On January 23, 2006, Ford Motor Company announced it intends to shut 14 plants and lay off 30,000 employees. The next day, Daimler Chrysler announced it was cutting 6,000 office jobs. These followed GM's November announcement of its plan to lay off 30,000 employees. Inevitably, other layoffs will be triggered in companies that sell to and buy from the former "big three" companies.
A recent case reminds any company going through layoff - or just terminating one employee - of the importance of treating employees with respect throughout the process.
The case involved a state agency that was ending a particular program. All the employees in the program were laid off - 5 African-American women, and 1 Caucasian man.
The women were called into the supervisor's office and informed they were being laid off effective immediately. They were told to collect their belongings and leave within thirty minutes. In full view of their coworkers, supervisors monitored them as they packed their things. The monitoring was such that co-workers thought they were being observed to prevent stealing. Their belongings were inspected as they packed, including their lunch bags. They did not have an opportunity to say goodbye to their co-workers, some of whom cried and asked if they were being arrested. One of the laid off employees asked if she could contact her clients to tell them she would not make her appointments that day. Finally, after several requests, the supervisor permitted her to take the telephone numbers of some of her clients home to contact them later.
These layoff procedures stand in stark contrast to the treatment the white male received upon his termination. He was given a month's advance notice of his layoff. He was allowed to come to the office at his convenience to receive his termination notice. After being told that a particular employee whom he knew from another job was to give him his notice, he requested that it be a different employee, and his request was granted. He was not monitored as he cleaned out his desk and he was permitted to walk around the building freely to say goodbye to his coworkers. The Court of Appeals held that the manner in which the layoff was conducted was discriminatory, and the women won.
What this means to you: Terminations are emotional situations in the best of times. Managers must conduct them professionally and with respect. The number one rule to prevent claims of discrimination - Be Consistent!
(Article by Rita Risser)
© Copyright 2006, Fair Measures Inc., http://www.FairMeasures.com