What are our options?
UgaHR
10 Posts
We are a new, rapidly growing, and changing company. In January, we hired someone into an IT position. In March, the job description was written and signed. In August, the COO, not the person's immediate supervisor, wants the person terminated. He has back problems and so sometimes he walks around the office, talking to other employees, to alleviate his back. This wandering around is distracting and frustrating. Also, after closely looking at the job description, this person can only do 50% of the tasks on the list.
The COO wants to do a "RIF" and terminate the position. I see nothing but red flags in that direction. The immediate supervisor wants more time to document problems and follow the discipline process but the COO is pushy and likes to get his way, yesterday. I'm a rooky and everyone knows it so I sitll have a hard time standing my ground on what I think is right. What CAN we do and what SHOULD we do?
Here is what I have done: pushed for accurate job descriptions PRIOR to interviewing candidates, pushed for supervisors to document even the most innocent of coaching sessions.
Thanks for the help. I look forward to learning from wiser HR professionals.
Comments
If you do a RIF and hire another person into the same position, you will be setting yourself up for a pretext case. This will be substantially remedied if the employee will admit in writing that they can't do everything in the job description and if you do a release and settlement. Consult conusel. Do what you can to prevent the COO from making this happen before everything is in place, whether it's discipline or RSA.