Real-Life Case Study
As an employer, I’m faced with a curious predicament, and I welcome your input on this. The names are changed…
Rodney starts working for us with a strong background in his field,
making a wage equal to industry standards given his abilities. After
the first 4 days, Rodney disappears – things appeared to be going well,
his supervisor’s last words were “see you tomorrow” and Rodney
responded back in kind. The next week, Rodney comes back to work
looking down trodden, sharing some bad news.
His son was diagnosed that weekend with sickle-cell anemia and had
slipped into a coma because the diagnosis was a little late in coming.
Fortunately, things came around, and he was responding well to
treatment, but Rodney was so worked up by the whole situation that he
never thought to call in sick. Things went well the next two weeks with
Rodney showing up every day without any major problems.
While not showing to be a stellar employee, it seemed he would pass his
90 day probationary period without any red flags. Until he stopped
showing up again. And didn’t call again. Finally, he called the
operations manager and explained that after the diagnosis of his son,
both Rodney and his wife had blood tests run to see who was the carrier
of the genetic disorder. When the tests results came back negative for
both, Rodney was again beside himself. Having been there for the birth
of “his” son, he knew his wife was the mother, but the father with the
gene for sickle cell was not Rodney.
Rodney came in for his paycheck and returned his uniforms, but he asked
if he could get his job back. Yes? Tell him he has two strikes down and
only one to go? Renew the 90 day probationary period? I’m unsettled on
this. I heard him come in for his paycheck and talk with the operations
manager, but I couldn’t bring myself to go over to the room and say
hello because I feel jerked around already and don’t want to leave
ourselves open to another hit.
At the same time, he is going through some extraordinarily difficult
circumstances, assuming all that he has told us is true. Thoughts?
). Then on to a hole-in-the-wall bar with free pool in West Allis.
