Opinions

THE CARE AND FEEDING OF PERSONNEL IS NO EASY TASK

The City of Atlanta was hit recently with an eighteen million dollar settlement over the transfer of several city librarians. The transfers were apparently racially motivated…..in this case, reverse discrimination. The city settled after long and expensive litigation.

This will take six million dollars of taxpayers’ money over each of the next three years for the poor judgment of city employees’ handling of personnel matters, in a city already hard-hit by sanitation problems that threaten bankruptcy.

This should be a wake-up call to municipalities great and small concerning personnel matters where emotion rather than reason and law rule the day. We must remember that an accused is innocent until proven guilty; furthermore, employees’ activities on their own time and away from the workplace are private matters, not to be construed as grounds for dismissal.

In today’s world, thorough documentation of poor job performance, conviction of a crime, or lack of work, are about the only "safe" ways to terminate employees.

Hopefully, public officials will learn from the mistakes of Atlanta. Otherwise, municipalities already strapped for funds could find themselves over a financial barrel and carrying their constituents with them, leaving the trial lawyers laughing all the way to the bank.

(ed. note: It is always easy to accuse, point fingers, and punish. It is easier to gossip. We delight in scandal and turmoil……when it’s someone else. Most of us are guilty. In the incident of the woman caught in adultery, Jesus tries to teach us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but we are slow and reluctant learners. Right now, our city is going through some hurtful times. The best thing that we, as citizens, can do is to pray for our elected officials, city employees, and all who are involved. What’s more, let them know that you are praying for them. Prayer can heal both body and soul. It works. I know.)