Filing a Complaint Against an Employee - What NOT to Do
31 January 2023
Are You Sending This Type of Notice to Employees? Here's Why You Shouldn't!
I saw this letter on one of the groups with more technicians than managers/owners, and the comments were hilarious! These techs'
comments mostly involved chestthumping about how if they were ever written up they would quit, or they would never sign it, etc... Bunch of entitled employee crap that does nothing to help their professional image or general life skills, IMO.
That said, there is actually a lot of serious items to unpack here...
- This is a formal complaint notification... not a write-up. What is the functional purpose behind presenting this to anyone?
- The reported violations/misconduct are all over the map, and less than usefully defined for the person in the crosshairs.
- Is the urinating in the bottle the problem, or is it the supposed present left for the coworker?
- Unclear what the processes are that were violated... I am unable to even translate 2.a.
- How is someone even able to get information necessary to run calls when not approved by management? Sounds like a system failure rather than any sort of violation.
- Road rage and/or joking in the realm of sexual discrimination/harassment is honestly a worthy complaint in its own right. Still hearsay without more context, and again, notifying the offender in this fashion is not overly useful.
- Inappropriate comments during meetings MUST be dealt with DURING the meeting itself. Failure to do so sets the precedent that it is allowed and makes it much more difficult to hold people accountable after the fact.
End of the day, just about everything about this piece of paper is just wrong. The final nail in the coffin for me is the fact that the only result from this will be team drama and potential creation of a hostile work environment, given that the person receiving this notice would instantly be able to tell who it was that complained and retaliate... Hostile work environment, anyone?
Get your systems right, and ANYTHING you put in place should be run through the filter of "How does THIS policy/procedure help enhance the Brand?" If the answer is not positive, DON'T DO IT!
You need a strong Brand and good company culture to attract - and keep - the best employees. Here are some tips for how to showcase your home service company as a great place to work and take the first step towards successful recruiting.
From Labor Law Posters to Safety Manuals – everything your staff needs to boost compliance and morale, in one dedicated spot. Having an up-to-date and complete Employee Resource Center will give you the peace of mind to run your business without worrying about compliance.
Reasonable Accommodations in the workplace are no joke - you can get into serious legal trouble if you don't comply with the ADA. Yet here's a case study on a company who terminated someone for an issue directly related to their disability and was not held legally liable. Check out the details of how this might apply to your business.
Home services companies might be tempted to classify workers as independent contractors, but we STRONGLY advise you to hire them as W-2 workers instead. And it's not just because the government might fine you (big time!). Read more for tips on why it'll be in your company's best interest.
Listen to The H.R. Guy explaining the nuances of HR for the Trades in 2025, with tips on common HR pitfalls and how to avoid them, the value of Stay Interviews, key mistakes with performance pay, and the ultimate goal of "Representing the Brand."
You thought you were rid of that toxic employee, but now he's causing you even more problems - posting negative Google reviews and refusing to return company property. Why is this happening?
As a residential service provider, you might not think you're in the construction industry, but the Department of Labor has its own definition... and regulations. If you're in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, garage doors, or roofing, here are some things you need to know.
Perspective employers can ask anything they want about an applicant, but you as a current/ex-employer are legally restricted on what you are allowed to share. Check out this post for details... and for the one exception to the rule.
Some job candidates spend more effort prepping to "ace" an interview than they will spend on doing the job! Use these tips to figure out which candidate will be the best employee, and to avoid legal hot water.
If your business struggles with employee tardies and unexplained absences, an information Attendance Point System might be a good solution. Use these tips to create a system that's consistent and effective.