Tough choice to make

[skyhightree1]

I am plagued with a touch decision to make. I walked into my shop and heard one of my best workers saying some pretty bad derogatory statements that are totally offensive to me. I do not know if he knows I heard him or not. Should I let him stay and let it roll off my back or do I fire him. I was tempted to fire him on the spot but I said maybe I should think on it my emotions were to high and I was outright PISSED to the point if he said anything smart there would have been problems. I talked to my best friend whos a local deputy and he said why fire him jokes on him hes making you money and not cut off my nose to spite my face. He is true but it D... sure is bothering me to the point I cant even get it out my head. I have been nothing but good to this A.H. when his own wife wouldnt get him out of jail for a DUI i got him out and have my other guys pick him up and take him to work. I questioned my friends in the 3 d world so now i am asking my friends opinions in the cyber world. :help:

 

[kenny thomas]

If he is your best worker I would give it a few days and see if he acts different toward you. If he knows you did hear him he might be different.
I am like you though if I go just as it happens it usually turns bad.

 

[skyhightree1]

Yea, I am gonna see how it goes till payday friday and go from there. I am normally easy going but when something really gets my blood boiling im like you.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Was he talking about you specifically?

 

[skyhightree1]

not directly but was offensive I will pm you what he said.

 

[shadyhollownj]

My guys never surprise me. When you expect too much they always let you down. If its a first time maybe let it slide. I have a short temper but when it comes to guys that are good employees I generally let it slide until I blow. Now I am in the construction world so I have all kinds. I lent a guy that I was good friends with and was my foreman for years 10 grand cause his mom was in real bad health. He told me he had to look out for his future two months later and quit in my busiest season with no notice and on the phone. He left for a job he quit 2 months later. He did pay me back immediately but nice guys do finish last in business.

 

[skyhightree1]

I own a tree service business and do excavation its the first time i heard it so I was thinking if not fire give him week in the streets as a do not ever do it again lesson but not sure that is the right answer all i can say is tomorrow when he comes into the office to clock in we may have a closed door conversation if its still bothering me. I do not care that some people have an opinion but when your on my clock your opinion better get checked at my shop door.

 

[highgrit]

Well the way I see it is, he works for you, you don't own him. If he cost you money, or you lose work because of him. Fire his butt, but for just running his mouth?? One thing about it your the boss. Good Luck

 

[skyhightree1]

Excellent point high I don't own him but if he has opinions like that and spouts them off in my shop whos to say he won't spout out in front of some potential customers I have contracts with and they stop wanting to use my services is also an angle I gotta look at.

 

[Isomade]

No way to respond to this without knowing what was said. For all we know you might be an eitheist and he was talking about God. Or maybe you're gay and he doesn't agree with it. Or maybe you are just easily offended. Or maybe he's an a-hole that was talking about how much he hates the United States. Or maybe...........

You get my point.

 

[greybeard]

Unless it is something you expressly don't allow in your business (and the employees all are aware of it) or it's outside common decency, you could be on thin ice firing him for stating an opinion on something as lawsuit happy as people are today.

 

[skyhightree1]

Well I will tell you all what was said but I didn't want to open it up and it get out of control and get the thread locked I am telling you same as I did for people that pm and asked what was said. Grey luckily in VA its a right to work state you can be fired at anytime for anything and I can't be sued but here is what was said.

The guy was talking to another guy that is my mechanic and told him about one of my customers whos daughter dated a black man and she was white he said " I would rather my daughter date a white man that beats her everyday than have her dating some monkey coon " Well if you didn't know I am Cherokee mostly mixed with blk and white ... I do not like racism nor tolerate it by my family friends and definately not someone im paying.

 

[Ryder]

First thing-watch the feeling and let it pass. Get back to a sane state. You got upset and have lost IQ points.
Do you and this guy normally get along ok?
Does he have a right to his personal opinions even if they are different from yours?

I, and a bunch of others, have been slandered by being called southerner, redneck, hayseed, snot nosed radical,ignorant, etc.etc.etc.
As long as I know who I am and what I choose to be- what somebody else thinks is their business. I don't have to buy into it. It's their problem-not mine.

Way too much is made over this racial stuff and political correctness.
What another person thinks is absolutely none of my businesss.

 

[greybeard]

Grey luckily in VA its a right to work state you can be fired at anytime for anything and I can't be sued.

People in Texas (a right to work and at will employer state) sue former employers all the time for wrongful termination, and the primary case they file under and win under is discrimination--either race or gender related. How? Almost all states have a clause wherein it is unlawful to practice an employment policy that steeped in discrimination due to race, creed etc etc. On top of that, it's federal as well. Would he be successful? Probably not in your case, and probably won't find an attorney that would take the case of reverse discrimination either, much less find a judge willing to hear the case.

 

[Commercialfarmer]

Think your friend is correct. At this point, it's truly your problem- your the one worked up about it at this time. What he said was wrong. And the decision to let him go or keep him should be based on what is best for your business. If you are truly worried he will give off a bad image, do it. If your upset because he was acting like an idiot temporarily, you may not be thinking with your head and more with emotions. (I usually regret those decisions)

No matter what, you should have a conversation and let him know that it isn't acceptable and why. I would suggest an employee handbook be made if you don't have one. You can let everyone know what is okay and what is not from the start. In the end, it has been worth the time and trouble more than once for me.

This may be a situation where you can come out ahead if you take the high road and let him know it is a warning and why. People say stupid things all the time that they later regret. Forgiveness with good timing, may do far more good than a poke with a stick.

My wife and I had a conversation last week. She said I didn't completely understand, I've never been followed around the store because of the color of my skin. I told her that she is way to aware of her skin color. Try walking into a rolex store no matter what color you are with dirt on your hands, mud on your boots and patched jeans- someone is going to see if you need assistance finding the nearest exit. People are divided on something in this country on a daily basis. Skin color is only one aspect. When I was growing up, my family was not well off. I went to school with a bunch of doctors and lawyers kids. There was a difference and at times, it was definately pointed out and I was treated differently. We have all been treated differently for one thing or another. Intelligence/ignorarance, athletic ability/inability, pretty/uggly, rich/poor, religious/denominational, political views.... you name it. I now probably make more than most of those kids I went to school with. They were just trying to tear someone else down to make themselves feel better. It tells you what they think of themselves more than it does about you.

That is my peace on the subject matter.

 

[Commercialfarmer]

Grey luckily in VA its a right to work state you can be fired at anytime for anything and I can't be sued.

People in Texas (a right to work and at will employer state) sue former employers all the time for wrongful termination, and the primary case they file under and win under is discrimination--either race or gender related. How? Almost all states have a clause wherein it is unlawful to practice an employment policy that steeped in discrimination due to race, creed etc etc. On top of that, it's federal as well. Would he be successful? Probably not in your case, and probably won't find an attorney that would take the case of reverse discrimination either, much less find a judge willing to hear the case.

On top of that, you generally have unemployment to deal with when you don't have cause.

Oklahoma is a right to work state and you still need to make sure all the government stuff has the I's crossed and the T's dotted.

 

[pdfangus]

Think your friend is correct. At this point, it's truly your problem- your the one worked up about it at this time. What he said was wrong. And the decision to let him go or keep him should be based on what is best for your business. If you are truly worried he will give off a bad image, do it. If your upset because he was acting like an idiot temporarily, you may not be thinking with your head and more with emotions. (I usually regret those decisions)

No matter what, you should have a conversation and let him know that it isn't acceptable and why. I would suggest an employee handbook be made if you don't have one. You can let everyone know what is okay and what is not from the start. In the end, it has been worth the time and trouble more than once for me.

This may be a situation where you can come out ahead if you take the high road and let him know it is a warning and why. People say stupid things all the time that they later regret. Forgiveness with good timing, may do far more good than a poke with a stick.

My wife and I had a conversation last week. She said I didn't completely understand, I've never been followed around the store because of the color of my skin. I told her that she is way to aware of her skin color. Try walking into a rolex store no matter what color you are with dirt on your hands, mud on your boots and patched jeans- someone is going to see if you need assistance finding the nearest exit. People are divided on something in this country on a daily basis. Skin color is only one aspect. When I was growing up, my family was not well off. I went to school with a bunch of doctors and lawyers kids. There was a difference and at times, it was definately pointed out and I was treated differently. We have all been treated differently for one thing or another. Intelligence/ignorarance, athletic ability/inability, pretty/uggly, rich/poor, religious/denominational, political views.... you name it. I now probably make more than most of those kids I went to school with. They were just trying to tear someone else down to make themselves feel better. It tells you what they think of themselves more than it does about you.

That is my peace on the subject matter.

I think this guy and I went to different shcools together.....

I agree that I would try to calmly let the guy know my feelings on his commentary and that you ever have a coustomer complaint from him being a motor mouth...... about anything...... then he will become a federal unemployment statistic.

 

[LazyARanch]

Tell him he has a right to his opinion, but his opinion stays out of work, out of the shop, and OFF the job. First and LAST warning.

You gotta take the high road. There's a reason you're the boss and the owner of the business.

The thing is, NOW you KNOW who and what he is.

 

[skyhightree1]

Well this morning I was gonna let it ride .. I was mad at first but I think it hurt my feelings knowing how well I treated him and what I did for him through out his time as my employee. I called him in my office and told him exactly what i heard and told him it pissed me off to the point I was gonna fire him and wanted to kick his tail. I told him while you are " My property or on my company time that will not be tolerated " I told him he has the right to say anything he wants to on his own and not wearing anything that represents my company and if he couldn't do that start walking. He looked shocked I said anything and talked to him like that. I will start looking for his replacement soon because the whole situation is weird and we will never be the same. I personally have lived with forms of racism all my life which i mostly ignore. I had a quick meeting in the shop and didn't go into detail about specifics just told them leave your opinions if they are questionable on race politics and religion on your time not mine. I informed them if anything trickles back my way someones gonna be fired. I respect everyones opinion as long as its not forced on me or can reflect bad on me in some way. I think because he was my foreman he thought he was untouchable or it was his business. I eventually plan on weeding him out after I hire someone else hes gonna know his times short with me.

 

[chippie]

Good for you. You did the right thing.

The employee handbook is a good idea too. Many places/employers have policies concerning expected behavior while on the job.