Hi Everyone,

I want to thank all of you who have helped me in the past. I recently got a management position. This is my first management position and I love it! Unfortunately, I already have a problem employee. This person has only been to work 6 out of 15 days. She called in sick 2 days the second week. She then brought a doctors note that had her out for an entire week. It ended up being food poisoning. Then she had a day off for an appointment that I approved prior to her missing the week. Then, just last Friday, she came in 15 minutes late and was only there for 2 hours before she said she was sick again. This time I just was not buying into it. She had an event the night before and was volunteering at another event that weekend. I know that she had a doctors note, howevere, the isue needs to be addressed with a verbal warning. Any tips for me onsidering my new management position?

Is this person a once in a while employee or a full time employee? Ask yourself that. And if you answer she is a full time employee, then I would suggest getting a different employee to take her place as this woman hasn't a clue that to properly hold a job you must show up every day sometimes regardless of how you feel or don't feel.

If I didn't show up to work when I didn't want to or didn't feel good, or whatever, I certainly would be unemployed in a heart beat. What makes her so special that she can just come to work when she feels like it? I don't care how many doctor's notes she can produce either. She has plenty of money to go to a doctor, but can't come to work. Makes no sense to me.

If you don't replace her, the other employees are going to take advantage of the new person in HR in a hurry as they can see what for shennanigans this woman gets away with. It will definitely give them ideas and also ruin their morale if they come to work when they don't feel well, etc. Gee, why should I, when so and so doesn't have to?

I'd be as impersonal about the situation as possible. I mean, don't paint her black, just follow the rules. It's sometimes difficult when all you want to do is strangle her.

Document, document. Document her every hiccup. Fire her fairly according to the established attendance policy. She is the type of employee who will take the company to court to get as much as possible. If she does, have all of your ducks in a row.

No opinion, no guessing, no assuming

You get with HR, get the set rules, and follow them exactly, no more, no less

If the employee is still in the probationary period of employment, you can terminate her due to nonattendance. Check with the company's policies on missing too much time at the workplace within a short period. Hopefully there is something there to go on.

Thank you all for your thoughts. This employee is certainly still in the probationary period. As I would love formally dismiss her, my manager has instructed me to proceed with a verbal warning for the time being. She feels the position may be hard to fill and does not want to put additional stress on the kitchen manager. My question is, when giving the verbal warning, I was thinking providing her with a goal and a time frame. I was considering saying that if in the next 30 days (still within the 60 day probation period) your absent more than 7% of your scheduled shift, corrective action will occure. Is this too lenient? I am just having a hard time knowing how to approach the situation without chancing the fact that she just won't show up to work.

I see your quandry. It may be easier, if not cheaper to replace her. Even if you give a verbal warning stating that she can miss 50% of schedualed days, her behavior will likely continue beyond the probationary period.

I would give her no leeway. The warning would state that no more scheduled shifts can be missed without immediate punitive action. If she really wants the job, she will show you. If she is only playing at having a job, you can move on.

Thanks for your help. I did speak with her and stated her behavior was unsatisfactory and remindered her of the probation period. I simply stated she could not miss anymore work and that we needed her here. Thanks again for the advice!

You need to be sure to stick to your guns with her about missing work. What does your company do when she doesn't come in? She is inconsiderate to put it mildly. Any restaurant cannot just "fill in" an absentee employee easily for a shift. I would suggest showing her the door as soon as possible and hiring someone else and stressing to them their daily attendance when they are scheduled to work is mandatory during the probationary period. This should have been spelled out to Miss Air Head prior to her being hired. Now you know for the next employee.

There are too many people out of work these days who would LOVE to have a job and will happily show up every day and work every possible hour they can. That woman does not deserve a job in this economy.