Hughes works for your Street Maintenance Division, and his offenses are many and devious. Last winter, for example, when assigned to fill potholes, he did his job so badly that another crew had to redo his work. After that, many of his co-workers concluded that they could accomplish more shorthanded than with Hughes around. So they asked him to remain behind in the garage, which is precisely what Hughes wanted. He does only what is specified in his job description and absolutely nothing more. Moreover, he flaunts his disregard for his own duties, for his division's responsibilities and for the dedication of his co- workers.
Over the past decade, the lament from many public managers has been: "I can't reward my really good people" (meaning that they can't give them more money). In fact, however, the inability to reward a few stars (after all, more money isn't the only reward that public managers can bestow on their top performers) is a small problem compared with the inability to fire an obnoxious goof-off such as Hughes. One person can undermine everyone's natural work ethic: "Why should I bother to do my job," they ask themselves, "when Casey doesn't do anything and still gets the same pay and the same benefits?"
Naturally, you have documented Hughes' behavior. That's HR Management 101. But Hughes is cagey. He knows the rules. So he spaces out his documentable offenses. And the city's personnel regulations are clear: To make the case for terminating an employee, the offenses must occur frequently enough. After nine months, you have to start over. Thus, an infraction that occurred in November 2001 can't be included in the same file with a transgression that occurred in September 2002. Still, you document every failure and hold the requisite consultations. In response, Hughes makes the minimally adequate correction. And only for a while. After nine months, he is back at it.
Hughes, however, isn't your biggest problem. Bragen is. If she would just provide a little assistance--a little guidance and a little support--you might be able to get rid of Hughes.
Bragen, however, refuses to help. When you suggest asking some annoyed co-workers to contribute to the Hughes file, Bragen turns you down, saying that would destroy all of her efforts to build a working relationship with the union. When you suggest that the city pay for some professional counseling, she says there is no money in the budget. When you ask her who else in the city has dealt effectively with this kind of problem, she says, one, it isn't a problem and, two, no one else has ever had it, so it must be your fault. When you ask for her suggestions, she offers none. Hughes, she repeats, is "completely within his rights." As one wag put it, the first item on Bragen's job description must read: "No matter what, a city employee is never wrong."
Bragen used to work at the Zenith City Human Resource Bureau. But when Public Works lost its top personnel person, Bragen was detailed over to your department, a move that she fears was some kind of punishment. Bragen desperately wants to get back "home" and thus is attempting to demonstrate that she is a faithful HR "professional." She wants to prove that she is loyal to the HR culture (and to its allegiance to employee rights) and will implement its every precept, particularly in the face of your "political pressure." As she explains it, performance at Public Works is not her job.
Naturally, you have cultivated some contacts in the Human Resource Bureau--staffers who know the city's rules and how to make them work. Still, whenever it comes to making an official ruling, the top folks at the HR Bureau always side with Bragen, their professional colleague.
Moreover, your efforts to work directly with the HR Bureau have gotten you in even more trouble. Bragen complained directly to your boss, Walter Higbe, the city's director of public works. And because Higbe doesn't want to be caught violating any employee's rights (he once lost a big battle with the union over his efforts to dismiss a no-show employee), he simply accepted Bragen's version of the "facts" and her interpretation of the "rules." Higbe told you to cool it.
You, however, aren't the least bit cool. In fact, you're damn hot.
