She should have been out as soon as she stole from your company funds.
I think you were more accomodating than most employers - probably much too accomodating.
More importantly - don’t let the next employee do the same thing.
I sympathize–it’s a hard thing to do. I’ve had to do it twice before, and it sucks. I felt guilty both times.
Next time (and unfortunately there probably will be a next time), give the person a chance to ask questions. Not to defend themselves or fight for the job, but just to ask questions. Remain resolute and clear as you talk to them–there’s no way to change your decision.
Giving them a chance to ask questions may allow a problem employee for you to be a better employee for their next boss. (IANAL, so there may be legal considerations in this to keep in mind.)
Try not to feel guilty about it. But good for you for being so bothered by this–you have a conscience, and that’s always a good thing to have.
As others have said, you were correct to fire her.
But also, you did some things incorrectly in the way you fired her. Mainly in doing it verbally, in the break room, instead of by a formal letter in your private office (but you knew that yourself).
But don’t just sit there ‘feeling like crap’ – use this as an opportunity to learn.
Document it, right now, and work out what you should have done differently. Or rather, what you will do differently next time (there’ll be one). Also write down what you will tell her replacement, so that she won’t make the same mistakes on the job. (Sometimes I think company policies are just lists of the things previous employees got caught doing.)
One suggestion: when you decide to fire someone, first go to your boss and say “I have decided I have to fire Miss A., because of x, y, and z. I intend to do that this afternoon, and require her to turn in her keys and leave immediately. I will give her x weeks severance pay in lieu of notice. I’m informing you in advance, so you will know what’s happening in the office.”
This has several beneficial effects:
- it prevents you from becoming frustrated & blowing up on her in the break room.
- it forces you to organize & articulate your reasons for firing her.
- it gives your boss advance warning on this.
- it gives your boss a chance to comment on your reasons (and overrule you, if desired).
- it gives your boss a chance to suggest how to do the firing properly.
And for your benefit: - your boss will probably agree that she needs to be fired, so you won’t feel so bad about it.
- your boss may offer to be present when you fire her.
- you will find it easier to not back down despite her pleas, tears, excuses – you just say “the decision has been made, and already discussed with our boss. It’s over.”
Do you have an HR department? Because while all of these suggestions are good, they are piecemeal. It’s important to have a complete plan with procedures and documentation requirements for both hiring and firing. If the employee decides to fight a firing, you can be at a huge disadvantage if you don’t have full documentation. Getting an attorney experienced in employment law to review the plans is also key.
I believe I should probably clarify here. We are a small business. I am the boss, owner, and 100% corporate shareholder. I only have three employees. Petty cash is just that, used for emergency expenses and to make change. If I am working through lunch, I will tell the staff to take a twenty out of petty cash and buy me something and I replace it when I have time. If the staff doesn’t have money for lunch, I allow them to borrow money as long as it is replaced the next day. At our office meeting we stressed that staffers should only take money with my permission and it was to be replaced within 24 hours. Jane’s problem was that she took the money without notifying anybody and did not replace it for several days (until after she got her paycheck). I wouldn’t call it stealing as she knew that I would OK it if she asked, but she didn’t ask.
As far as getting an attorney, thank goodness this is an at-will state and it is clear in our office maual that an employee can be let go at any time with or without cause.
I think Marxxxx understands my problem. It was not whether she should have been fired, but how I did it that bothers me.
I really don’t think you should be bothered by how you did it. From how you’ve described things, I think you would be bothered just as much if you had given her a lovely goodbye letter and luncheon with balloons and cake.
She was fired for misconduct. She shouldn’t even get unemployment for that.
Misconduct gets no warning, especially when already on probation. And once told they’re fired, right out the door, because there’s no telling whether malicious behavior may ensue if given a chance to finish the day or something. A company that small, if there was no one else in the breakroom when the firing happened, that’s perfectly private enough.
Firing in that kind of situation should be done swiftly and with a firm hand. You were very generous, and even put yourself on the hook for unemployment, and on the hook for referring a bad employee to another company? You’re a pushover!
You sound like someone who is great to work for, and she took advantage of that. She’s going to learn the hard way how good she had it with you. Now go find yourself someone who actually gives a crap about how good they do their job and who wants to keep it!