have you ever had to FIRE anyone?

Firing is usually easy: somebody has fucked up beyond the point of no return. But there are legalities and you best not lose sight of that. You'd better have it 100% documented and better be ready to defend it, to EDD and possibly in court. I've done that too. Never lost. Touch and go on one of them who had family members who were lawyers. That cost us some serious money to defend. But we won. Had the race card dumped on me twice. As it happened, thanks to their own idiocy they were the easiest to defend, but that's not always the case, those firings can go seriously south on you in a hurry and then you are fucked. High stakes. I take firing very seriously and we don't do it without multiple warnings, serious cause and total documentation. A good employment lawyer working a bad/poorly documented firing on contingency can bankrupt your ass.

Layoffs are horrendous. No two ways about it. Somebody has to go, and it's somebody who wasn't doing a bad job but the money isn't there. You don't sleep well those nights.

 

Yes

 

Dozens. In my line of work I typically have to find reasons to fire 3 or 4 of our seasonal help each year. Last year one in particular was a fantastic employee and very hard worker, but unfortunately I watched that son of a bitch eat my lunch, right on camera.

Never eat your bosses lunch. Immediate termination.


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You're not lying about documentation. We have procedures in place for terminations and it typically involves verbal warning (documented), written warning (documented) and termination.

Being in a safety sensitive industry, there are certain things we will terminate employees for immediately (then backed up with documentation) because it puts peoples lives in jeopardy.

I've let multiple people go in my short career so far.

 

Really? You actually whacked somebody for eating your lunch?

 

I had to fire my best friend one time. I got him the job and after a month or so my boss was like you have to tell him he is fired. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done.

 

Both sides, been fired and had to fire several over the years...

 

I've only ever fired those who deserved it. Failed drug tests, poor performance, theft, behavioral problems.

I think it is easy if you keep emotion out of it.

When I pull people in, I tell them its not about them as a person, this is about your performance, behavior, etc.

This is what needs to be done to comply.

Each time there is noncompliance, its a write up.

After the third write up, its the last talk.

All documentation is done. The former employee understands that they didn't perform.