What a Morning

[Doug S]

Your policies and procedures are there to cover your ass in the case of termination, not the employees.
Once a policy is in place and in the handbook, you can write up your employees for infraction of said policy.

They violate policy, you write them up for it. They keep doing it then you fire em. You have documentation to show in the unemployment hearing how they violated company policy X amount of times along with written documentation where they were informed of said policy, told that if they did it again, termination. Their signature on the bottom of the write up report is enough for any magistrate to deny the claim.

Show up at an unemployment hearing without documentation of any kind (verbal don't count in court) and you're F'ed.

If you need an employee manual, plenty of basic ones are available online that will get you going. Then you just amend is as you go.

I'm working on a manual for sure.  I've just started this year with employees.  Until recently me and my wife were doing it all. 

[bimmridder]

OK, so now we've gone to policies and writing up/terminating people. We spent a lot of time and money writing up a very comprehensive employee manual. We had our HR company write it for us, so lawyers were involved, also. We feel like we have left nothing to chance. We have always gone by documenting all disciplinary actions. If it's not recorded, it never happened. One thing that I do when I have the pleasure of writing someone up, is I put it in THEIR words. For example.

" I realize I was late  to work again today on 06/09/14. I have been talked to about this previously and I understand the implications of my actions, Those being dismissal with further occurrences.  I understand that my tardiness puts an unfair load on my fellow employees, and also hurt production. My position with this company is dependent on me being to work on time, and ready to work at that  time. I understand if I cannot meet these commitments that we have previously agreed to, my position here is in jeopardy. I understand I have caused unfair extra work to my fellow wmployess and cause production to suffer. Lastly, I understand that if this happens again, I may lose my position with this company"


Or something like that, ya know? Make them own up to their mistakes and poor performance. Along with this I have a form that any temp worker must sign and bring it on their first day. Just the basics. Work your hours, No ell phones, blah blah. Don't bring this form in with you the first day, you don't work for me. I don't care how busy we are. You work for me, not the other way around. I know I sound like a prick, but the temps this year have been the worst I've ever dealt with. (should I start a new thread?) I'm trying to run production, and I can't let it run me.

Stepping down off the soap box

[jsheridan]

is I put it in THEIR words. For example.

In their words.. i like that.

[bimmridder]

I probably didn't write that very well. The point I was making is that when I hand an employee a written notice (or record of verbal warning) I want them to read it as though they are saying it. They OWN the problem that has to be corrected. Certainly more has to be written than I said, such as the infraction, remedies, and consequences. I just really like this style. And, it's not making me the bad guy either.

[JBLUE]

What has been said above is good stuff. I let my guys know up front that I dont fire people. People fire themselves. We have rules and they are to be followed.

[alan802]

I didn't catch one guy playing on his phone the entire day yesterday.  It was nice.

[Underbase37]

Did you have a talk with them or did they just catch the vibe/hint?

Murphy37

[GraphicDisorder]

What has been said above is good stuff. I let my guys know up front that I dont fire people. People fire themselves. We have rules and they are to be followed.

I am stealing this.  Said perfectly.

[tancehughes]

We're hiring two new employees (canned two on Monday) and they have a 28 page handbook that outlines how we operate and how they can get themselves fired. We used Bill Hood's handbook template and modified it to our needs. If anyone wants to purchase it from him I can give you his contact info.

[alan802]

Did you have a talk with them or did they just catch the vibe/hint?

Murphy37

Just the uncomfortable staring I did on Friday seemed to work for now.  But I've still got the cell phone policy notice that I will put in their next paycheck just to reinforce it.

I started on an employee handbook a year or so ago and stopped and then forgot about it.  I have to find it on my old hard drive and finish it.  It was the generic version where you go in and customize it to your business.   

[Underbase37]

Did you have a talk with them or did they just catch the vibe/hint?

Murphy37

Just the uncomfortable staring I did on Friday seemed to work for now.  But I've still got the cell phone policy notice that I will put in their next paycheck just to reinforce it.

I started on an employee handbook a year or so ago and stopped and then forgot about it.  I have to find it on my old hard drive and finish it.  It was the generic version where you go in and customize it to your business.

That's funny...I need to get a hand book going. Did you just do a Google search & find something suitable to work with?

Murphy37

[tonypep]

What has been said above is good stuff. I let my guys know up front that I dont fire people. People fire themselves. We have rules and they are to be followed.

I am stealing this.  Said perfectly.

Ha! I've been using that phrase for decades. But Dave aka Bim aka Barth Gimble (funny no one picked up on that yet) didn't steal it. It's a simple truism.

[mk162]

there are online handbooks you can download...they are an excellent starting point.  i think ours was $30 and it's been great.

[alan802]

Yeah Murph, I think I paid 19 for the basic outlined handbook that allowed you to customize it just about any way you needed.