Problem employee what to do?

Question

Okay so we hired this new girl at work and she is so high maint it is exhausting. I am her boss and she challenges me every single moment. I am not a babysitter and she needs babysitting. So bottom line she does not like me but hey I am not here for friends.

She has no bad mouthed me to the powers that be and is now to the point of being flippant with me. I have kept my cool and let her start to cook her own goose. Yesterday I was out on sales calls and called in to talk with her she was out for 2 hours lunch and Doctor. Then when she came back and was given the message she did not call. Now she left work early and no call to me and it is now noon and she has not shown up for work no call but texted one of my employees. What to do?

Answer 1

I will assume you have the responsibility to handle personnel matters and that you do not have an HR department or that you are the HR department.  If you do not have this responsibility, report the problems to the HR department and let them handle it, because that it their responsibility.

That said, unless she has an employment contract, she is an at-will employee and you can fire her for any of these violations or for no violations.  However, you may open yourself up to, at the very least, being charged for her unemployment claim, or worse a wrongful termination lawsuit or a discrimination charge.  In order to avoid that, you need to clearly document the problems and give her a chance to correct them before you fire her.  

You should give her a warning, in writing, and ask her to sign the warning acknowledging that she has received it.  Keep this in her file.  Set out the problems with her behavior (insubordination, not following guidelines, taking too much time for lunch, etc.) specifically and tell her that she has a certain period of time in which to correct these problems.  Continue to communicate with her during this period of time.  If the problems are corrected, then you have not lost a good employee.  If they continue, then fire her.

Answer 2

I'd say you talk to her, let her know her behavior is unprofessional and that it needs to change.  If you can, write her a "warning" or whatever.

Then, if the behavior continues, (which it most likely will) get rid of her.

She's in the "real" world now.  And she counts on you NOT doing anything about it.  Prove her wrong.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Tell her that how she has been behaving was not acceptable, and she has no excuse to her actions. Say: "I'm going to give you a warning, behavior like this will get you fired. Please change your attitude towards me and your work. Being late is rude, and you haven't earned your full wages. You can do better, and will!" You need to lay down the law and explain that her attitude and behavior are unacceptable, and speaking to the boss like that is rude. Employee's shouldn't speak to their boss like that, it is shocking and appalling that she is sloppy and rude!

Answer 4

Fire her.  

Answer 5

You put her on leave and then once she can learn some respect for authority, then she can come back. If she does it again... can her. You shouldn't have to babysit someone you're paying to be there. If you were babysitting, then she should be paying you.

Answer 6

Am not sure if you the right person for the job if you don't know what to do but i would start to make notes time dates and so on. then wait for the right time to let go. make sure that your boss knows whats up.

Answer 7

Do you have an HR dept?  You need to document, document everything you just detailed: dates, who was present, any write ups she's received or verbal warnings, EVERYTHING.  Then present it to HR or whoever is in charge of hiring/firing.  There may be a process or procedure that you need to follow when it comes to discipline and terminating employees, especially if she's in a protected class.  You don't want her coming back and saying that she was fired because she's a woman, or older, or because of her religion, or a disability, etc.  

Answer 8

Unless she has some sort of contract regarding her employment, get rid of her and find someone better to do her job.  If I were you I wouldn't put up with this, you have a business to run and she is not helping you do that.

Answer 9

Wow. She has a lot of nerve. I am taken aback by this but can't say that I'm surprised because I've seen this myself. It is unbelievable. What are your options? Written warning? This sounds like a problem that needs to be addressed. Maybe have a meeting with her and try to get at the heart of the problem. This is not normal nor is it professional.

One of the men I work with emails his coworker when he's going to be out sick. He is always running out to his car. But nothing is done and so it continues. They gave him a nickname. Skippy.

I feel for you but I suggest talking to her face to face.  

Answer 10

First get a copy of the employee handbook.

Second if she hasn't done so, give her a copy & retain the part that she must sign saying that she has received the handbook (which also craftily says you have READ it).

Next - using profanity is insubordination - a cause for corrective communication. So is not reporting to the office as designated, according to the provided schedule, without prior approval from your supervisor/manager.

Not completing work related tasks as directed is another insubordinate offense.

In a former company it's called "giving them enough rope to hang themselves".  

Even if this model employee refuses to sign any of the "write-ups" you can always write "refuse to sign" on it & a brief line of their demeanor when they refused if necessary and make sure you send HR all copies of everything.  You will be building a case that will be hard for her to defend later if you follow the steps.