False accusation on theft

[sylwill]

My husband works for a government agency as a contractor for IT support. 2 laptops went missing a few weeks back from an open area that he hadn't even seen yet. DHS came in today to question him and they asked him to take a polygraph. From my understanding, a polygraph isn't even admissible in court and if he's nervous, he could fail it anyways.

As he was leaving the room, he asked them if there was anything else he could hlep them with and 1 agent responded with, "you could return the laptops."

He didn't take them. We don't have them in our house, we didn't sell them for cash, we never saw these damn laptops.

If they decide to fire him on suspicion of theft, do we have any recourse?

 

[jacksgal]

File for unemployment and seek new work. There is nothng illegal in termination for "suspected" theft.

 

[sylwill]

Thanks, not that we are there yet but he felt very uncomfortable after the meeting today and I was trying to get a headstrat on what we might have to do.

Sucks.

 

[Green_Hornet]

The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 (EPPA) generally prevents employers from using lie detector tests, either for pre-employment screening or during the course of employment, with certain exemptions. Employers generally may not require or request any employee or job applicant to take a lie detector test, or discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee or job applicant for refusing to take a test or for exercising other rights under the Act. In addition, employers are required to display the EPPA poster in the workplace for their employees.

The Employment Standards Administration's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) within the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) enforces the EPPA. So your husband should contact an attorney before he proceeds to take the test. If he falls under EPPA he can not be fired for refusal to take the test.