Title: Microsoft Word - Supervisors Guidebook - Response to Complaint #3 - 1 14 13.docx
Author: reneewhitehead
Last saved by: Wise, Christina

SAMPLE  
_Response _To _Complaint _About _Employee:  
Prior to responding to a complaint about an employee, make sure you understand the facts. Talk to anyone involved in the incident as well as the employee accused of misconduct. In the scenario which is the basis for the sample email below, two employees disagreed about the release of a check.  The disagreement escalated into yelling that disrupted the workplace.  The sample response below can either be used as an example of how you might document what you did as a supervisor to respond to this situation or could be used as follow-up documentation of your face-to-face discussion with the employee at fault.

To:  Employee

From: Supervisor

On Friday, June 1, I received a call from Claire Brown, Chief of the Accounting Office, who reported that you engaged in an excessively loud and disruptive disagreement with Maggie Smith regarding whether or not a check was ready for release.  After interviewing you, Maggie Smith and another witness, I determined that you disagreed
so strongly with Ms. Smith that you demanded she release the check and then yelled at her when she advised you that it was not ready for release.

This encounter occurred at the reception desk in front of other Accounting Office staff and your yelling could be heard throughout the work area.  Ms. Smith revealed that she felt intimidated, embarrassed and no longer wants to interact with you.

It is critical that you understand that I expect all members of my staff to engage in polite and courteous interactions with everyone with whom they come into contact while they are working. It is unacceptable and unprofessional to interact with others in a manner that can be viewed as intimidating, threatening, or otherwise rude or discourteous. Further, if you believe that a process is incorrect, or incorrectly interpreted, you are to elevate your concerns to a supervisor for resolution if it cannot be adequately resolved at your level.

I understand from my discussion with you that you do not believe that your actions were intimidating.  Please understand that when you respond to people by yelling or even in a loud and demanding voice, it can be perceived as intimidating.  I expect you to be polite, courteous and to elevate any problems that cannot be resolved with your co-workers to my attention.