What is the name of your state? California
Good morning,
I am on the Board of Directors for a non-profit organization. We recently hired two co-directors to run our facility, and I'm happy to say that one has worked out beautifully. The other one, though, has had major difficulty with her written and verbal communication skills. In an effort to help her increase the level of professionalism in her communication, several board members have offered advice, both verbally and in email form, with regards to specific issues (asking that she refrain from using slang like "lol" or "c-ya" in emails to the Personnel Committee; asking her to use the proofreading abilities of her co-director before distributing professional documents such as memos or fliers to our staff, etc.).
Our attempts at offering specific advice and constructive criticism have been met with hostility, at best. She has freely used the words, "harassment," "discrimination," and "micro-management" in response to our suggestions, and has hinted more than once that her resume' has been distributed to other potential employers.
While I know that CA is an at-will employment state, there are several factors that may come into play:
1. She is Hispanic
2. She is a new mom (her baby is five months old)
3. She is still within her six-month probation period
All of us on the Board had high hopes that she would be an excellent match for our organization, but our hopes are being dashed with her thinly veiled threats of talking to a lawyer and contacting the EEOC.
We have given her one review thus far, and offered specific feedback with regards to her job performance. While she has made some improvements, she is still using those strong words in her communication with the Board.
Legal Question:
Based on the information provided above, do you see any indication that we have acted improperly?
We really want to do the right thing for everyone involved, and appreciate any advice you might have.
Thanks in advance.
Good morning,
I am on the Board of Directors for a non-profit organization. We recently hired two co-directors to run our facility, and I'm happy to say that one has worked out beautifully. The other one, though, has had major difficulty with her written and verbal communication skills. In an effort to help her increase the level of professionalism in her communication, several board members have offered advice, both verbally and in email form, with regards to specific issues (asking that she refrain from using slang like "lol" or "c-ya" in emails to the Personnel Committee; asking her to use the proofreading abilities of her co-director before distributing professional documents such as memos or fliers to our staff, etc.).
Our attempts at offering specific advice and constructive criticism have been met with hostility, at best. She has freely used the words, "harassment," "discrimination," and "micro-management" in response to our suggestions, and has hinted more than once that her resume' has been distributed to other potential employers.
While I know that CA is an at-will employment state, there are several factors that may come into play:
1. She is Hispanic
2. She is a new mom (her baby is five months old)
3. She is still within her six-month probation period
All of us on the Board had high hopes that she would be an excellent match for our organization, but our hopes are being dashed with her thinly veiled threats of talking to a lawyer and contacting the EEOC.
We have given her one review thus far, and offered specific feedback with regards to her job performance. While she has made some improvements, she is still using those strong words in her communication with the Board.
Legal Question:
Based on the information provided above, do you see any indication that we have acted improperly?
We really want to do the right thing for everyone involved, and appreciate any advice you might have.
Thanks in advance.
