EEs working the system
LFernandes
314 Posts
Hi all,
Do you have any EE's working the system? If so, how do you handle them? I have an EE who is a real PIA. He signed up for the gym (it's a benefit that we provide to EE's where the company pays half) and after six months told the gym that he was with our company and refused to pay his back dues to them. So the gym just billed the company for his membership and now he is refusing to pay the company back (we've cancelled his membership, the gym has permanetly revoked his membership).
Three months ago he received safety shoes (EE are entitled to shoes once a year). Now he wants another pair of shoes and we are saying no because it goes against policy. He has now become the backyard lawyer delivering disserations via e-mail as to why he should be entitled to shoes.
Before that, he wasn't happy with something else and something else before that and something else before that. Every time I get an e-mail or he walks into my office, my shields go up and all I can think of is "red alert". He wears you down with constant badgering until you want to run down the hall screaming. I'm not the only one, my boss feels the same way!
Wow, I feel better, maybe I just needed to vent! Thank God it's Friday.
LFernandes
Do you have any EE's working the system? If so, how do you handle them? I have an EE who is a real PIA. He signed up for the gym (it's a benefit that we provide to EE's where the company pays half) and after six months told the gym that he was with our company and refused to pay his back dues to them. So the gym just billed the company for his membership and now he is refusing to pay the company back (we've cancelled his membership, the gym has permanetly revoked his membership).
Three months ago he received safety shoes (EE are entitled to shoes once a year). Now he wants another pair of shoes and we are saying no because it goes against policy. He has now become the backyard lawyer delivering disserations via e-mail as to why he should be entitled to shoes.
Before that, he wasn't happy with something else and something else before that and something else before that. Every time I get an e-mail or he walks into my office, my shields go up and all I can think of is "red alert". He wears you down with constant badgering until you want to run down the hall screaming. I'm not the only one, my boss feels the same way!
Wow, I feel better, maybe I just needed to vent! Thank God it's Friday.
LFernandes
Comments
The EE isn't yelling when he is badgering me (if he was, he would have been disciplined) instead, he just talks and talks saying the same thing over and over and over again and just won't go away. (It got so bad at one point, I told him that he needed to make an appointment).
On the surface, he appears to be a nice guy so he's got alot of people fooled and they feel sorry for him which is why they always give in. But not me, I had him pegged the second time I spoke to him and I don't trust him one bit.
While I may get blasted on this next part here goes. This sounds like the type of individual who needs to be gone. I can only assume he is a negative influence in the workplace.
The question though, is he also so dumb that he frequently breaks company rules? If so hold him to them and begin the progressive discipline process. You can write him up for violating company policy, instead of specific rules and from there you would be able with a little luck speed the process up. If you are an at will state and he becomes argumentitive or combative, term him for insubordination. My guess is the other employees will be thrilled. However if he is one that always follows the rules, and you have no way of helping him be happier, you must learn to minimize his attempts to have you as his audience. Once he gets to the basics of a point, just tell him you will give it some thought, but you have a project you are working on or a phone call you have to make and excuse yourself, or him.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman
Do you have the regs on the safety shoes. I would like to look up the standard. I think I'm going to need amo on this one.
Thanks.
The current standard does not state that the employer must purchase and distribute protective footwear "...with no cost to the employee". This question has been raised several times since the inception of OSHA, and it has normally been considered a labor/management relations matter, resolved through formal or informal negotiations between the affected parties.
The link to this letter of interpretation:
[url]http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=21278&p_text_version=FALSE[/url]
You can go to the OSHA site if you have problems with the link, the letter is dated 9/20/93.
Let me know if this does not work for you. Remember with the exception of eyeglasses and shoes the employer does have the repsonsibility of paying for PPE.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman
1) Tell him to read the company policy on safety shoes. Tell him it is not debatable. End of subject.
2) Tell him, "John, let me be perfectly frank with you, hold on, let me finish, I'd like you to sit there quietly while I make my point. John, I must tell you that you have become extremely high maintenance from an HR time management point of view. I do not have sufficient time to devote to all of your concerns in the proportion that you would like for me to devote my time. That will not change. That is a fact. I must manage my own time and that will include managing the time I have available to address your concerns. Certain things are not negotiable, not debatable and not open to democratic processes, for example our safety shoe purchase policy and (whatever). I will tell you when you raise one of those and that will be the end of the discussion.
3) Tell him the company is going to deduct the amount he owes the company in three equal installments and do it, regardless of his refusal to sign a form.
4) Tell him that if he persists in sending lengthy diatribe emails voicing his philosophy and opinion, that you will recommend to management that the IS staff be instructed to cut off his computer privileges. Tell him you will not read or respond to his emails from this point forward.
5) Tell him that prior to visiting your office in the future, he must have had the conversation already with his immediate supervisor and must ask for an audience with you and include the supervisor and you will set a time and time limit for the meeting if you feel a meeting is appropriate.
We must manage our time, our resources and our department. We cannot allow high maintenance people to monopolize our time or waste our time or impose demands on our time. We must also admit that we reach frustration levels and for mental health, must also manage that. Doing the above things would help me manage my mental health while sending this time abuser clear messages that he is not in control. He loves an audience and feels you will be there for him when he needs one. Disappoint him.
I can't help but wonder how he gets his work done if he is talking to you and everyone else, plus the e-mails. Is this something you can look in to?
I agree that he does not seem happy here. Why does he stay?!!
I really think this guy is using the company for all it's worth. It's not right nor is it fair to the company and all the other employees.
Thanks for your help!
LFernandes
Kick ass response! I am sitting here reading it thinking you hit the nail on the head. Also letting him know the whining and bitching is over.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman
Return the money, sign the damn form, or it's misappropriation of company funds and you're fired.
You got your pair of shoes for the year. Period. One more word, and it's insubordination and you're fired.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
If this guy is a pain, always complaining, but has not engaged in protected activity (and since I don't know the details of the issues, only you can answer that), considering terminating the employment relationship NOW. If you don't his complaints will move to protected activity!! He will not get better.
Say "It's clear that you are not happy at this company. Good bye!"
The sooner a trouble maker is gotten rid of the better!!
Good Luck!!
Believe it or not, I actually said that to him several times after his performance review because he was pissing and moaning that he didn't get enough of a raise bla bla bla. I told him that he needed to make a decision and if he wasn't happy here that he should go elsewhere... unfortunately... he stayed.
LF
be alert to rewards or reinforcements this person might receive for his bad behavior.
People sometimes find odd things rewarding—for example, any attention (even negative attention) can and is often perceived as a reward. Make sure your reaction doesn't turn out to reward the behavior you want to stop.
Stop giving this person his reward and tell him to get back to work or as stated above end the relationship (fire him)!
Good luck with a frustrating issue.
I received another e-mail today so I forwarded them all over (even the nasty ones from the EE) along with my replies to my COO with an explanation of the policy and OSHA standard mentioned above (thank you!). He agrees that the employee is abusing the system and is backing me up stating that the EE is NOT entitled to another pair of shoes.
Thanks everyone for your input. Hopefully this EE will be so mad that he'll end up quitting. One can only hope!
Enjoy the weekend!
LFernandes
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LFernandes
The biggest problem(s) I had were with FMLA interpretation, but you (or I) do not have 6 days to talk.