Employment Studies: Question 4 Chapter 12
In March 1998, forty-three-year-old Peter Barnes read an ad in the Chicago Tribune that Pentrix was seeking experienced word processors to work in its Chicago office. Pentrix is a national corporation specializing in the design and manufacture of hand-held computers. The ad stated that Pentrix was looking for “experienced word processors seeking a career in a stable and growing company.” On March 8, 1998, Barnes interviewed with Renee Thompson, the head of Pentrix’s word processing department in Chicago. Thompson was impressed with Barnes’s prior experience and reassured him that although Pentrix is a national corporation, the employees in Pentrix are like a family and look after one another. Thompson offered Barnes a job at the end of the interview, and Barnes began work on March 15, 1998.
Barnes received an updated policy manual from the personnel department every year that he worked for Pentrix. In addition to discussing such things as vacation, salary, and benefits, the policy manual described Pentrix’s progressive discipline system.
Pentrix’s progressive discipline system consisted of three basic steps. First, an employee’s supervisor must discuss the employee’s deficiencies with the employee and suggest ways for the employee to improve his or her work performance. Second, the employee must receive written notice of his or her poor performance with suggestions of how the performance can improve. Third, the employee must receive a written warning that if the employee’s performance does not improve, he or she will be terminated.
The manual provided that in cases of “material misconduct” a supervisor had the discretion to decide whether to follow the progressive discipline procedures. The policy manual also provided that Pentrix had complete discretion to decide who would be discharged in the event of a company layoff.
In 2000, the following language was added to the policy manual:
These policies are simply guidelines to management. Pentrix reserves the
Barnes received an updated policy manual from the personnel department every year that he worked for Pentrix. In addition to discussing such things as vacation, salary, and benefits, the policy manual described Pentrix’s progressive discipline system.
Pentrix’s progressive discipline system consisted of three basic steps. First, an employee’s supervisor must discuss the employee’s deficiencies with the employee and suggest ways for the employee to improve his or her work performance. Second, the employee must receive written notice of his or her poor performance with suggestions of how the performance can improve. Third, the employee must receive a written warning that if the employee’s performance does not improve, he or she will be terminated.
The manual provided that in cases of “material misconduct” a supervisor had the discretion to decide whether to follow the progressive discipline procedures. The policy manual also provided that Pentrix had complete discretion to decide who would be discharged in the event of a company layoff.
In 2000, the following language was added to the policy manual:
These policies are simply guidelines to management. Pentrix reserves the