Done something stupid!

whiteroom184

Hi All

hands up i have done something stupid, so advice is sought on possible concequences.

I advertised a job anonomously for a position that is filled by an underperforming employee. Unfortunately the job centre did not keep it anonomously and all hell has broken loose.

The job was adverstised as the emploee had expressed an interest to step down and i did not wish to be left without a candidate to fill it.

Looking back now i realise this was a very stupid thing to do and i fear my business will be seeking to discipline me for this action.

Can anybody advise what action i should take if any, and what form of mis-conduct this falls into?

thriftyatfifty

(I'm not a lawyer) Sounds as if your employee could file for constructive dismissal, but against your company, not you.

You'll need to read your contract of employment carefully. There could be a whole number of things in there that catch you out.

scheming_gypsy

I'd just go for testing the waters; that there isn't an actual job but you were testing the water to see how much interest you get if you were to advertise the job... Which is why you asked the job centre to do it anonomously.

Jarndyce

Impossible to answer your questions without knowing what your job is, how much authority you had to do what you did, whether you should have sought approval, and how serious the action was for the company in its particular marketplace, etc.

There's not much you can do until and unless any charges are brought against you, unless you can somehow pre-empt any investigation by writing a factual report to the appropriate manager with an apology for example.

If I was the employee however I would be bloody livid and rightly so!

Jarndyce

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

I'd just go for testing the waters; that there isn't an actual job but you were testing the water to see how much interest you get if you were to advertise the job... Which is why you asked the job centre to do it anonomously.

I would strongly advise you NOT to lie. That will only come back and bite you on the bum later, mark my words.

Mojisola

whiteroom184 wrote: »

The job was adverstised as the emploee had expressed an interest to step down and i did not wish to be left without a candidate to fill it.

Isn't this the best explanation? It shows that you were thinking of the business.

jamespir

how did the employee find out and just explain the truth to him/her

whiteroom184

i agree with all your comments, i was a bloody stupid thing to do and the emploee is livid!

i am a manger within a store and have come under alot of pressure from above to remove this individual from their post. Prior to advertising i did not seek approval from my employers to post the job.

I just cant believe i have been so stupid, it was a sheer moment of madness as have been suffering with depression which the company are aware of. I dont want that to be an excuse just an explanation of where my head was/is at.

whiteroom184

the employee found out because one of his staff applied for the job, the job centre then told them what job it was

redcard

Is the employees going through any disciplinary action due to their under-performance?
Have the formally expressed an interest in resigning, or is this just something you heard on the grapevine?
Are you normally responsible for advertising vacant positions?

scheming_gypsy

Jarndyce wrote: »

I would strongly advise you NOT to lie. That will only come back and bite you on the bum later, mark my words.

it isn't technically lying. The OP said that the "employee has expressed an interest in stepping down", so it fits in nicely.

Employee might be stepping down
Boss looks at how the market lies if it does happen