Jump to content

Menu

situation resolved


Just Another Jen
 Share

Recommended Posts

You  have to protect your business............. it will probably cause hard feelings for a while but hopefully not for too long. Especially if you don't talk about it to other family members, except to correct anything wrong they say to you about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would be really tough, but it needs to be done. I think the first thing is coming to the right place in your own mind. You have perfectly good reasons for doing it, so there is no place for guilt. As I am sure you know, you can not control their reaction, so you are going to have to just accept that they might respond quite badly, but just decide to proceed anyway.

 

Perhaps say something like, "Pat, I know this is uncomfortable to discuss, but this employment situation isn't working for me anymore. I am afraid I am going to have to end it as of this Friday." Then decide if you want to answer the why's.

 

You can do this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just make sure you cancel the credit cards before you do it..... if they are angry, who knows how it will go down....

 

many hugs.... its hard.

 

fwiw,

ann

 

ps.  have you discussed the issues with them, and documented them?  i think if you handle it as if they weren't family, that is good.

eg. step 1: oral warning (re sickness) + written warning re credit cards (its more serious).  you both need to sign the written warning.

       step 2: written warning re absences.  if misuse of cards has continued, then you can fire them at that point.  

 

it also means it won't be a complete surprise.  however, if they shape up, then you can't fire them.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm wondering if you have an accountant or lawyer.

And if they can be the fall guy -

chalk the termination up to something THEY'VE found.

 

Accountant: discrepancies in the books

Lawyer: some kind of CC fraud related the purchases, maybe*

 

* setting it up as being Something Else when approaching the employee.

Like you're overlooking the fact that they've spent inappropriately.

But a third party cannot due to /some made up or cleverly worded/ reason.

 

Sounds like a pickle.

I'm sorry you're having to deal with this.

As if family weren't complicated enough, right?
Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I I also know that this person is going to be furious and I will be portrayed as the bad guy. Sigh.

 

Unfortunately there's no way around this happened. They WILL be furious, because right now you're a gravy train and they're taking advantage of you. There's no way they're going to take it well when that gets shut down. And yes, they will do everything they can to make you out to be the bad guy, as the alternative is admitting that they were a horrible employee to the rest of your family (which isn't going to happen). However, the alternative is to knowingly let yourself be walked all over and taken advantage of simply because you're afraid of them making a stink about it. It SUCKS, but you have to do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd put everything in writing (including previous reprimands with dates). Be as unemotional and factual as possible. (August 1, 2014: discussed frequent unexcused absences. August 17: unexcused absence.) List the unauthorized charges, date, amount, location. Bring two copies and sign and date both and have him sign and date both. If you have an attorney, maybe give him/her a call? S/he might have a voluntary resignation form you could print out and have handy...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As long as you are in an "at will" state, there is no reason to document.  You can, but you do not have to.  Is this a small business?  If so, you are not even subject to nondiscrimination requirements (race, gender, etc.), and one of the reasons to document is to avoid a claim that you really fired Employee A because he is (insert your choice of protected classes here).  I would skip the documentation and get it over with.  Rip the band-aid.   You can always cry and say you can't afford him/her, With the Economy Being What it Is.

 

If you are in California, disregard all of the above and just close your business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just an example of a case where the family member was NOT fired - the staff of the company completely lost faith and respect for the owners because they would not do the right thing. Attitudes were horrible. I mean, if Boss Man wouldn't fire Princess after committing a felony multiple times, why on earth should I worry about getting fired for poor, sloppy work?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great advice above.

 

Plus, I'd like to think you will be helping this person grow into a more responsible, mature employee by firing him. After all, most businesses fire unproductive employees...a smart person learns from that. this person is taking advantage of you.

 

I hope this person is more gracious than you imagine, but either way--do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Get the credit card back, then fire the person and tell them that because they are family, you're not going to press charges for the theft (if it's a small enough amount that you can eat the loss). Make it clear that if they weren't someone you cared about, you'd have called the cops. I would probably also make it clear that if they tried to create drama in the family over it, I would provide THE FAMILY with written documentation of exactly why they were fired.

 

Prepare the written documentation to have handy when this person slanders you to relatives.

 

Note: I would keep the law out of it because it's family, but make it clear that this is not an infinite invitation; any further illegal behavior towards me and family would be met with the law, including reporting the current theft if the statute of limitations wasn't up.

 

Sadly, I have a particular family member who comes to mind when i envision how such a scenario would go down...it stinks when you care about someone but simply can't trust them any longer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:grouphug:   you are probably dreaming that the relationship will continue in a happy way.  generally - when badly behaved people get called out on their bad behavior - they don't respond well.

 

nevertheless - you have to do what you have to do and you would be doing a disservice to a shirker to *enable* them to continue to shirk.  not to mention the adverse effect upon your bottom line.

 

eta: credit card - if you are the account owner - you can cancel the card in their possession (if shouldn't affect your own card on the same account), so if they won't just hand it over, you don't have to worry.  any charges accrued after you've canceled the card will be on the heads of the merchant/card-vendor.

 

 

good note above - think of all the places where card numbers are entered (and stored) electronically so you don't have to have the card in hand to use it, especially online.  so that account/card must be *canceled.*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

do not, repeat NOT, stretch this out.  fire him. today.  cancel the bank card. today.

 

next time - you've learned the lesson on why there are employee files so you have somewhere to put all the documents.  making a tardy employee sign a statement saying "yes, I was tardy. I know I need to be on time".  and there are five in the file  . . . . well, kinda takes their 'woe is me' platform away.

 

do NOT give another warning.  just fire. him.

I have talked to this person 4-5 times and each time I am told that he understands. I guess maybe I should have done things in writing. Its going to take me awhile to find someone else anyway. I don't want to stretch it out and let this go on. Maybe I'll document the financial and take the credit card tonight. Then I'll also give a warning about the absence and probably end him firing on that by next weekend.

 you said you don't trust this person.

 

a disgruntled employee with no respect for others who gets a wiff they're going to be out of a job soon can cause huge amounts of damage.  one totally trashed the business owners records.  (irony was - the owner wasn't planning on firing her - just hiring another person.)

they can destroy property, they can cause all sorts of damage and chaos and drive away customers.

 

just fire him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...