Sacking Troublesome Workforce, Go Quietly and Carry a Big Stick. Despite what you may think, you can't use employment termination to rid yourself of a worker with an alcohol problem. Here's the standard approach you'll find in most books: To keep out of court, you must thoroughly document the employee's terrible productivity or misconduct before you sack him. In short, you agree not to take legal action against the Business for employment claims. If the worker sues the company for improper termination, the notice becomes a legal document. Probably you'll conduct layoff procedures under this added stress. In either case, insubordination can lead to further problems with that worker as well as with your other personnel. And they'll react the same way as a regular employee to terminating for "no reason." Even if your worker handbook or collective bargaining agreement says you can layoff a probationary worker for any reason, be sure an opportunistic legal adviser will take her case. Chapter 6 helps you create bulletproof legal evidence for workers with terrible performance and minor misbehavior. The difficulties that come with a disgruntled individual may seem easily corrected by termination.

And lastly there is the worker who is criminal. In several court cases, juries have signaled that giving "one chance" for insubordination is fair and reasonable for long-tenured workforce. As the owner of a small company or as the Personnel Supervisor, you should realize it is important to have all your workforce abide by the same rules - which are the rules established by the small company policies and procedures. Every company, no matter how large or small, has difficult employees. For example, obviously make clear the reasons for separation; whether it is a separating for cause, a layoff, or restructuring. First, write a note to the disgruntled individual's workforce file or to Personnel.