Minor employees

HRQ

Are we legally required to allow a parent of a minor employee (under 18) to sit in on disciplinary meetings?

If we are not legally required, do any of you allow it anyway?

Crout

Unless there is a State law covering this you are not required, and there's no way I would allow it. I've had husbands, boyfriends, mothers and lawyers try to sit in on disciplinary meetings and the answer is always NO because it's a company matter and they are not part of the company.

System

I don't know for sure, but I'll grab at it. We have a number of minor employees - summer camp counselors, scorekeepers, after-school instructors, etc. I would not allow a parent to sit in a meeting where I counsel or issue a disciplinary measure. That's part of having a job. These youth are in the workforce, supposedly adult enought to have a job. I trust the discretion of our supervisors and this entity. The best I would offer ( a big Maybe ) would be to discuss the issue with the parent as a courtesy to the parent. Then again, it would have certain circumstances that may warrant it.

I have flat out refused to discuss anything with a beligerent parent.

Don D

Not only are you not required to but I think it's an insult to the young worker to even consider it. "Candy, sugar, mommies going to sit here with us to make sure I communicate well with you and don't upset you and so she'll be sure to follow up and give you guidance once you get home to mommie's house." I can't imagine. Now if you had an eleven year old babysitter, maybe you might take up a problem with mommy, but not a worker in a day care center. If she's old enough to work legally, she's old enough to sit down and understand gentle discipline for a young worker.

System

Well, think of this one: You have an 18-year-old high school grad who brought her infant to work. She couldn't find a sitter and didn't want to all out. She figured the infant could sleep while she conducted after-school activities for grade school students. The supervisor counsels the youth worker and tells her to leave the "friggin" baby at home. The youth's father serves on one of our boards. They are a minority family.

Given, you've already disciplined the supervisor for his poor choice of words in counseling, would you as a courtesy speak to the girl's father?

Don D

Other than being a figurehead on a board, what's the girl's father got to do with the price of eggs in China? No, I would not speak to him as a courtesy. And I would consider it a discourtesy if he came to me and mentioned it. I would tell him she's an adult and you can't discuss it with him. Now, if the board controlled my job, I might cruise on over to his house tonite with a gallon of Haagen Daas.

HRQ

I agree. Common sense told me if the law says she's old enough to GET a job without parental permission, she's old enough to actually deal with anything that arises at that job without parental participation. (or interference)

You guys are great! x:)