Employers Rights Legal

Terminating an employee? Here's what you must consider before firing.

If you ask most business owners and human resources managers the most common reason for firing, they will tell you its insubordination. An insubordinate employee can ruin moral and cause various other problems in the workplace. Also insubordination is contagious. When one employee gets away with it then others think they can too. This can lead to huge problems for you, the employer. To recognize this behavior, you must know the insubordination definition so you can deal with such employees quickly and decisively.

Insubordination Definition

An employee who displays insubordinate behavior refuses to follow orders from a superior. This also includes instances where the employee breaks even minor company policies. You must be careful because insubordinate behavior sneaks up on you. The insubordinate employee often starts with one or two minor infractions. But once he or she sees this behavior go unpunished, the employee will move on to bolder ways of violating orders and company policies. This will cause you huge problems. You must immediately deal with an employee who is not performing job duties, bothering others and not listening.

Steps for Punishing Insubordination

Many years ago, the insubordination definition was general. This meant you could fire an insubordinate employee easily. Today, however, lawsuits for wrongful termination are common. Any former employee can file. Also, courts and judges have passed many laws favoring employees in such situations. The best way you can handle insubordinate employees is with a series of warnings and documentation. For every act of insubordination, you must document the incident and discuss it with the worker. Speak directly to your employee and make them understand they must change their behavior. Clearly spell out the consequences if they continue down their current path.

You should do this in a series of meetings. You should make the focus of each meeting an employee warning. Document each meeting and explain the corrective actions the employee must take. Describe how dangerous the employee's behavior is and how it is putting their job at risk. Also take time to point out company policies and procedures so the employee is made aware of them. If the employee fails to improve after a series of warnings, then it is time for you to fire him or her. At this point, the termination should not surprise the employee. Like the warning meetings, you should document the termination process and clearly explain the reasons for firing.

Insubordination can cause big problems in the workplace. An insubordinate employee is a danger to the company, other workers and himself. You must take immediate action address and correct the behavior. If, after plenty of warnings and discussion with the employee, he does not stop his insubordinate behavior then you have no choice but to terminate employment.