Boss threatens to fire it seems after a mistake?

Question

My husband has been at a job he loves for 2 yrs. It seems that every mistake he makes his boss says "you need to work on this or we cant have you around here" or something like that. It seems that with every mistake, they threaten to fire him if he makes another mistake. He has only made 2 mistakes (minor to major ones that the boss gets involved) in the whole 2 yrs. This time, the 2nd time, he was told that he told a customer the wrong thing about a computer. Then the boss says that he has noticed that he kinda speaks from the cuff sometimes and doesnt think out what he says sometimes and they if it continues he is fired.

That is crap, he had ADD and they all know it, he is going to the doc to get more meds for it. It just seems someone is out to get him or something, they are nitpicking all the time. He loves the job, and does well, I dont know why they are doing this to him. Is it legal? I think they are discriminating due to his ADD sometimes.

Plus I think its wrong with every mistake they put him on a 90 day probation thing...like if he makes a mistake in that time, they fire him. That just isnt fair for a mistake that isnt that serious!

I just do not think it is right whatsoever. People make mistakes, we are all human. I Do Not think it is right for every mistake a person makes to threaten them and write them up for it.

I feel that is bad company policy, because they people will start hiding mistakes and such because they are scared what will happen to them.

Some of you posters obviously dont understand. He is not using ADD as an excuse, he says it is contributing to it and he is getting help. He does know how to do his job, he has a degree in it. All of you harsh responders....I guess you never make mistakes..ever at your work. I do not think so. People make mistakes....period....jobs should not threaten every darn time a person makes a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, I would appreciate it if some posters would realize they are human too, and they too are not perfect.

Answer 1

Good post.Now, what aren't you telling us, or what isn;t he telling you???

Answer 2

The main thing to concentrate on here is whether your husband is being treated fairly or not. If the boss expects and treats all the other employees with similar jobs and experience the same way he treats your husband, then I don't think you have a reason to complain about the boss. Some people expect perfection and that is their right. If, in doing so, they frustrate and anger otherwise good employees, then they will pay for it in higher turn over of employees.

I agree that it doesn't seem right to only make 1 fairly minor mistake a year and then feel like you don't have a sound footing in your workplace. But, again, the boss has that right and your husband would have to prove that he is being singled-out to even have a chance of proving his side. Being wrong there gets you put out on the street. Being right, depending on the circumstances, may vindicate your feelings, but you would still be looking for another job. It would have to be fairly obvious and directed against him before you could prove discrimination to win a settlement or damages.

If he loves his job, is there no other place or company that would have a similar position that he would be good at? The important thing would be to not let this bother him in such a way as to damage his work efforts or employment history.

Good Luck

Answer 3

Why does everyone know he has add? I have it but no one knows it. I hate when people use it as an excuse. Anyway...

Its not like they have fired him. At least they give him a 90 probation and not a pink slip. If he has been there for two years he should know about the products he works on. A boss cant have an employee 'speaking off the cuff'. What happens when the boss gets sued for misrepresentation due to your husband not thinking things through before speaking and a customer gets mad that they were lied to? Even if that doesnt happen, people know when others are bs-ing them and will go somewhere else. Instead of wondering if it legal to fire him for his mistakes, which they probably have a case that allowed them to do so since the first mistake, it would probably be best to work with him on not speaking before thinking.

Answer 4

Like one of the posters above me I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE USE ADD AS AN EXCUSE!!. Your husband has been working there for two years now, he should know his job and should not be ******* up constantly as you yourself have made it sound. I bet you only feel the way that you do because it is your husband. If it were the other way around and your husband was the boss and was constantly threatening to fire someone would you tell him to back off? No you wouldn't. No matter how much he loves this job he's not able to do it so he needs to go find one he can do.

Answer 5

This is legal...just because we give children the ADD excuse in school doesn't mean you can use it as an adult. It is a learning disorder...see a doc. get meds that work and don't use it as an excuse....they didn't fire him...they wrote him up...if thats company policy grow up and deal with it...work sucks thats why we don't say we are going to play...we are going to work. If he told me the wrong thing about my computer I would be upset and expect something to be done or I would take my business elsewhere.

Answer 6

File a complaint of harassment against the boss for threatening an employee to be fired for mistakes. If there are mistakes, proper actions must be made by the boss to correct the employee but not to be threatened with termination from work.