s sa sas a l e s m a n , Heidenreichswell-documentedand unabatedshortcomingsmadehiman undesirableemployee.Hislackof emotionalintelligencecontributed signicantlytocreatingatoxicwork environment.All good reasons to end an individuals employment. Just not to the Board majority.Thetakeaway?Thiscaseisan Midwest Drycleaning & Laundry Institutewww.MWDLI.org/ 800-638-2627 11\x00'