Retirement Age

hrwoman

Hi, I'm new to posting questions. So, I hope I'm giving enough info. I have an employee who is 65 years old and isn't ready to retire. He's been w/ the company for over 30 years. He came back from FMLA leave in July and we accomodated him by letting him go to part-time. His return to work status stated he could only work 4 hours per day. This was a full time position. We have a new executive who wants to let him go. He needs someone on a full time basis and he isn't pleased with the employee's work performance. The employee has told the exec he wanted to start working more hours but still not 40 hrs per week. The exec has come to me asking if the employee has said anything about retiring. I told him no and I wasn't about to ask him as he is in a protected class. I told him not to as well. The exec said he can't do email, doesn't work on the computer too well and doesn't meet his expectations for the job. I told him that he needed to start documenting his performance if it wasn't meeting expectations. Any suggestions on the best way to handle this employee and higher level exec?

Down_the_Middle

Depending on the new executive's committment, you might successfully orchestrate a retirement departure for the employee. Maybe some incentives to encourage departure, (e.g. lump sum payment as a retainer, hlth insur continuation, etc.) ? If the position might undergo some changes, that might also encourage the employee to depart gracefully. Performance may very well be at the heart of the problem, but escorting 30 yr old employees out of the org is not easy. I'd try to come up with a way to incent the employee to leave enabling him to depart with respectfullness and dignity. It's a fish-bowl situation so be mindful that the rest of the staff will be viewing how this gentleman departs. It seldom has to be a ugly as we sometimes make it! Good luck