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I’m having problems with a staff member who is chronically late. When discussing the performance problems over the telephone with my partner, I discovered she was listening in on the other line, because she told that to another worker. I was going to give her a warning, but now think I should fire her. Can I fire her based on what another staffer told me?

You can fire her for being chronically late. You can fire her because you don’t like her attitude. You can fire her because you are in a bad mood and decide you just don’t want her working for you anymore. So yes, you can certainly fire her for eavesdropping on a telephone conversation — and if it were my office, I would. I’d get the other staffer to put in writing the details of what this person said to her. Then I’d confront the person, telling her that you have knowledge she listened in on the phone conversation. I’d have your partner there as a witness, and document your conversation and what she says. Such an offense can be considered termination “for cause,” in which case she wouldn’t be eligible for unemployment benefits. If that is the position you want to take, then you want this documented properly in case she tries to file for benefits and you want to deny her claim.

I was offered an unpaid internship for the summer. I’m fine with working without pay in exchange for the experience — but is unpaid work on your résumé as valued by prospective employers as paid work?

Let’s put aside for the moment whether an unpaid internship is compliant with labor laws and get to the heart of your question. Since your goal is to gain experience, then any work experience that supports your career goals is valuable — whether paid or unpaid. And you don’t indicate on your résumé whether or not the work experience is paid or unpaid. So if the experience will benefit you, go for it. As for the legality of the unpaid internship, that is not for you to solve — but you should contact your college career office and see whether or not you can get college credit or a college-funded stipend. At the very least, you can ask your employer if they will provide a commuting or lunch stipend. But only ask after you get the job, so you don’t potentially derail your application.