Looking for Input
Balloonman
972 Posts
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 04-01-04 AT 11:35AM (CST)[/font][br][br]I am looking for input. I have an employee who is ...........a little slow. Has been with us since '98 as a laborer. He will be 44 this year.
His performance has been dropping off the last few years and we are now to the point none of the job site superintendent's want him on their jobs. His work speed has dropped, he is also limited in what he can do work wise as opposed to the other workers. He is also limited with where he can work as he is not "comfortable" driving to far. My understanding is his mom helps him with making sure he knows how to get to the job initially. At least this is what I have been told. If I interviewed him now I would not even consider hiring him.
He has been found a few times with tools that are company tools, that if it would have been reported to me at the time, I would have terminated for theft. But I was informed of this after the fact.
He no longer is an acceptable employee. There is no discipline or documentation of that. He was given a decent increase last year, but still by far the lowest paid employee we have. Also our work has become more complex, and this is one of the reasons he no longer performs near an acceptable level. He has been off work for 6+ weeks due to lack of work, but we are getting busy now and no one wants him on their jobs.
What hazards do you see in letting him go?
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman
His performance has been dropping off the last few years and we are now to the point none of the job site superintendent's want him on their jobs. His work speed has dropped, he is also limited in what he can do work wise as opposed to the other workers. He is also limited with where he can work as he is not "comfortable" driving to far. My understanding is his mom helps him with making sure he knows how to get to the job initially. At least this is what I have been told. If I interviewed him now I would not even consider hiring him.
He has been found a few times with tools that are company tools, that if it would have been reported to me at the time, I would have terminated for theft. But I was informed of this after the fact.
He no longer is an acceptable employee. There is no discipline or documentation of that. He was given a decent increase last year, but still by far the lowest paid employee we have. Also our work has become more complex, and this is one of the reasons he no longer performs near an acceptable level. He has been off work for 6+ weeks due to lack of work, but we are getting busy now and no one wants him on their jobs.
What hazards do you see in letting him go?
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman
Comments
I think the best thing to hang your hat on in this case is the change in the work process. If technology (or whatever) has made the job more complex and he can no longer perform (or cannot be trained in) the essential functions required, it's time to part company.
Another thing you may want to consider is getting in touch with the HR folks at Goodwill Industries or similar employers of developmentally disabled individuals. At least here in Oregon, they always seem to be looking for disadvantaged people to train and staff their stores. This is a very sad set of circumstances and I feel for both you and the employee.
Good luck.
Is there any other position at the company he could perform within his limitations? We have a person who sounds very similar to your employee who is a day porter in our offices. He is slower than anybody else, but he gets the job done (eventually) and there's not a big impact to anyone.
Although it's an admirable thought, I think it might be rather treacherous for you to negotiate the 'learning or developmentally disabled' pathway without a request from his family that you do so. Once you do that, he is ADA protected since you obviously, at that point, "regard" him as disabled.
The good news is that they will be eligible for SSD, as they are now, but they choose to work instead. Maybe your guy will fall into that category too...and as suggested before, there are other community level options, like GoodWill.
I imagine that the job could become a safety hazzard for this guy too. If he's not understanding the newer concepts of the job he's placing himself and other workers in danger.
Your best option may be to just not bring him back...if he files for UC...let him have it and wish him well.
His mom looks after him, and she will not allow the above situation...........just informing him that we cannot bring you back to happen without discussion.
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman
However, I also feel for the employee...this kind of thing chokes me up actually. I just want everybody to do their best and make enough to live on at a company that's good to them - whether they're developmentally disabled or not. I know that's not reality, and you have to make a good business decision here, and I have every confidence that you will. You have to do what you have to do, but I know I would have a really hard time emotionally with this.
I don't feel that he should be terminate, due to lack of documentation. If there was legit documentation I terminate no guilt no hesitation.
I am going to have the discussion with those in charge of the project, that if there are performance standards that all are held to that he is not achieving, we will document, coach and counsel............if legit, and if he truely cannot perform the work we need, then I will terminate.
However I believe he still can be an asset, he just will have some limitations, which may mean he has to sit at home from time to time, but will still be employed.
My $0.02 worth!
DJ The Balloonman