what can I do?

Lola815

My friend called me up last night in a panic. This is what happened where he works. An employee gave her two week notice on Friday. She said she would help train her replacement. Monday morning she doesn't show up and there is a note on her desk saying that she won't be coming anymore. She didn't give anyone her passwords and no one really knows how to train her replacement. Is there any legal thing they can do to get her to come in? They can't get a hold of her to even talk to her.

Parabeagle

I can't think of anything "legal" that can be done to compel her to come into the office. Best case scenario is just to proceed as if the employee had suddenly died -- you'd be in the same situation and just have to make the best of it. Get IT to break into her system, etc. and muddle through training the replacement. I can't think of anything else you might do, but maybe some of these other wizened, knoweldgeable, thoughtful HR people can. Good luck.

Shadowfax

Beag's right. Unless she's been hit by a truck, you don't want her back. She could do way more damage than training. Be thankful!

Don D

I agree with the others that this is the advice you should give your friend. Do advise her, though, when her friend hires a replacement, he/she must give some thought to cross training and succession planning. At minimum have the new ee write a laundry list of what she does and how she does it. Hopefully your friend won't be caught in a lurch again. This has probably happened to most of us.

Lola815

thanks...I couldn't think of anything last night, but I told my friend that I would look into it for him. It's sad that the employer seems to always be the one who gets the short end of the stick.

deniseE

The end of the stick could have been much shorter had the employee come in for her finale! She was clearly disgruntled and ready to go. As difficult as this situation may have been, it could have been much worse!

The only thing your friend may have to hold her on (depending on state laws) is the disbursing of vacation/sick pay until she returns what is perceived to be company property....check with your legal eagles...they should be able to guide you. Although, I suspect they will tell you to count your blessings and move on.

marc

This is a good illustration of the importance of cross-training and transition plans, especially for focal point positions. Payroll is a good example. This is difficult in small companies, but you never know when someone is going to get 'hit by a truck.'

Rockie

This shows the danger of having only one employee trained to perform a function in a company. They can and will leave you in a lurch if the mood strikes them. IT should have no problem breaking into her files, but the training part will probably be a mess for a while.

Good luck!

scottorr

All of the the others are right, their is nothing you can do legally. Tell your friend to take it slow with the replacement. Throwing someone into a position without any training is hard on a new employee. It may take a long time before this new person is up and running. Once they are have the new person write internal procedures. Otherwise the position may become a revolving door position.

Whatever

We keep a file of all passwords. Learned the hard way that it was necessary.

Don D

An employee who has a mindset to leave with no notice will surely change his/her password without the company's knowledge.

marc

You are probably right. Our IT may not know a password, but can change it to one they do know.