#Should I quit college to become a cop?

I’m completing my second year of college and now want to apply to the NYPD to become a police officer. My parents are pleading with me to finish my degree first and join later. I think they are hoping I’ll change my mind. Should I follow my passion now?

Well, first of all, it takes a brave person to join law enforcement at any time but particularly so now given all of the social unrest. So, thank you for wanting to protect and serve. I don’t often side with what parents typically want for their kids when it comes to career choices, because often it is about what will make them proud and happy, not necessarily what will make their children happy. However, in this instance, I’m on Team Parents. You can always join the force in two years’ time after graduation. The demand for great police officers is not going away. With a college degree, you will give yourself more options if you change your mind or if becoming a police officer doesn’t work out for any reason. Plus, with two more years of life experience and education under your belt, you will be even better prepared for the role if you still choose to pursue it.

My colleague and I got caught doing the same stupid thing on a Zoom call. I got fired and he got a suspension. I’m older and he’s younger. Is that legal?

Hold on there. First of all, we’re all wondering what the heck you did, Butch and Sundance. Or maybe we don’t want to know. I hope it wasn’t something gross, but if it was, I bet your friend would have been fired too. Did you wave goodbye at the end of the meeting? I hate when people do that. It’s like the Von Trapp kids going to bed only not as cute. While the mind wanders, it’s perfectly legal to treat two people differently for the same infraction. It’s similar to different sentences for the same criminal offense. Is it your third infraction and his first? Does one have a track of great performance and the other a new hire? Is one in a more critical, hard-to-fill role? Is one a great performer and the other mediocre? As long as age, race, gender and so on were not factors, the employer has the right to apply different treatment. So, what did you do?

Gregory Giangrande has over 25 years of experience as a chief human resources executive and is dedicated to helping New Yorkers get back to work. E-mail your questions to [email protected]. Follow Greg on Twitter: @greggiangrande and at GoToGreg.com