MISCONDUCT OR INSUBORDINATION?? DOES IT DESERVE TERMINATION?
DIRECTOR
3 Posts
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF A SMALL (3.5 EMPLOYEES)NOT FOR PROFIT AGENCY IN INDIANA. WE DO HAVE A PERSONNEL POLICY MANUAL BUT IT DOES NOT COVER EVERY SITUATION THAT I HAVE HAD WITH ONE EMPLOYEE. IF THERE IS A LOOPHOLE IN THE POLICIES SHE WILL JUMP THROUGH IT. I AM CURRENTLY DEALING WITH HER ON TWO AREAS OF CONCERN THAT ARE NOT COVERED IN OUR POLICY MANUAL.
ONE PROGRAM WE OPERATE IS A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS DUE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE ACTUAL LOCATION OF THE FACILITY, BASED ON OUR POLICY, HAS TO REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. HOWEVER, OUR PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICES ARE LOCATED ON THE SAME PREMISES. I HAVE TALKED WITH THIS EMPLOYEE IN THE PAST ABOUT HER DESIRE TO HAVE A "RUMMAGE SALE" TO SELL OUR ORGANIZATIONS SURPLUS ITEMS. SHE WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD BRING MANY PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE PREMISES WHO MIGHT RECOGNIZE A PERSON RESIDING IN OUR HOUSING PROGRAM OR A VEHICLE BELONGING TO A RESIDENT.
ON SATURDAY (OUR OFFICES ARE OPEN M-F) MY HUSBAND WENT INTO THE OFFICE TO REPAIR A TELEPHONE LINE. HE CAME HOME AND TOLD ME THAT THIS EMPLOYEE WAS HOLDING A RUMMAGE SALE (HER PERSONAL ITEMS, NOT THE CORPORATIONS) IN OUR PARKING LOT. SHE HAD ENTERED THE BUILDING AND WAS USING TABLES AND FURNISHINGS FROM OUR OFFICE. SHE HAD NOT ASKED PERMISSION TO DO THIS OR MENTIONED HER PLANS TO HAVE A RUMMAGE SALE ON OUR PREMISES. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO THE OFFICE AND SAW SIGNS ON POLES ABOUT A RUMMAGE SALE AT OUR ADDRESS. WHEN I GOT TO THE OFFICE I ASKED HER WHAT SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS DOING! HER RESPONSE WAS " I DIDN'T THINK YOU WOULD CARE IF I HAD A RUMMAGE SALE". I TOLD THE EMPLOYEE THAT SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN TOLD HOW I FELT ABOUT HAVING A RUMMAGE SALE ON THE PREMISES AND THAT SHE WAS TO PACK UP AND REMOVE THE SALE IMMEDIATELY. SHE MOVED THE SALE TO HER YARD (WHICH IS ADJACENT TO OUR OFFICE).
ON TWO OTHER OCCASSIONS SHE HAS "BORROWED" ITEMS FROM THE OFFICE WITHOUT ASKING PERMISSION; ONCE WAS A VCR AND THE SECOND TIME WAS A PUNCH BOWL. NOT MAJOR ITEMS BUT THEY ARE NOT HER BELONGINGS. SHE WAS TOLD BOTH TIMES THAT SHE NEEDED TO ASK PERMISSION BEFORE REMOVING PROPERTY FROM THE PREMISES. I DID NOT WRITE A DISCIPLINARY REPORT.
SINCE SHE HAS BEEN VERBALLY TOLD TWICE NOT TO REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE OFFICE AND SHE KNOWS THE CONFIDENTIALITY RULES FOR THE HOUSING PROGRAM DO HER ACTIONS JUSTIFY TERMINATION?
I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK.
ONE PROGRAM WE OPERATE IS A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS DUE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE ACTUAL LOCATION OF THE FACILITY, BASED ON OUR POLICY, HAS TO REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. HOWEVER, OUR PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICES ARE LOCATED ON THE SAME PREMISES. I HAVE TALKED WITH THIS EMPLOYEE IN THE PAST ABOUT HER DESIRE TO HAVE A "RUMMAGE SALE" TO SELL OUR ORGANIZATIONS SURPLUS ITEMS. SHE WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD BRING MANY PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE PREMISES WHO MIGHT RECOGNIZE A PERSON RESIDING IN OUR HOUSING PROGRAM OR A VEHICLE BELONGING TO A RESIDENT.
ON SATURDAY (OUR OFFICES ARE OPEN M-F) MY HUSBAND WENT INTO THE OFFICE TO REPAIR A TELEPHONE LINE. HE CAME HOME AND TOLD ME THAT THIS EMPLOYEE WAS HOLDING A RUMMAGE SALE (HER PERSONAL ITEMS, NOT THE CORPORATIONS) IN OUR PARKING LOT. SHE HAD ENTERED THE BUILDING AND WAS USING TABLES AND FURNISHINGS FROM OUR OFFICE. SHE HAD NOT ASKED PERMISSION TO DO THIS OR MENTIONED HER PLANS TO HAVE A RUMMAGE SALE ON OUR PREMISES. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE TO THE OFFICE AND SAW SIGNS ON POLES ABOUT A RUMMAGE SALE AT OUR ADDRESS. WHEN I GOT TO THE OFFICE I ASKED HER WHAT SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS DOING! HER RESPONSE WAS " I DIDN'T THINK YOU WOULD CARE IF I HAD A RUMMAGE SALE". I TOLD THE EMPLOYEE THAT SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN TOLD HOW I FELT ABOUT HAVING A RUMMAGE SALE ON THE PREMISES AND THAT SHE WAS TO PACK UP AND REMOVE THE SALE IMMEDIATELY. SHE MOVED THE SALE TO HER YARD (WHICH IS ADJACENT TO OUR OFFICE).
ON TWO OTHER OCCASSIONS SHE HAS "BORROWED" ITEMS FROM THE OFFICE WITHOUT ASKING PERMISSION; ONCE WAS A VCR AND THE SECOND TIME WAS A PUNCH BOWL. NOT MAJOR ITEMS BUT THEY ARE NOT HER BELONGINGS. SHE WAS TOLD BOTH TIMES THAT SHE NEEDED TO ASK PERMISSION BEFORE REMOVING PROPERTY FROM THE PREMISES. I DID NOT WRITE A DISCIPLINARY REPORT.
SINCE SHE HAS BEEN VERBALLY TOLD TWICE NOT TO REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE OFFICE AND SHE KNOWS THE CONFIDENTIALITY RULES FOR THE HOUSING PROGRAM DO HER ACTIONS JUSTIFY TERMINATION?
I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK.
Comments
It is very interesting that she lives next door to the facility but "chose" to have a rummage sale on company property after being specifically told not to.
The items she "borrowed", I assume she returned. Even just borrowing after you told her not to do is seems to be another example of "I'll show her!"
I don't believe you will have anything but trouble from this employee. I would cut her loose while I had a good, solid reason for doing so.
Also, if she has a key to the place, get the locks changed!
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
One thing though, you mentioned that you didn't fill out a disciplinary report. Do you have any other documentation for the times she's been spoken to? A memo to file, a work diary, etc.? If not, you'll have a hard time if she files a complaint saying that she's never been disciplined. If you don't have the documentation to back up your claim to fire her, you'll have a lot of problems proving it. Also, you don't want to scramble now to stuff her file full of these notes. If you don't have anything written, start now and mention in the write-up that we've spoken on several occaisions (list dates where you remember specific instances), and tell her further violations of company rules will lead to further disciplinary action up to and including termination if immediate results are not shown.
Let us know how it goes.