CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS

As a Manager or as an HR professional advising management, you will need to interpret company policies and apply guidelines to various employment situations. For this week's discussion, use your own company's employee handbook/policies (or one from a past employer, one you find on the Internet, one from a friend, etc) to decide how to address (3) of the Scenarios from the list.

1. What course of action will you take or recommend in terms of progressive discipline - verbal warning, written warning, suspension, final warning, suspension or termination?
2. How does this match with your company's policies? What, if any, conflicts are there between what you "want" to do versus what the policy "requires" you to do?
3. Describe the potential legal issues in the scenario -- particular laws that apply or legal exposure for the way you handle it.

Scenarios

Scenario 1: You are a supervisor in a warehousing operation. You recently instituted a "No Smoking' policy in the facility. All employees were notified of the policy in the facility. It was not well received. As you walk down aisle B in the warehouse, you see a cloud of smoke and then see Chris running to aisle A. You need to talk to Chris.

Scenario 2: You are an office manager overseeing a department of 25 people. One of your employees comes to you and complains about Pat's unpleasant body odor and how difficult it is to work in the same area. You agree to talk to Pat.

Scenario 3: You are the sales department manager at an upscale store. Your boss has talked to you about the appearance of some of your sales clerks - particularly Alex. Alex is sporting on his forearm a new, large tattoo of a devil eating a rat. You agree with your boss that some customers might find it offensive and that it should somehow be covered up. You need to talk to Alex.