seeking justice on employee at work....please help!?

Question

O.K. heres the deal,
About 2 and 1/2 to 3 months ago two of the employees where i work got into an arguement to the point where they didnt speak to each other for about two weeks. about a week after the arguement a rumor started floating around that their was an employee selling drugs the the workplace,so now i have found out that it was one of the persons that got into the arguement starting the rumors to try and get the other one fired. the one being accused i know 100% does not sell drugs out of the workplace, but i want to serve justice on the one that started the rumor. i was just wondering if anyone had any ideas on how i could go about doing this? i am managment in this workplace, so i got edge over both of the employees, i have spoken with the boss over me about this situation and she wants me to find a way to get rid of the one that started the rumors, because shes always starting rumors on everyone and causes nothing but trouble constantly.

as of right now the only things i have on the one that started the rumors is that she did in fact sell drugs to another employee at one time around a year or so ago, but i have no proof. and that around 4 years ago she was under ringing groceries for her friends but that had been so long ago that we really can't use that against her now. could the accused take legal action and get her for slander? i know of 4 employees will to state that the rumor started stated the rumors.
this just really bugs me and hurts our business...please any advise would be helpful

just for the record as to one of the comment, our workplace is kind of wierd and the actually owner let us manager take care of everything. we only see them maybe once every two weeks or so, and yes i did have the converstation with the boss on another note, i have no choice to be involved in it, because its my job to fix the problems. my boss said and i quote "that why we have you managers here"

Answer 1

You need to call them in seperately and tell them that their behavior is causing a hostile work environment. This makes YOU liable for the actions of these employees if you let it go on.
They need to be counseled, and document what you did.
Later on, if it persists take more severe action. Your company HR person if you have one oughta be involved also.
We always wrote on reprimands that if the matter didn't get taken care of, further action including termination may be following this.

Answer 2

If you have knowledge of who started this rumor, you need to call that person into your office and ask that person if he/she can provide any proof or substantiate the rumor. Your company should have a policies and procedures manual addressing this behavior. If this employee denies that he/she started a rumor, you should still advise them that gossip and defamation of character is strictly forbidden and remind that person that they must come to you first with any suspicions. Be sure to document your discussion with this employee in the employee file.

If you are in an at will employment state, fire them both and pay the unemployment. You will be better off. The owners should seriously consider drug screening as a pre requisite before hiring.

Answer 3

If you do not work for some major corp with tons of rules about this, create a new policy addressing the issue. Send out the memo. Enforce the new policy.

**********EDIT

One other thing you can do is to place a notice on your bulletin board that says that anyone with information about drugs being offered for sale in the workplace should immediately come see you, so that you can contact the police (or call this person into your office and let them know that if they have information relevant to laws being broken that they, and you are obligated) ... if this person gives a false statement to police, you won't have to do much else!

Answer 4

stay the hell out of it. I SERIOUSLY doubt you had a conversation with your boss and she actually said to find a way to get rid of anyone. As a boss, that is her responsibility and there are things she, as a superior can do, which is as simple as writing up the employee for misconduct due to the rumors...

all you are doing is trying to cause more trouble. Keep your nose out of other people's business. If your friend didn't sell drugs, she has nothing to worry about...

Answer 5

If your not unionized just fire the rumor started. If you are go the the Union steward and have them discuss this problem with the employee. Rumor mills can and do hurt productivity in the workplace. Nip it in the bud quickly. Good Luck.

Answer 6

Just write her up for absolutely everything she does against company policy. Once you have atleast three write-ups, fire her. Also, making stuff up about another employee in the workplace is a form of harrassment. She can be fired for harrassment.

Answer 7

Yep I go with Lt Dan...let the counseling be fair warning to them that if it happens again, they will be FIRED!!...

Of course if you are in private industry, you really dont need a reason but you just cant fire someone if they fall under Federal protection such as race, religion, etc, etc. It should posted somewhere in your place of employment.