Just have to share this

Whenever a verbal warning is issued, a confirmation that it has been issued should be made out and a signature solicited. This is then put in the employees file.

What ABZO suggested is perfect.
 
jacqvt said:
We work with a lot of people who's origin is of the rainbow nation. So there's this one lady, who's only thought in life, is if she's going to get a taxi to home tonight. I hate her, because she's the slowest worker I've ever come across. But I treated her fair, and always thought she will fire herself one day. This is the background.

So she kept on to make mistakes with items (meat) that she pack, and then price marked it wrong. For example she priced chicken drumsticks, as chicken bones. this happen many times, and I always just warned her verbally. The other day I contacted the guy at cofesa regarding this problem. he told me that whatever mistake a employee makes, that costs a company money, I can fire her immediately, especially in this case where it is a repeated problem. So it happened again, and the good boss I'm trying to be, I gave her a final written warning.

So the next day she came back, gave me a resignation letter. Her reason for leaving is: "I asked her if she knows what a verbal warning is, and she just looked at me like a sheep...

So ya, i was right. Her own stupidness cost her her job in the end....:D:D:D
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jacqvt said:
LOL, no, then she didn't make mistakes, and didn't resign...

She went to her union rep this week. He contacted me, telling me it is unfair labour practice (the final warning I gave her), and he wanted to see me. I refused, told him she resigned in her own will, and had to consult him first. But instead she resigned, and afterwards didn't get another job. Now she want to go to her union. So stuff her and her union, but I think she will go to the ccma. But she doesn't have much to stand on.

Bitch
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My two cents...

A verbal warning should be reduced to writing and signed by both parties. If not, it's your word against hers and it'll be a no win situation for employer. In fact all warnings should also be in writing too. No brainer that.

Hopefully you got COFESA to give it to you in writing. It will help you if/when it goes to CCMA.

Despite you holding that she resigned voluntarily, my experience is that the employee usually regrets the action afterwards and will look for any possible recourse ... usually the CCMA.

I have learnt that if an employee resigns or is fired under these circumstances where there has been negligence, poor performance, etc, put the whole thing in writing. Firstly, you want to have all the events for future reference and second, I would recommend you make immediate contact with the CCMA as well as provide them your detailed copy of the events. It's better they learn it from you first than the employee. Believe me, they know most of them are in there offices to make a quick buck from their ex-employer.

Do not be arrogant or rude to the ex-employee, union, etc. It could come back to bite you. Rather treat them cordially, even if it grates you. Remain factual and avoid ranting off at them. It will pay dividends in the long run.
 
Haldex said:
[highlight]A verbal warning is the same thing as the whole he said she said scenario.[/highlight]
In the business world, you have to sign that you received a verbal warning, then written warning then final warning. You sign all 3.
Pretty sure that's standard HR process?
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If an employee subsequently signs a letter confirming that the employee received a verbal warning, that surely means that the employee has also confirmed receipt of a warning given in writing.

The verbal warning is surely just a temporary measure until the paperwork has been drawn up, otherwise it is just a he said she said scenario.
 
Verbal warnings are normally issued on the spot. Written warnings normally result from a meeting or disciplinary enquiry.
 
j4ck455 said:
If an employee subsequently signs a letter confirming that the employee received a verbal warning, that surely means that the employee has also confirmed receipt of a warning given in writing.

The verbal warning is surely just a temporary measure until the paperwork has been drawn up, otherwise it is just a he said she said scenario.
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Nope, its not official.
I tell my workers cr@p all the time, its never an official warning.

If I say, "Dont be late again" thats not an official warning.

An official verbal warning should be, to sit the employee down, explain what they have done wrong, follow the necessary steps to solve it, acknowledgement of the official verbal warning signed as in ABSOs post above, together with an expiry date, 3 month or 6 months, should the employee fail to meet what was discussed an official written warning will have to be signed, with another deadline, then the final warning, then bye bye employee.

Theres no way of defining a verbal warning, how does the employee know its official? Employers tell the employees cr@p all the time, only when its in writing and signed, its official.
 
What you mean by sign might not comport with what she means. In other words, it could be a language problem, not a MIPS problem. For her it might mean something along the lines of "acknowledge and affirm [that it is received/valid]", and this has to be done with a verbal warning.

In a multi-culti world we need to be very careful that we don't turn language and cultural differences into intelligence and capability problems. I get very irritated with people who mock the grammar and accent of Afrikaans-speaking rugby players in the post-match interview, for example, and immediately call them on it...so much so that I occasionaly wish an Afrikaans player would reply to English questions in Afrikaans. How fluent are you in non-mother-tongue?
 
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I understand it that it is better to even put a verbal warning on paper, but, then I will be in office the whole day, giving verbal warnings out. I mean what is the purpose of a verbal warning then? Then the definition is wrong.

And also I was told by our rep at Cofesa, that anything that a employee do that cost the company money, then I can fire her. In this case, it is also directly a sake of she didn't worry to do it right. She knows what kind of meat she is handling, she knows the code for that product (there is also a booklet available), and when she is busy price marking the meat, the name is displayed on the scale. So she cannot say that she did not know.

Then the customer comes, take the product, and pay the lower price, thus costing us money.

And I even thought of being not too harsh, by giving her a final warning, not firing her. And after that, she resigned, and a day later did the same fault again. I mean, the she really didn't want to do it right.

So maybe the ccma will force me to pay her something, but even that will be better than employ her further.
 
jacqvt said:
And I even thought of being not too harsh, by giving her a final warning, not firing her. And after that, she resigned, and a day later did the same fault again. I mean, the she really didn't want to do it right.
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There is no hope for this one.
 
i think she also realised that she has nothing to stand on, because she already filled in the forms for withdrawel from provident fund.
 
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