What would you do if you found out someone at your company was about to get fired?

[martha]

This Wednesday last, I accidently found out that the chauffer for the owner of our company is to be fired on Monday. I was filling in on the switchboard and someone came for a job interview. When I looked at the papers I noticed it said, chauffer. Gosh I wish I didn't see that. My stomach has been in a knot ever since.

I didn't know what to do when I saw him the next day. It is an eerie feeling watching someone go about their day normally, when you know that their life is going to be changed in a drastic way.

I know that I can't tell him, for who knows, perhaps the boss will have second thoughts and change his mind. I prayed that God would help me with this delemma. When I had to go to the switchboard again on Thursday, I grabbed a book called The Rabbi from my collection at my desk to read while answering the phones. In the front cover there was a quote from Psalm 8: 3 which says, "When I look at thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast established; what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him?" I spoke of this quote with Karl, for he is a very spiritual fellow. He went to his pocket and took out his bible and showed me one of his favorite Psalms, 139. So we started talking about God and sharing quotes with each other. I found another one in Psalm 9:9,10 "The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know thy name put their trust in thee, for thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek thee."

I don't think it was a coincidence that I picked that particular book, I believe it was an intervention from God. Perhaps these words that we began to quote from the bible will be in his mind when Monday comes. I pray that this is true.

Boy this situation really stinks! I could see if the reasoning behind his firing was justified, but it isn't. He wasn't able to work one night when requested to do so because it was his birthday and his wife had made special plans. The owner said to him, "Well, can't you change your plans?" This man is a multimillionaire. I find it unbelieveable that he couldn't hire a car for his needs that night without getting bent out of shape. I hope I never get that rich!

Thanks for listening, my friends. I guess I just needed to talk about it with someone.

Martha

 

[Lightkeeper]

I wouldn't tell him. You overheard something you weren't meant to hear. Telling him will not help him keep his job. There may be more to the story than you know.

 

[robtex]

Martha you can micro-manage your fellow employees and their relationship at work. It doesn't work that way. I have seen a lot of firings too for reasons that were personal or personality oriented and I would go as far as to say that probably 1/2 of all involuntary dimissals I have seen at most jobs (present retail job excluded) are personal or personality differences. I know personality wasn't in your post but I am figuring that its one of those "the boss doens't like him senerios" and is less likey to negociate with him because of it.

It gets worse with state or public sector jobs by far in my personal oberservation. Whatever guilt you are feeling realize in this situation you will not be able to save his job and even by some mircle you did you would likey just delay his termination as once an employee is marked for termination it is a matter of time before it is carried out.

The best thing you can do with the influences you have is give this employee support after the fact. Let him know you are there for him. I am still friends with people whom were fired from jobs I worked at and am so cause I made an effort to reach out to them after the fact without being judgemental on the circumstances of their termination.

A driver isn't going to be out of work long. It is a market that needs more employees than are applying in most cities and a guy with experience has a marketalbe advantage. If you are friends with the guy call him after he gets let go and let him know he has a friend in his corner.

If you hear of a person looking for a driver make sure you give the information to him. Networking is an invaluable tool and there may be karma attached to its existance...not divine karma but human karma as I have found people whom I have helped get jobs returned the favor down the road.

You have a heart of gold and you seem to make others pain your own which I am chalking up to a very large maternal instinct but please don't let that pain overwhelm you.....you have the right to be happy when others are down.

 

[Simon the Cat]

I agree with Robtex. Frubals to you (I have no idea how to give them - or I would). Martha - being a good friend to people who are experiencing a bad job fit is ultimately a lot more helpful than inserting yourself. My experience is that few people are blindsided by being fired. Most people know that something is up. Also, from an unemployment perspective, it is better to be fired (meaning you are eligible for unemployment) than quitting -which makes you ineligible. Generally people get some sort of severance or etc... in this way, it is better for your friend to be fired - then to say, quit on her/his own. If he is fired, there is more of a onus on the company to do more than wish him good luck.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Sometimes they just don't know what they have till it's gone. I try to never break a confidence. I am sure I have done it, but not maliciously. If his life or soul were in danger, then this would be a horse of a different color.

 

[HelpMe]

depending on the situation.

i would do what i would want them to do if the situation was switched.

 

[robtex]

depending on the situation.

i would do what i would want them to do if the situation was switched.

It is not that simple. That would be fine if the only two variables were the driver and her. It isn't that way. As a matter of fact since the company made the decision without Martha's input in their mind she is not even in the equation. When making this dedision you not only have to include all the variables including the company and the knowledge that they are unaware that you know and make a decison based on those contingecies.

It is dependant on the situation but the situation with all the variables interacing which makes the role reversal inpractical for this senerio.

 

[anders]

In the first place, how do you know that the company isn't hiring a second person in that capacity?

In the second place, in a civilized country the man couldn't be fired without substantiated and severe reasons. A Swedish driver would be a member of a union, and would get all the necessary legal help for free. If there is no tenable reason for firing him, he would get a lawyer for free anyway. Firing would at least require driving under the influence or having physically assaulted passengers or because of negligence having damaged company assets more than once.

 

[Jaymes]

If I understand the situation correctly, employees in the U.S. are discouraged from joining unions. That's the situation in Wal-Mart at least, and I'm sure it's not just restricted to one company.

 

[robtex]

Martha whatever you decide to do you may want to not disclose the epilouge on the internet cause I would have to confess, or me personally, if I was fired from a job I don't think I would want to find a discussion thread on it on a forum.

 

[FyreBrigidIce]

I would be afraid to say anything in case the employer found out and decided to terminate my employment as well. Legal issues arise if the employment contract is at-will and can be terminated by either party (employer or employee) without cause. The driver may have also gave notice of his choice to leave the company.

Just wanted to add a few cents to think about.

 

[martha]

Thank you all for you advice. Upon reflection I will say...

I have often thought that if I were going to be fired I would want to know in advance, but I wouldn't want anyone to ever jeapordize their own job for my sake.
There is no union in the corporate section of our company. They are allowed to dismiss at will and we are asked to sign a paper in agreement. I did not sign this, but it really makes no difference. If they want you out, you are out.
They are not hiring an additional driver. This driver did not give his intention of leaving.
There may very well be a personality conflict. The driver is not a man who takes a condescending attitude lightly. Sometimes he is treated that way.
Being a driver for someone means you are to be available even after the usual work hours. The owner of our company is not concerned with ones personal problems. He wants you to be available. I have also been with this company for 17 years and I know them. I am not saying that the owner is horrible, he is not. He is also a very generous individual. He once gave me $3000 for my church as a donation. Some said he only did it as a tax write off since it was the end of the year, but that didn't matter to me, it was still generous.
Perhaps I have too much compassion for my own good. I am always trying to be a mediator, trying to make it right. Even as I look at my own original post here, I have reflected and have a slightly different perspective now. I cannot change what will happen this time, and that makes me feel sad. The phrase comes to my mind, " Do not judge a man 'til you have walked a mile in his shoes" The owner must have his reasons, that I don't know about.
Last but not least, posting said subject on the internet is a very bad idea. I know that this driver will not be on this forum. At least I think I know, and that is the very reason I should not do it again.
Thank you all for your help. I will continue to support this fellow and his wife if I can.
Blessings to you all.

 

[mrscardero]

I was in a situation where my sister worked in the same video store as me. My boss had informed me that she was being let go. I didn't say anything. When she was fired, my mom came to me and asked me if I knew and I said that I did. She asked me why I did not say anything to my sister and I told her. "When you are at work, it is strictly business. Even though Gina and I are sisters, I cannot treat her like my sister. I can only treat her as a co-worker. Nothing more..Nothing less. It was not my place to tell Gina she was going to be let go. Would it have made a difference if I told her? The only thing that it will do is to get her prepared or quit before she gets fired. Plus I talked to Gina and she said she didn't want me in the middle of the situation." My mom said thank you and walked away.

I came back to work after having my two days off a while back to find out that one of my co-worker was let go due to an incident that happend. My friend who is also a co-worker was in this incident and she was very upset over the fact that it had been going on for a long time and nothing was being done about it. Well, the probably was fixed even though it took an incident like this to let the guy go. My friend did not tell me that all of this was going on while I was out because she felt it was not her place to tell me that we had one of our co-workers get fired. I really didn't want to know except for the fact that I would like to know from our BOSS how we were going to work the schedule out so we are not short staffed. I go to work to do my job. I am not worried about anyone else. I am there to worry about me. I have informed everyone at my job that if they have a problem with me, either they can tell me or they can tell the BOSS and the BOSS can tell me. If I am going to get fired, I don't want to hear it from my co-workers. It's not their place. I want to hear it from the Big Boss man/lady.