Don't Ever Want Another Weekend Like This One!

It's hard to fire somebody, and the new way of thinking for HR types is that you have to really try to fit a person in your organization, before letting them go. If you have to work with this woman, I'd suggest communicating how you feel to her in a professional manner. Find out why she is so resistant to your suggestions, and see if the two of you can come up with a way to co-exist. At the same time if she is breaking policy under your watch be sure to let the higher ups know.

As it has been said, it is very hard to fire a person, no matter how incompetent they are. Even with documented proof the person fired can file suit and very often win the case. This is even more possible with a person who is "older". They can clean up on an age discrimination suit! My business law instructor covered the situation in class and when he was working as an attorney he had a situation come up when he was doing business in Chicago. He had a woman working for him that had specific duties. Soon she wasn't doing her job at all. One day he went in early and checked her desk and computer. He found a list of her "clients" and balls of yarn and other craft supplies. It turns out he had been paying her to run HER craft business instead of doing her work for him. He boxed all her craft crap and printed out two copies of the lists and other information for her business (he kept one copy). When she came in she was VERY surprised to find him at work that early. He informed her that she was fired and explained why. About three days later he received information from the employment bureau that she had filed for unemployment. He fought the claim for cause but he lost...WHY? Because she had worked for 182 days...two more days than the Illinois statute. If he had fired her even on the 180th day she couldn't have collected. With the uprising of the older citizens about age discrimination, they hold the high hand. They have management trembling in their boots! It is entirely possible that the management is building the case against this woman. They HAVE to show her incompetence before they fire her. They can't just take one or two person's complaints, they need to have irrefutable proof that she isn't suitable for the jobs assigned to her. Start documenting her inadequacies. Inform everyone on that ward to do the same. Keep a note book noting the problem and what time it happened. It doesn't have to be done immediately, but do it as soon as possible. If each person working on that ward does the same thing and after a week everyone turns the information in to the supervisor, they can't ignore the truth. In the mean time, talking to her sounds like you would be talking to a brick. You will waste your breath. She isn't listening now, more than likely she won't listen later. Although, you might try taking her aside in a quiet area, and laying out the facts on her. Obviously she needs the job, and if she continues to behave in this manner she won't have one. She needs to be in a job where she can't hurt someone...like organizing the closet with the door locked from the outside!!! Let the supervisor know what the woman is doing in the meantime. She is putting everyone at risk and doesn't belong in a "high risk" area. Especially where violent patients are involved. She could cause her coworkers to be seriously injured or killed. After all, when a patient with mental problems gets violent, they channel ALL their energies into their anger. I have friends who have worked at Atascadero State Hospital and very few of them have not been injured by a patient. I am not in management, although I do own my own business and have hired and fired many people who are incompetent. It is very difficult to deal with the situation! One of my fired workers was a pip! I felt sorry for him because he couldn't get a job. (First mistake...) I taught him one on one what I wanted done. It was a very simple job stuffing teddy bears. I supplied him with a batch of bears to stuff and the first batch was returned beautifully stuffed! I was thrilled!!! I gave him a second batch and they came back filthy, horribly stuffed, smelly...it was awful!!! When I picked up the filthy batch of bears he informed me that he would only stuff five bears at a time, that the stuffing holes had to be a certain size (6" long. In a arm or leg that is 7 inches long, it is a bit difficult to have that size hole) and that he wouldn't stuff anything white (That was a DUH comment) and that the bears couldn't be under 8 inches long. I told him not to worry because I really didn't need his services any longer. He pitched a fit and threatened to file for unemployment (which he couldn't because he only worked for me for a month) and that I couldn't fire him because he was a friend. The friendship ended, I threw out the batch of bears that he stuffed they couldn't be used because the dirt and smell were so deeply imbedded in the fabric that that was the only thing I could do. The ones that had been beautifully stuffed had been done by the man's mother! I learned a valuable lesson, don't hire someone because you feel sorry for them.

Reading your topic give me different reactions. When you said "why not fire her" - I feel dismay When You said "she disregarded policies and risking residents"- I feel desperate for her When you said "you want to kill her"- I can't help but laugh. Goodness- yes, why put your health at risk working with her. Why can't the company give her proper action. She is illegible for retirement benefits right? So, why not send her home and give her the benefits that she needs, instead of making others irate and having headache.

Wait a minute! Could it be that she has been sent to your unit as a patient! Mistakes such as these happen and I only hope it is a mistake. If that is not the case what stops you all from preparing a report on her and submit it to the powers that be. Earlier the better. You need to collect ample evidence to substantiate your report.

Hi Suebee, It sounds like you have good reason to be concerned. If I were you I'd discuss all this with your supervisor or someone in management because it sounds like this woman is only in the workplace to create drama. No one should have to deal with that. At least if you speak with someone in management you will have done your part. Then if there are future problems it won't come as a surprise to them. I believe it's important to communicate especially if having her there is a risk where your safety or the safety of others is concerned.

Im sorry you had to go through this, and it can be very frustrating as well as stressful. I remember working in a retireement home and I was new. I mean fresh out of school new. I had all the middle age woman picking on me to the point I snapped. They expected me at 19 to be in charge of 70 residents by myself after only 2 days on the job. They didnt even give me training either, and they would pull the pull a double shift or else your fired. Maybe, they dont want to fire her because shes been there too long, or shes close to retirement. Dont let it stress you too much, give it a few days, and if it continues file a written letter to management. I remember working in that sort of environment I was happy leave not because of the job, but of the coworkers who harrassed me.

Well, the only way to really fix this problem is to document everything she does, also, get everyone in your unit that does not like how and what she is doing. Then take all the information to your supervisor and have a meeting with him. And in addition to that, many complaints from many people to the boss will only make them look deeper into this. If she really is putting patients health at risk, that is a major strike against her. And that should be brought up to the supervisor. I hope these suggestions help.