Is this considered insubordination?

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

I am a mid-level manager at a small (under 100 employees) company. I am directly responsible for 6 people in my department.

Each year, our company hosts an annual convention and awards presentation out of town. Several employees are asked to go, usually based upon their performance and seniority. The remaining employees remain in town to run the office as usual.

2 employees in my department were to remain and do their job as normal.

One of the two, who has had some disciplinary problems in the past, informed another department head (the assistant event coordinator) that she was going to the awards presentation, even though she had been instructed to stay in town and work and knew the event was by invitation only.

She never discussed with me that she had any intention of going and knows that she was not invited to attend due to past problems. She knew her responsibility was to the office, but she put her own personal wants ahead of the company needs. Instead, she E-mailed the president of the company and begged him to allow her to go.

I feel as though she undermined my authority by going "around" me to try to get what she wants, knowing that I would object to her going due to her past disciplinary problems.

Do her actions fall under the definition of "insubordination"? To me, by deciding on her own that she was entitled to go and actually leaving town and going to the party, she failed to perform her job duties as had been assigned to her.

I plan on dealing with this matter immediately Monday morning, but want to make sure I am on the right track with calling this insubordination.

Any advice?

Thank you.

I also am in mid-level mgmt with near same numbers. And although I am in no way a legal advisor I can share with you a few thoughts on my direct reports and how I deal with situations:
1. Being only mid-level mgmt you really have no power except for documentation rights. i.e you can- in writing- document wrongfull actions,behavior,unsafe acts,etc. The employee can choose either to sign or not to sign the paper, but the file(s) can be placed in the employees folder for future reference.
2. For an employee to "go over your head" isn't an act of insubordation but more of an act of disrespect.

As low level mgmt I welcome a bit of confrontation- keeps me down to earth and also I gain a bit more insight into the people I have to direct on a daily basis.
People are hard to figure and hate being told what to do. When YOU have to tell them what to do, you are generally considered the enemy. Not all are like this but the one bad apple can rune your whole day.
Personally I'd say to discuss this with your supervisor or whomever the employee contacted to beg to go and give your informed factual statement as to why that person needs to remain behind. Be firm! But remember that ultimately that the decision rests with that supervisor and its your job to figure out how to manage if indeed he/she is allowed to go.
If your case is solid your views should be reconized by your superiors and they should act accordingly. If you know your case is solid and they dont act accordingly....ask for a reason....you should be entitled.

wendys8861 said:

I plan on dealing with this matter immediately Monday morning, but want to make sure I am on the right track with calling this insubordination.

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You can call it anything you want. There is no legal requirement that "insubordination" must fall within the scope of a certain definition. Whether you have the authority to discipline her is entirely between you, your boss, and the responsibilities and authority designated to you by your job description.

There is no legal definiton of insubordination, but I would certainly have no problem with this definition of it. I say go for it.

cbg said:

There is no legal definiton of insubordination, but I would certainly have no problem with this definition of it. I say go for it.

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Same here. You don't even have to bring up the "going behind your back" part. Just document that she was assigned to do X, and did not do X, and recommend for disciplinary action/termination (if you have that prerogative).