Discipline & Termination

You can tackle tardiness

July 1, 2014
Employees who are chronically tardy can cause just as many problems as employees who don’t show up at all. Use the following tips to solve the problem.

Difficult employee? Time for ‘the chat’

June 27, 2014
Being an effective manager means confronting those “challenging” employees who, while typically good at their jobs, too often display unprofessional or downright obnoxious behavior. The best way to tackle such problems is to meet with employees right when you spot the problem behavior. When you sit down with the employee, describe the behaviors and tell the employee firmly that those behaviors must stop, using the D-I-S method.

The art of giving negative feedback

May 5, 2014
Negative feedback requires a manager to motivate, counsel and criticize in a way that alerts employees to where the problems lie and what must be done to solve them. Fortunately, it’s a skill that can be learned. Follow this seven-step method whenever giving negative feedback.

How to have that ‘difficult chat’

April 28, 2014
Talking to employees about performance problems, attendance issues, or an upcoming layoff can be awkward. Take these steps to make those conversations easier for you—and your employees.

Sexual harassment: What managers need to know

December 5, 2013
As a manager, you have a legal responsibility to be on the lookout for misconduct. Here’s what’s considered sexual harassment in American workplaces and how to react if you see it or hear about it.

Worker refuses to sign disciplinary notice

October 10, 2012
Q. I recently disciplined an employee for poor performance. She did not agree with my assessment and refused to sign the memo documenting our discussion. Can I discipline her further for not signing?

Choose Your Words Wisely

September 1, 2012
It was an honest mistake, but a sloppy error that’s going to cost the company thousands of dollars. What do you do? Even the best employees screw up, and while it’s your job to handle disciplinary issues, you don’t want to risk losing an otherwise valuable employee.

Track discipline in a way that allows easy recall

August 23, 2012
You will never know which employee will sue or for what reason. That’s a good reason to carefully track all discipline and make the records easy to access.

Handling insubordination: manager guidelines

August 15, 2011
Insubordination can result when difficult employees intentionally disregard a direct order from a manager, or inadvertently cross the discipline line when company policy is involved. Knowing how to handle employee insubordination can go a long way toward avoiding legal consequences when discipline or discharge is necessary.

Alcoholism: a disability; drunkenness: a firing offense

February 11, 2011
Alcoholism may be a disability, but that doesn’t mean alcoholic employees can get away with showing up at work a little tipsy.