At what point did we (as a society) really start to cater to the lowest common denominator? Recent incidents at work is why I'm asking/posting this. Along with some other things I have observed in my short 27 years on this planet.

So, I'm a manager in a small/large private buisness. I have 4 other 'peer' managers. One is for sales, office, grounds super, President, and myself. President is my father (dont be fooled, there is a board of directors that make 'big' decesions, by no means was my blood line 'an in' for the job) who would be the one 'above' me. I'm being ushered so to speak to take his position when he retires, so this puts me in a 'jack of all trades' where I must know all parts of our operation. Now comes the problem.

There is an employee who REFUSES to sign our 'rules and regulations' book that define youre job as a sales consouler. She also refuses to attend any meetings outside of buisness hours. She refuses to follow just about any 'rule' she does not see fit. She now has a lawyer in here because she says this is a 'hostile' work environment. Well no shit, how many jobs could you look at youre boss day after day and say 'no, I refuse' time and time again for what is youre regular duties and not end up with some friction. So now she goes and makes personal attacks on all the managers. Our sales manager (who has run a successfull sales program for 20+ years now) is 'on paid leave' while she humbles about the office doing as she wishes. Now the personal attacks on the Sales manager she put forward deal with off color jokes and comets. However for 2 years (before she got engaged this year) all we heard about is all the man whores she took home from different bars 2-3 days a week. Or about how this customer she just talked too was cute, started hiting on him, and has a date with him. Yeah really professional to do that in the deathcare industry, I wanted her fired the day I found that out, but Dad said there was nothing writen about it. Bah, have some F'n decentcy. She cant handle the door swinging both ways.

Now - how the hell do I 'manage' an employee that 1) wont/REFUSES do what I ask her 2) cant punish her (as told by the lawyer) 3) what? if she wont listen, I cant punish, how the hell do I 'manage' anything? Even though Ohio is an 'employment at will state' that dont mean jack, it just looks good on paper.

She is more concerend about what everyone else is doing then if she is doing what she is suposed to. She is never to blame for anything, always pointing fingers and make'n excusses. People are wispering and talking behind everyones back, I'm about to go absolutely F'n postal. Seriously, I have never felt so cornered in my life and when I'm backed up against a wall I tend to lash out. What was a carrer I fear is going to turn into a past job in the next week. WTF DO I DO?


IMO - Things happening now that are gonig to make this situation worse ( as a society)
1) The cookie monster - He no longer go 'nuts' for cookies. He promotes health and good eating. He now teaches kids to eat sweets in moderation. You can thank porky kids with crap parents that shut them up with junk food for this one.

2) No red ink when grading papers - WTH the sky is falling. Teachers are using colors other then red as to not 'hurt' the kids. Give me a god damn break. You can thank the 'dont tell me how to raise my kids' parents for that one.

3) I'm writing this at work to vent a little, I'm out of time....will fill in more later, thanks for listening, needed to rant BADLY. Open to any advice on what to do in the office - and please list what ever other utterly retarted stuff our society has started up.

 

If the employee refuses to adhere to company policy and is generally a bad team player, why don't you just fire her. The lawyer is right in stating that you can't punish her, but you can fire her for not being beneficial to your company. Offer her 3 months salary if she quits (her lawyer will likely get it up to 12 or so, but its a short term loss for company morale).

Not sure about Ohio, but in North Carolina its a right to work state - you don't need to provide a reason for firing or quitting. Of course, she'll probably sue for being fired, but if you are collecting evidence against her, she won't win. I'm pretty sure that as her employer you have the right to recors her on the work premises. Ask her to come into a room, giver her a resonable task, and record the interaction. If she is belligerent or negative, you will have a strong argument for her to leave when it comes to the courts.

 

fire her ass.

 

fire her ass. Damn lawyers. We have a guy here at my work that came in drunk on a day that he wasn't scheduled and threatened to "kick the ass" of a female employee. He is still working here and actually was not taken off of the schedule. His lawyer is putting up stupid rules and stipulations.

These days lt seems idiots and loosers have more rights than people that work hard.

 

She has to agree to work. Not signing the code of conduct is (IMHO- I'm not a lawyer) proof that she is not exhibiting 'due diligence' on her part to HER CONTRACT (save nothing of her job - jobs are red herrings - it's about the contract). If she never signed anything, there's no reason to pay her.

Find in her contract where it states ". . . upon agreement to abide by the Rules and Regulations/Code of Conduct. . . " that she be given employment.. . . then tell her she's never been employed here (as she never agreed to the code of conduct). . . then ask her to leave the premises (or call the cops for trespassing). . . or just stop paying her.

. . . you did have it written in her offer that she did HAVE to agree to the Code of Conduct, right? If not. . . well, you've got a problem.

Oh yeah. . . now's a good time to go through her resume and check EVERYTHING. he he he. . . .

 

I'm with the others. First check your state employment laws and then do what it takes to walk her out the front door. Document EVERYTHING so it doesn't come back to bite you.

 

Well, as a company we are gonna be completely hoed in this. The sales manager called in today to let us know he is going to sue, regaurdless of where this goes. The two girls (note NOT women, cause they sure as hell dont act like it....or are they ) that have 'issues' will sue in a month or two if we keep'em, or right away if we dump them. My Dad who has worked there since he was 16, now 54, started to talk about walking today. WTF. Started as the scrubs of all scrubs pushing a lawnmower/gravedigger and earned his way to president of the board and General manager of the cemetery. I spent part of the afternoon talking to past employers/friends lining up something so if shit really hits the fan, I can give my two pieces of flare to everyone and leave.

Who I really feal for is my old man.....30 year marrage, Mom decided now that she has money (man did her get'n cash from grandpa **** things up) she decided to kick my dad out. She went after his pension - long story short from stock dividens she gets ~300k/year no need for his retirement, but she went for it. My dad had to fire my little brother for drug use. Who is now back on track, going to college, and being suported by my father, mom wont help much. My youngest brother who lives and dies highschool football, starting D, starting O - just found out he has a sliped disk and no more ball, period, he started college next year. Today we also find out my 17 yr old brother might have a drinking problem. And now the only thing left for him, in his eyes, his 'life' is work, that place means everything to him. Now there are 2 snot nose bitches who are going to totally Yoko the workplace.

This sucks, I'm about as depressed and utterly pissed as I have ever been. Hell even a good jaunt in my S2k on my way home could not lift my spirits at all. Sad sad day it is. /cry

*edit* Ohio is an employment at will state - right to work etc. Still dont mean shit from shinola once youre in court. Here is something else I dont get - Ok, you HATE youre boss. I have had jobs where I hate my boss. Know what I did, told him to piss off and went on with my life. Now lets say I'm not like that. Why the hell would you want to stay at a work environment after you have created so many waves. Do these people feel empowered by this? Do they feel special in some way cause 'they won' ? I dont get it, how could you work today, knowing the shit you caused yesterday and cheerfully (almost like she was embelishing in it) strut around today....ugggh, i wanted to grab her by the throat and shake her like Bart Simpson.

 

Hang in there Uber-s2k.

I am not an attorney but here are some thoughts.

Your company needs to get certain things done to stay in business. Everyone in a company has a tasks to do to keep the company in business and there should be job descriptions and accountability. If someone refuses to work, they are not doing their job. If other REASONABLE people in a similar position will do that work, other peer workers, and you can demonstrate this then you have a problem employee. If, what you are describing is accurate and you seem to be describing and judging things responsibly from my reading, your company should fire this employee.

The only question I have is why was she not fired earlier? How did this EVER get past the first conversation of her refusing to do work instructed by management for the company. Keeping someone around like that turns into absurdness. Unfortunately, that is where things are -- back to this in a moment. Please remember in the future to fire someone like that sooner.

Back to what can you do now. Continue to work as normal and write down evey assignement you give your employees, not singling her out though. Evaluate each individual informally -- casually, verbally -- and more formerly. Keep a record of how well their performance meets with the objectives of the task which should be business objectives (to the company's mission statement AND profitability). If any employee is not capable of working, record and supprot them... if they need trainging, support, supplies, permission, whatever. If an employee is not willing to work and whining and REFUSES to work, then most people, courts (made of people) will understand a decision to fire that person. They will also see thru BS. If someone lacks the professional judgement and begins hitting on a customer and dating a customer, this is not good. It is not part of the job.

Make sure to keep yourself and the company honest too so you're not surprised. I understand your venting but I would encourage you not to do it on the company's time or computer.

Work at will and right to work are not employee contracts. A few people here have called them that which is incorrect. Work at will as in other states is to allow companies to fire unproductive employees (of course, with respect to other laws and does not allow any discrimination). She should have been fired looooong ago. Companies that hold a high standard all the time and do not tolerate a long series of abuse by employees will be more profitable. You can still fire and you should.

I hope you, the other managers and your father hang in there. The right people should not feel or be thinking about leaving. At some point your company let this go too far and she should have been fired. This does not mean you have to accept a bleak outcome or that that outcome is written in stone. Remember she has to prove injury and bad judgement. You have to demonstrate daily good judgement and reasonable thinking in all tasks and evaluations to all employees... whether that is at work or in court.

There is a lot of absurdity with law suits today. Read about Stella Liebeck on http://www.stellaawards.com/ . Remember the lawsuit about the person who burned themselves with coffee and sued a larger fast food place. This site gives the real facts of what happened on that case and others.

This doesn't mean all cases will end up like that -- just make sure you don't believe it will end up that way or you will create a self fulfilling prophecy.

You and your company can get past this. I hope you do.

 

And send her a bill for all of the money you paid her when "she was never employed" there.

 

It's a nice idea, ain't it?
Reality is though, posession is 9/10ths the law, so just kick her to the curb and consider her pay 'a minor feduciary setback.'