If you know someone is going to be fired - do you tell?

[Lucky724]

I work in a facility that someone is going to be terminated. He is a nice person but does a lot of "running around doing nothing" - this is not because he has not been given guidance or support - most of it seems to be he is disorganized and chronically late - his truck died, his neighbor blocked him in, his water line broke and on and on. So, earlier a coworker was looking at our job listings on our hospital site - she has wanted to transfer to another unit for some time and checks periodically to see if there are openings...she called me over and showed me HIS job is listed (yes, 100% it's his) as the posting date was 6 days ago - the day he left for vacation. He is on vacation for this week and next. "Rumor" was he was going to be let go but now, we know it - they would NOT offer him a transfer elsewhere in the hospital nor to work on the unit with us. He is that "bad" as far as being able to be counted on. He has a large child support payment - he has talked about this many, many times...she thinks we should tell him about the posting - I think it's not for us to get involved in...he is aware the unit manager has been unhappy w/his performance for some time, he has received multiple chances/educational times. It's not like the management hasn't tried to help him - some of it I think he just likes the "woe is me" life - but...given how hard it is to get a job and w/the holidays coming - should he be told? He will NOT see this posting because he still can't log on to our system after a year!

[jimthorp]

I work in a facility that someone is going to be terminated. He is a nice person but does a lot of "running around doing nothing" - this is not because he has not been given guidance or support - most of it seems to be he is disorganized and chronically late - his truck died, his neighbor blocked him in, his water line broke and on and on.

Nice person or not, this is not the kind of coworker I'd want and I do have plenty of this type where I work.

I'd say mind your own business and don't spread gossip.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

He has had a long long time to fix his problems that make him a crappy co worker and he hasn't changed. IMO, I would be happy that he is gone.

As for telling him? Nope..not at all would I want to be potentially taken down with him.

[nola1202]

going on vacation, usually means they know. He's a gone pecan.

[AZ_LPN_8_26_13]

going on vacation, usually means they know. He's a gone pecan.

That's my thought too. Of course someone taking a vacation in and of itself wouldn't mean that, but the timing of it all indicates that. Someone who is hanging by their last thread and has a bad rep, then in the middle of all that takes two weeks off, could very well be looking for another job. As a compassionate co-worker and human being the first instinct is to tell the guy, especially if he is a likeable fellow, but you have to put your thinking cap on here and consider the ramifications of doing that. Jobs (decent ones) are too few and far between, and too hard to come by, to jeproadize your own. You don't want to put yourself on an organization's unofficial blacklist because you jumped into the middle of their actions in dealing with a problem employee. It's best for all involved if you just stay out of it and tend to your own business.

[TXNurse77]

In no way would I get involved.

That's the problem with people and how all the gossiping/rumors gets started by someone not tending to their own business. Not you of course, but the other nurse that found the job posting.

I say this with sincerity, she was in the wrong and being quite "messy" when she came to you to ask about this. She should have just applied for the position and went on about her business. She took it upon herself to involve you by nosing around about such.

As for the male nurse, I understand life happens to people. As much as we like to play "friend" and save people's days, I would allow management to handle this as they have obviously started to and save this guy from the embarassment of everyone being aware that his job was listed on the internet.

Nursing is a small world and we have to guard our reputations every moment of the day and at all costs because it will follow us for the rest of our lives.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

...she called me over and showed me HIS job is listed (yes, 100% it's his) as the posting date was 6 days ago - the day he left for vacation. He is on vacation for this week and next. "Rumor" was he was going to be let go but now, we know it - they would NOT offer him a transfer elsewhere in the hospital nor to work on the unit with us. He is that "bad" as far as being able to be counted on.

What if you're wrong?

And even if right, do you want to open that can of worms?

Stay out of it