Is she trying to get fired?

[Anonymous]

Your female CEO sounds awful...best you document that too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your female CEO sounds awful...best you document that too.

+1 She should attend the layoff meeting, even if she has you handle the paperwork.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Today's the day. Will have another person with me, but CEO and CFO keep trying to make this look like my decision, which I don't understand and is making me very nervous. Neither of them would be involved in the firing itself, and now the last minute press is on for an email notifying the rest of the company to come from me and not either of them, as has always happened in the past. Why?

[Anonymous]

Sure, she may want you to terminate her because she thinks she'll get severance and/or unemployment. You can't get unemployment (generally) if you voluntarily resign.

Or maybe she wants to claim harassment, who knows.

[Anonymous]

Oh, glad for the update. Keep them coming. And good luck today.

You've said before yours is a small company. Could it be that the CEO/CFO are trying to grow the company? Spreading it around, so to speak, asking you (and others in other areas?) to step up and assume a more leadership type role?

When i read this, i sense so much reluctance on your part - while firing someone sucks, it's also a sign of leadership. In some ways in sounds like you're shirking assuming a strong position here. Is that at all the case?

[Anonymous]

Don't make it about being your decision. Tell her the CEO asked you to speak with her

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't make it about being your decision. Tell her the CEO asked you to speak with her

Good way to get yourself walked out the door. Who cares whose decision it was? You either stand behind it, and do it and own it, or you don't (and will probably need to find a good job).

I have no use for people who are squeamish about these things. Clearly, this employee has pissed off the CEO. Out the door she goes. Why is this difficult to understand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, glad for the update. Keep them coming. And good luck today.

You've said before yours is a small company. Could it be that the CEO/CFO are trying to grow the company? Spreading it around, so to speak, asking you (and others in other areas?) to step up and assume a more leadership type role?

When i read this, i sense so much reluctance on your part - while firing someone sucks, it's also a sign of leadership. In some ways in sounds like you're shirking assuming a strong position here. Is that at all the case?

+1.

[Anonymous]

11:03, yes, I'm reluctant. First because I don't like doing it, especially b/c we have to walk her out the door, no notice, etc. I know it's common, but it feels very inhumane to me. Also because I don't trust the CEO and while I don't disagree with the decision, I feel like I'm being set up for something here - perhaps blame with our members if they disagree, perhaps to be the liable party if there's a suit? I don't know. Frankly, I also would have liked to give this person a smoother landing.

But it's done now. Went as well as can be expected. No scene made. Now let's hope she takes the severance. Thanks for all the feedback, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:11:03, yes, I'm reluctant. First because I don't like doing it, especially b/c we have to walk her out the door, no notice, etc. I know it's common, but it feels very inhumane to me. Also because I don't trust the CEO and while I don't disagree with the decision, I feel like I'm being set up for something here - perhaps blame with our members if they disagree, perhaps to be the liable party if there's a suit? I don't know. Frankly, I also would have liked to give this person a smoother landing.

But it's done now. Went as well as can be expected. No scene made. Now let's hope she takes the severance. Thanks for all the feedback, people.

Depending on your position, you are kind of supposed to take bullets for your CEO. And if she is your employee, then of course you do the firing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:11:03, yes, I'm reluctant. First because I don't like doing it, especially b/c we have to walk her out the door, no notice, etc. I know it's common, but it feels very inhumane to me. Also because I don't trust the CEO and while I don't disagree with the decision, I feel like I'm being set up for something here - perhaps blame with our members if they disagree, perhaps to be the liable party if there's a suit? I don't know. Frankly, I also would have liked to give this person a smoother landing.

But it's done now. Went as well as can be expected. No scene made. Now let's hope she takes the severance. Thanks for all the feedback, people.

Depending on your position, you are kind of supposed to take bullets for your CEO. And if she is your employee, then of course you do the firing.

CEOs ought to be able to take their own bullets, that's why they are so well compensated. And not everybody loves being the ax man, that doesn't make you weak.