Today, I am further disheartened.
This is in follow-up to yesterday's blog entitled "Is She Really Gone?" Link: http://superlegalfun.blogspot.com/2011/05/is-she-really-gone.html. See also this blog post regarding her behavior on Monday: http://superlegalfun.blogspot.com/2011/05/secretary-x-huffed-and-puffed-and-blew.html)
Secretary X showed up today like nothing happened the last couple days. The really strange part is that EVERYONE acted like nothing happened. I felt like I was in the twilight zone or something. Did yesterday really happen or exist? Am I living in parallel time dimensions? No, it couldn't be... or could it? This is all very confusing.
Well, at least that's what I thought until about 3:00 this afternoon. B-Dub invited me into his office to talk about one of our cases and closed the door behind me. "Here we go," I thought.
He asked and I explained what happened the other day and that she pulled some MAJOR attitude in front of a major client. I think he was a bit offended (maybe an ounce or so). I explained that there will be interoffice personnel conflicts no matter who you employ, but imposing your attitude on a client and threatening the firm's biggest business relationship is unacceptable. He agreed.
He also said that when he fired people in the past, he found afterward that he waited too long. I agreed that was usually true. We also discussed other options we knew of to replace Secretary X.
He told me at the end of the conversation that how Secretary behaves today will determine whether she's here tomorrow. (He's right, you know, we should ignore everything she's done to date, including yesterday's no-call no-show.)
He and Associate met with Secretary briefly -- very briefly (less than five minutes). Secretary X came out perky, sugary sweet and with the best facade of a good attitude she could possibly bring herself to exude. *PUKE*
She obviously wasn't fired. B-Dub wimped-out. Really? Yes, really.
I am pissed.
How far does someone have to push the ax button before the ax actually falls? That is just another semi-ambiguous question, similar to "How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?" Everyone assumes there is an objective answer, but no matter how long you wait it out, progress is still so far away.
I think this was a terrible business decision. She will not change. She will continue to cause problems, and the firm will suffer because of her. He had the support of the whole office to cut her dead weight, and he turned his head.
C'est la vie.
Isn't it frustrating!?!?
ReplyDeleteWe had an co-employee here in my department who had such a horrible attitude and was severely affecting morale. In fact, one of our attorneys quit because he could not take working for her anymore. Her actions were extremely blatant and one day she told me that she came in every day hoping this was the day the company offered her a severance package (because back then we handed out these packages like candy). On that day I started making notes of her behavior and these comments (date, time, what she was wearing, anything I could). I did it for 2 reasons: to make me feel better like someone was taking some action and to use as a refresher for my deposition should she ever get fired and not get a package. Once a paralegal....always a paralegal.
One day - out of the blue - my boss called some of us in his office and told us to make ourselves scarce as he was firing this employee that day. Huh? No reason. He just had enough.
After he fired her he was in my office discussing business and he admitted how concerned he was that this employee would sue us. I then sheepishly admitted that I had been keeping notes and showed him my information (about 6 months worth). He was shocked and thrilled and said that had he known I had that information he would have fired her a long time ago.
So....maybe to help yourself you can start taking notes as well. Don't reread them as they will only make you mad. But smile to yourself knowing that you are building a case for something someday.
At least he's starting to acknowledge her behavior! So amazing that she can get away with so much... argh makes me so angry!!
ReplyDelete-Baby Paralegal
Unfortunately, he always says these things, he just NEVER follows through. It amazes me she can keep her job in this economy and behave that way. It infuriates me!!
ReplyDelete