Payton was recently dismissed from her job in a hardware store. She had often been late for work, and she was so unresponsive to customers' needs that the store had received several complaints about her. Furthermore, she frequently complained about policies and procedures. A week after Payton's dismissal, the store's manager learned that Payton intended to sue the company for wrongful dismissal. She was saying she had complained of management's misdeeds, so the company retaliated. How should the human resource department have prepared the company for this situation?
A) by using a single well-trained rater to evaluate each employee and by having upper-level managers review those evaluations
B) by dismissing poor performers quickly, rather than raising false hopes with coaching and training programs
C) by basing the performance management system on measurement of employee traits, not behaviors
D) by setting up a performance management system that documents employee performance problems
E) by setting up a performance management system that provides evidence of management's misdeeds

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

By setting up a performance management system that documents employee performance problems, the company would have a record of Payton's poor performance and any prior warnings or disciplinary actions taken. This documentation would be critical in defending against any wrongful dismissal claim. The system should also include a process for addressing and resolving employee complaints, so that they do not escalate to the point of legal action.

Payton Was Recently Dismissed from Her Job in a Hardware