Pink slips for seven plant managers who ran bets on how many employees would get COVID-19

So, did you vote in Jon Hyman’s Worst Employers of 2020 poll?

I would have voted for the company accused of having plant managers that organized a cash buy-in, winner-take-all betting pool for supervisors and managers to wager how many employees would test positive for COVID-19.

However, I didn’t vote because I’m leery about employee accusations until the company offers its side of the story. (Although, it didn’t stop me from writing about it last month.)

But, according to multiple news reports, including this one from Laurel Wamsley at NPR, the company has investigated the allegations. While the company didn’t exactly clarify the investigator’s findings, it did confirm here that the investigation resulted in the termination of seven plant management employees.

According to the company president & CEO, “The behaviors exhibited by these individuals do not represent [our] core values, which is why we took immediate and appropriate action to get to the truth.”

But, did it though? It appears to have taken a lawsuit and landing above the fold for the company to react.

Takeaways for employers.

Vaccines are coming. But, in the meantime, people are still getting sick and dying. Some of your employees are ghouls. So, take complaints of employee harassment seriously and investigate right away! Better yet, communicate and reinforce your core values and team behaviors before the 💩 hits the fan.

And, ok, duh! Don’t let your managers gamble on COVID-19 outbreaks at work.