This situation is no different than terminating an employee for substandard performance, which employers have been managing long before the pandemic.

If it becomes evidently clear that the employee is a quiet quitter, if the employee is an at-will employee, they may be terminated for their substandard performance. Just because quite quitting is a trendy term in the news today – do not assume that it is the situation for all perceived or real substandard work performance, as the situation is likely more complicated. It is important to attempt to understand why the employee may appear to be quiet quitting – as the employer may misread the situation where the employee is going through a difficult time in their personal life and that is impacting their work. Increased communications – don’t presume someone is a quiet quitter just because this term is in the news.Įmployers are encouraged to communicate with employees they believe are quiet quitting. The additional benefit is that the top performers realize that their contributions are being recognized.Ĥ. Employers also have the ability to publicly recognize top performing employees within the company – and this can go a long way in sending a message to the workforce that performance matters in terms of compensation. On the flipside of reducing bonuses or raises, employers should consider rewarding employees who are going above and beyond. That is why the counseling discussed in item #1 is so critical. It is critical that employers document the employee’s lack of performance in order to justify a lower bonus or raise at the end of the year. If compensation plans are properly drafted, and bonuses and raises are discretionary, employers may lower these incentives during the next review, or forego them altogether. If employees are only performing at the bare minimum, employers have the ability to adjust the level of bonuses, raises, and promotions provided to employees. Incentivizing through bonuses, raises, and promotions. Similar to approaching any performance issues in the workplace, employers have the option of counseling employees about their substandard performance, and if necessary to put the employee on a performance plan.Ģ. What remedies and actions are available to employers to address quiet quitters? Here are a few considerations for employers: Generally speaking, an employee does not have a legal right to refuse to perform tasks required by his or her employer because it is not in their job description or is not part of their regular job duties. It is a good reminder for employers to review their job descriptions to ensure that they are properly drafted, reflect the duties the employee is generally expected to perform, and explain that the duties may change over time. Employers have the right and ability to change an employee’s job duties as needed. However, a job description (if properly drafted) does not create a contract with the employee and should only set out a general overview of the duties the employee is expected to do. From the questions I’ve been fielding from clients, this is the most common refrain from employees – they refuse to do a certain task asked of them because they say it is not in their job description.

The most common question I’ve been getting from employers, is if employees have the right to refuse to do work if it is not their regular job description. Some have described it as setting boundaries and not doing work beyond what you were hired to do, and for what you are being paid for. Quiet quitting has been in the news recently to describe a trend by employees to only do the bare minimum at work.

Job quitter review