Iowa - problem employee

[Krisiti]

I am a newly appointed supervisor of an employee that, because her father is in a management position in our company, conducts herself as though she does not have to abide by the rules of our employee handbook. She violates our dress code policy, cell phone policy, absenteeism policy, abusive language policy, break and lunch break policy, tardiness policy, time and material waste policy, she leaves the building during scheduled work hours to go to her car and retrieve non-work related items, she is insubordinate and her work is sloppy and often inaccurate, and her overall attitude is beligerant and argumentative. Prior to my appointment, our department answered directly to the facility manager, who allowed this conduct, more for the fact that this employee's mother works in HR for a local business and the employee is a national reservist, for these reasons the facility manager feared to enforce discipline on this employee, if she enforced suspension and/or termination with this employee.

This manager has now left the company, and I am faced with a nightmare. I cannot go to the acting management as one is her father and will not support me, and the other is a close friend of his. I cannot go to our HR department as she is a close personal friend of this employee. Our HR in our corporate headquarters has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness and has not yet been replaced.

This employee recently received two seperate written reprimands, for insubordination and dress code violations. During those reprimands, she was told that the cell phone is to be off accept at break time, and that she is not allowed to wear jeans except on Fridays, and that her shirts must not expose her midriff and cleavage. Today (Wednesday) is the first day after the facility managers resignation, she came in wearing jeans a revealing off the shoulder sweater, and has made two personal phone cell phone calls to her cousin and her mother. I overheard her state to another employee, that she's glad the manager is gone, because now there is no one that can make her do anything she doesn't want to.

What rights do I have to enforce these rules now? And how do I go about it?

[cbg]

Kristi, I can't speak for anyone else but the reason I'm not answering is that you are indeed in a tough spot and I'm not quite certain how to respond. Let me ponder your situation for a while, and check out one or two Iowa state laws, okay?

[CycloneISU]

Wow you are in a very tough place like cbg stated. I would think that this is going to come down to you having to take action. It may not be the easiest of things to do with her father being in the spot that he is in, but you where hired to do a job and I think that it shouldn’t matter who her father is. Think about the rest of the employees who are seeing this. If she can do it why not them. I would personally talk to the father and tell him what you think. One of two things is going to happen. Either he will agree with you and maybe talk to her for you or he will not support you like you are afraid of. It shouldn’t matter you need to belly up a take a stand or be ready to keep turning a eye to the situation. On the bright side this is an on going problem the rest of the acting management more than likely also see it as so, and will stand behind you.

These are just my personal opinions, and wish you the best. Please keep us informed on your situation.