Can the management terminate an office employee (Cashier) for sleeping on duty regularly? The office camera has recorded him sleeping during office hours several times. What should be the procedure? Is there any letter that needs to be issued? Are there any legal precedents?
From India, Bengaluru
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From India, Bengaluru
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Hi Kolkata Harsh,
What type of organization do you work with? Also, please let us know whether this employee was sleeping at his workstation. Did anyone in HR speak with him? Yes, the employer may terminate if an employee is regularly sleeping during working hours.
Thank you.
From India, Bangalore
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482What type of organization do you work with? Also, please let us know whether this employee was sleeping at his workstation. Did anyone in HR speak with him? Yes, the employer may terminate if an employee is regularly sleeping during working hours.
Thank you.
From India, Bangalore
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Yes.
But the company needs to follow due procedure before termination. This includes counseling, warnings, and a chance to change/improve, and finally termination. Sleeping on duty of this nature is definitely misconduct, which can cause a loss to the company as well as the employee.
From India, Pune
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But the company needs to follow due procedure before termination. This includes counseling, warnings, and a chance to change/improve, and finally termination. Sleeping on duty of this nature is definitely misconduct, which can cause a loss to the company as well as the employee.
From India, Pune
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There is no need to terminate an employee if the employee sleeps during working hours. The management should inquire about his health issues or take steps to engage employees who may not have activities to do.
From India, Pune
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From India, Pune
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Dear Harsh,
As you have not given much detail about the scenario (for example, what type of organization it is and what the role of the cashier entails), I wonder whether it is a real situation or an assignment question posed in an academic course! In the absence of such information, the responses you receive are based on assumptions, or you will end up with more questions being asked.
From United Kingdom
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As you have not given much detail about the scenario (for example, what type of organization it is and what the role of the cashier entails), I wonder whether it is a real situation or an assignment question posed in an academic course! In the absence of such information, the responses you receive are based on assumptions, or you will end up with more questions being asked.
From United Kingdom
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Harsh,
Yes, but you need to follow the due course of law, such as issuing a show-cause notice, allowing the employee to respond in writing, considering the response, issuing warning letters for the first misconduct, and then, after a repeat of the behavior, conducting a fully documented inquiry, etc., and only then proceeding with termination. I don't see any mention of a warning for previous misconduct. That should always be in place before termination.
This is because, as a cashier, the employee would most probably be a non-supervisor and could challenge the termination. The labor courts are labor-friendly (meant to protect employees' rights) and will quash any termination not done as per the prescribed procedure.
From India, Mumbai
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Yes, but you need to follow the due course of law, such as issuing a show-cause notice, allowing the employee to respond in writing, considering the response, issuing warning letters for the first misconduct, and then, after a repeat of the behavior, conducting a fully documented inquiry, etc., and only then proceeding with termination. I don't see any mention of a warning for previous misconduct. That should always be in place before termination.
This is because, as a cashier, the employee would most probably be a non-supervisor and could challenge the termination. The labor courts are labor-friendly (meant to protect employees' rights) and will quash any termination not done as per the prescribed procedure.
From India, Mumbai
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Hi Kolkata,
Have you talked to him about his mistake (maybe it's caused by his sickness, lack of sleep, or family burden) or given him a warning and an opportunity to change? After taking those steps, if he still sleeps on duty, it's time to consider a termination decision. I don't know where you are from, so I can't give advice on legal issues.
From Vietnam, Hanoi
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Have you talked to him about his mistake (maybe it's caused by his sickness, lack of sleep, or family burden) or given him a warning and an opportunity to change? After taking those steps, if he still sleeps on duty, it's time to consider a termination decision. I don't know where you are from, so I can't give advice on legal issues.
From Vietnam, Hanoi
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I agree with Harsh. You talk to him and find out whether any medical reason for his behaviour. Follow the procedure for taking action
From India, Chennai
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From India, Chennai
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Hello Abdulla Javed Moochikal,
Your line "There is no need to terminate an employee if the employee sleeps in his working hours" gives a totally different message than what you may have had in mind, that the employee shouldn't be directly terminated without checking the health issues. Please note that this action does remain as one of the options available to any employer in such situations. However, a 'blanket' statement like yours gives a totally contradictory message than what you intended. I suggest using your words carefully, lest someone blindly follows your suggestion and lands in a mess.
@ Kolkata Harsh - If you really want actionable suggestions from the members, please give the full and complete picture of the situation.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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Your line "There is no need to terminate an employee if the employee sleeps in his working hours" gives a totally different message than what you may have had in mind, that the employee shouldn't be directly terminated without checking the health issues. Please note that this action does remain as one of the options available to any employer in such situations. However, a 'blanket' statement like yours gives a totally contradictory message than what you intended. I suggest using your words carefully, lest someone blindly follows your suggestion and lands in a mess.
@ Kolkata Harsh - If you really want actionable suggestions from the members, please give the full and complete picture of the situation.
Regards,
TS
From India, Hyderabad
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This seems to have developed in a pattern, as suggested by the queries when he states the office camera has caught him sleeping several times. Apart from health issues, he may not be having a sufficient workload. Check on this aspect and load him with more work by restricting cash hours. Say 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon (or as may be justified).
A.S. Bhat
From India, Pune
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A.S. Bhat
From India, Pune
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Dear Friend,
A Cashier sleeps regularly during working hours...
Strange is the situation. I think it is the message to engage the members, whether the members are actively discussing the issue or they are sleeping.
How does a Cashier sleep in his cabin? When cash is being handled, certainly the whole responsibility rests with the cashier for each penny. There seems to be no misappropriation, no cash transaction failure, and no customer complaints. The rest follows; it is a fabricated question.
In the hotel industry, there is no possibility of sleeping as customers and transactions are open. In a big mall, there is no possibility as continuous conversation and transactions take place. The only possibility is the main cashier who is collecting the entire cash money from different departments may be left with 2 to 3 hours idle in his time, and the rest follows.
Thus, it seems it is a fabricated issue raised to find out whether members are sleeping or not.
Anyhow, best of luck to the cashier who is found sleeping, detected through CCTV, and the organization has an employee of good nature who is not wasting his time on misappropriation/cheating, etc.
From India, Arcot
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A Cashier sleeps regularly during working hours...
Strange is the situation. I think it is the message to engage the members, whether the members are actively discussing the issue or they are sleeping.
How does a Cashier sleep in his cabin? When cash is being handled, certainly the whole responsibility rests with the cashier for each penny. There seems to be no misappropriation, no cash transaction failure, and no customer complaints. The rest follows; it is a fabricated question.
In the hotel industry, there is no possibility of sleeping as customers and transactions are open. In a big mall, there is no possibility as continuous conversation and transactions take place. The only possibility is the main cashier who is collecting the entire cash money from different departments may be left with 2 to 3 hours idle in his time, and the rest follows.
Thus, it seems it is a fabricated issue raised to find out whether members are sleeping or not.
Anyhow, best of luck to the cashier who is found sleeping, detected through CCTV, and the organization has an employee of good nature who is not wasting his time on misappropriation/cheating, etc.
From India, Arcot
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