My company manufactures and markets feature stories for newspapers and magazines. I own the firm and serve as chief executive officer, marketing director, and head of production. I am a hands-on manager: all projects, large and small, must be approved and supervised by me. Because of current revenue levels, I can afford to employ only one person (myself). But if I should ever decide to expand, God help the individual who joins my staff.
“Oh,” said the woman, “is that what that meeting was all about?” It turned out the supervisor had told the woman during the session that he was “de-hiring” her, and she didn’t grasp his meaning.
Lott has honed his lines and gestures to near perfection. His act owes plenty to Steve Martin.
Bill is a slacker who deserves to be fired. But he has hung on to his job so long, Lott said, that he now has an “implied contract.” That is, the company effectively has sanctioned his laziness by keeping him on. If he were suddenly fired, Bill could probably use the implied-contract argument in court and obtain a cash settlement from his ex-employer. Is this unfair? Sure, but it’s one of the appalling realities of today’s regulated workplace.
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Stepping up to a jumbo pad mounted on an easel, he wrote with a felt-tipped pen: “Age, sex, race, religion, national origin, handicapped.” “These are the major federally protected classes,” he said. “Who is not on this list? How many people do not have an age?” He paused for a few beats, let the question sink in. Then he said, “Scarier still,” and put his index finger next to the word “sex.” Snickers rose from the audience.
In cases where discrimination threatens to become an issue, he said, a company can protect itself with two policies. One is, “Do it to one, do it to all”: In creating and enforcing workplace rules, treat everyone alike.
“We leave it up to each supervisor’s discretion.”
