Enterprise Risk in Firing an Employee

Introduction

Business is the art of making money. Companies and employers are constantly trying to find new inventive ways to generate revenue and increase gross profit. Many times, the best way to achieve these goals is to downsize or layoff several employees. Employees must be marketable and employable and having one set of skills is usually not sufficient to maintain a career in today’s economy. Education, experience, and previous achievements are taken into consideration, but employers are also faced with the risk of lawsuits and slander due to fear of discrimination. FastServe Inc. is now being faced with this dilemma. In order to reduce costs, they must layoff 3 employees, and their decision is not an easy task. The COO of FastServe Inc. has chosen 5 employees that would be eligible for a layoff, 3 of which will ultimately be let go.

The Candidates

Carl Haimes is the first candidate to consider. His overall track record and productivity have both been above average and has never had a problem with absenteeism in the past. However, he has not contributed any special achievements for FastServe. Recently, other employees have harassed him for his sexual orientation, which Carl has made several complaints about – particularly his account manager, Ben. While Carl may not have made ay special contributions to the company, his past performance has shown him to be a valuable asset to FastServe. Moreover, if he was laid off, he might think it was because of his sexual orientation, and will claim discrimination.

Brian Carter is the next to consider. His performance has been very average compared to other employees but was the sole person responsible for FastServe’s highly acclaimed 3-D “drape-n-see” mannequins. On the other hand, he has just been diagnosed with Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, which has caused him to be absent from work 17 days in the past 2 months. The head of the IT department has made several complaints about Brian’s absenteeism. However, if Brian is let go, FastServe could be at risk for a law suit for causing Brian’s current medical condition.

Sarah Boyd is the next person to consider. At the age of 53, she has been with FastServe for years and knows administration inside and out. Her performance has not been above average over the years, but she has been a loyal employee to the company. Her skill sets are becoming obsolete since new, younger people are more qualified to complete her tasks, which Fast Serve could pay a lower salary.