Retaliation from terminated employee

[Anonymous]

Just wanted an opinion on something. As much as something like this can be estimated, what are the chances and/or risk factors of an employee retaliating in response to being terminated? I'm having to go through this as a manager for the first time, and it isn't a fun process. I don't want to get into too many details, but it's a pretty solid case. Unfortunately, our agency has a 30 day period where employees are allowed to appeal a decision, and this bothers me to some degree. Websites I've looked at say that you're supposed to take a person's badge, etc. so they can't get back in the building, but in this case, I'd be sitting near the person for a month while this all plays out. Any particular warning signs to look for? I may be overthinking the whole thing, but I have a family and all and would like to grow old with them.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

I can't imagine how any agency or company would allow a person they just fired to sit in the office for the next 30 days. Are you sure? Does it maybe mean they can appeal the decision without still doing their job?

[Anonymous]

Also, of course I would be nervous too. It's not a comfortable position to be in. You are human.

[Anonymous]

Does the terminated employee know where you live?

[Anonymous]

OP here, again I don't want to get into too many details, but this is a Federal Agency, there's unions, etc. I doubt the person knows where I live, I'd be more concerned about a workplace incident if they're allowed to keep their badge for building access.

[Anonymous]

I suspect that OP is a federal employee. What she probably means is that she is the official who proposed the employee's termination. Once the official proposes termination the employee gets to provide a response and then the deciding official makes the final decision whether to terminate the employee or not.

OP, I have worked in the area of employment law for over 20 years and must have been involved with over 100 termination decisions and non of those terminations results in the employee engaging in retaliation or violence.

If the employee does or says something that seems threatening, contact your security department.

[Anonymous]

OP--you work for a Federal agency. Surely you have a supervisor or some HR office that you can talk with and advise. Coming to an anonymous forum and searching random websites isn't how one goes about being an informed manager. Use the resources you have within your office to help navigate this process. You're not the first person to terminate someone. There's no need for you to be out there on your own.

[Anonymous]

Are you certain the person would not be placed on administrative leave during this thirty day window? I've worked for three different federal agencies, and in each case when an employee was removed from service (or recommended to be removed from service) he was escorted out, and laced on admin leave during the appeals process.

[Anonymous]

Do you work for the post office? Those terminations never turn out well

[Anonymous]

The allegedly terminated employee perhaps has a family too, that will be deeply affected and embarrassed by this. Show some compassion, maybe, even if you are in the right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP--you work for a Federal agency. Surely you have a supervisor or some HR office that you can talk with and advise. Coming to an anonymous forum and searching random websites isn't how one goes about being an informed manager. Use the resources you have within your office to help navigate this process. You're not the first person to terminate someone. There's no need for you to be out there on your own.

OP again. I'm well aware of our HR office, I've worked with them closely on this. I came to an anonymous forum to gauge general opinions, I don't want to raise an issue like this and have the employee not only face termination, but also the idea that their manager is concerned they are a loose cannon. And I have no opinion on them either way in regards to this, but I've never gone through this process before. HR documents everything, I don't want to express a concern like this to them if it isn't well founded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you certain the person would not be placed on administrative leave during this thirty day window? I've worked for three different federal agencies, and in each case when an employee was removed from service (or recommended to be removed from service) he was escorted out, and laced on admin leave during the appeals process.

+1

[Anonymous]

OP, do you know how many year the person have been with the agency? If this person has 10 or 20 years, you may want to transfer the person out your office instead of terminate him/her. Your life will be miserable to go through the termination process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP--you work for a Federal agency. Surely you have a supervisor or some HR office that you can talk with and advise. Coming to an anonymous forum and searching random websites isn't how one goes about being an informed manager. Use the resources you have within your office to help navigate this process. You're not the first person to terminate someone. There's no need for you to be out there on your own.

OP again. I'm well aware of our HR office, I've worked with them closely on this. I came to an anonymous forum to gauge general opinions, I don't want to raise an issue like this and have the employee not only face termination, but also the idea that their manager is concerned they are a loose cannon. And I have no opinion on them either way in regards to this, but I've never gone through this process before. HR documents everything, I don't want to express a concern like this to them if it isn't well founded.

So is your fear well-founded or not? You need to answer that question before you go any farther. Having gone through EXACTLY what you're going through, five months ago when my employee was given the 30-day notice of proposed termination, I had a pretty good gut on what her reaction would be, since I had had numerous engagements with her on everything that led to the documentation for the various acts of misconduct and her eventual PIP (for failure to perform). She was cordial during the 30-day response period, even acting (finally) like a productive employee (finally, too bad she hadn't done that earlier). If you do have fears, based upon how your employee has acted previously, talk to your senior leaders and ask them to move the employee or provide them with admin leave so that they're out of the office. Good luck, this is not a fun process. You will be AMAZED at how much more relaxed you will be once things finally go through and your employee is gone (assuming the deciding official agrees with your recommendation).

[Anonymous]

Although you say that you have consulted with HR, your post reflects somewhat of a lack of understanding of the Federal civil service removal process. If they have received a notice of proposed removal, your opinion that they are a loose cannon isn't going to make it any worse for them than it already is, especially if it isn't based on anything specific that they have done. If you are genuinely afraid that this person will retaliate and prevent you from growing old with your family, speak with your HR department or personnel law division about placing the person on paid administrative leave pending their response to the notice of proposed removal.