[lookout123]

time to dredge this one up.

the review issue was settled with one final sitdown.

Jimbob: To summarize, I don't believe your performance to this point has been worthy of a 6% raise, i chose to provide you with that raise as a motivator, a pat on the back if you will. your reaction and behavior over the last week have reminded me why i don't believe a 6% raise was earned, but i will honor my word and give it to you anyway.

CLEm: How dare you?! storms out.

Jimbob: 10 minutes later walks out and informs clem that he has completed 2 review packages. number 1 is completed with no payraise and a recommendation for probation and possible termination in 90 days, number 2 has the 6% payraise, some praise and some areas to work on. I'll leave it up to you which you prefer to sign and forward on to home office.

Clem: *crickets*

********************
since that day, i've had two sit down corrective action reviews with her. i have 4 different clients (including a close friend) inform me that they don't take phone calls from my office or call here before 4 PM because they don't want to talk to her. New tasks or restructured processes have been met with grumbling and resistance. small issues fall through the cracks with an "oops" attitude. an office opened up literally 4 minutes from her house, she chose to stay here. we spoke about retirment and she has stated that she plans on working til she dies. not because she needs to, but because she uses this as a social platform.

because she does just enough to avoid termination for productivity issues (i have to be careful of age discrimination issues here) she has to go away on her own or transfer. i dread coming into my own office and hide behind closed doors rather than speak with her. i despise this person.

i have spoken with HR and their recommendation is that the only way i can get rid of her is to absolutely overwhelm her with work until she chooses to leave or she really drops the ball and is able to be terminated. my office will be a living hell if i go that route. my clients will be able to sense this and i don't trust her not to say something to them. (the only good news is that if she did say something, i could terminate her with cause)

in the end i feel like an asshole because i don't want to take away someone's livelihood, but this is MY livelihood dammit! i am the one that took all the risk to start the business. i am the one that left a successful salary+ career to enter a production only P&L based lifestyle. i have 20-30 years ahead of me here and i can't let her set me back any farther.

WTF!?!?! i've given her every chance to step up to the plate, but "just good enough" is the order of the day. incentives are talked about but ignored. behavior doesn't change - what is a capitalist pig supposed to do.

i guess it would be important to know that i didn't hire her, she was inherited from someone who left the business when i assumed his building lease and remainder of his clients.