Disgruntled "ex" employee

dchr9203

Just seeking an opinion. I'll probably go with my gut which says "do not respond", just wanted to get a feel for what you may have experienced. The short of the long is we terminated an employee for cause; employee then sends package of "their side" info to president of our company, and of course sent it certified, return receipt. I've no doubt the employee will pursue legal action. Would any of you respond to his package or just let it lie until the lawyers engage?

dbutton111

Just file it in his/her file. No response is needed.

ray a

This has happened to me a couple of times. The president was responding back to these people, but then even disgruntled ee's still here started sending emails with "their version" hoping he would kiss their boo's boo's and make everything better again. He has since realized he needs to back off and leave these problems up to HR. I would not respond. Anything you say could come back to haunt you if there is legal action.

KathiHR

I wouldn't respond, but I'd sure read through the contents of the package. If you think they will seek legal action, then their package contains valuable information concerning "their side".

SMace

Responding to bullshxt leads to more bullshxt. I can tell you that from experience.

marc

Just a little twist as to what others are saying. I would respond with an invitation to utilize our greivance procedures. EEs have to formally request it, but it is often "lost in the shuffle" as the disciplinary process progresses. It allows the EE to greive to HR, Exec Dir, then a member of the Personnel committee (Board of Trustees). Each step has time tables and parameters, requiring written statements with appeal procedures if the EE strongly disagrees with findings at each level.

The only reason I would do this, has to do with mitigating lawsuits. If you can show you bent over backwards to give the EE their moment in the sun, it might play well with the "reasonable person" standards if you ever get to the legal arena.

Whirlwind

I agree with Marc and have gone this route before. A fired ee who is allowed to exhaust internal recourse options often runs out of gas before he gets to a lawsuit and, if not, it makes the employer look better in court.

Crout

And he/she might find a new job while the timetable plays out and move on.

Don D

My experience is that anybody who is going to sue you or engage you in a 'charge process' is not going to send you a package laying out their case. I would not respond to it.