You were just hired as the new Transportation Department Supervisor at the Stevenson Company. You have 45 employees. Job descriptions and department policies were established by your predecessor and haven’t really been reviewed in the last 8 years.
Right before you were hired, the former supervisor placed Laverna, a female Latina driver, on unpaid suspension for several policy violations: taking improperly requested vacation leave, excessive absenteeism, and neglecting her job duties.
Laverna filed a grievance with the Personnel Department against the supervisor stating that she was unfairly singled out because of her gender and minority status. The company lawyer is concerned that Laverna may file EEOC claim against the company and wants your advice on whether the suspension should stand or be rescinded.
Respond to the following:
1. What are your concerns about this situation and what will you want to know/investigate before giving your input to the legal department? What will your recommendation be?
2. How could better HR policies and processes have kept this situation from happening, and what will you do to prevent this type of situation from happening in the future?