1ST INDIVIDUAL CASE – MOUNT RIDGE ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

1. In the case discussed, Mount Ridge Engineering Systems is a fully operated coal-fired utility company with plants scattered throughout the Atlantic region. Given the company has only been established for four years, it is successfully growing with the expansion of five plants. The increase in manpower is evident, as the demand for more laborers is needed, thus it is of business importance to hire plant supervisors and human resources specialists to ensure smooth day-to-day operations. Joyce Newcombe, titled Vice President Human Resources Manager for Mount Ridge was hired with an incentive for the company to remain non-unionized by strategically designing and regulating the necessary personal, professional and organizational needs of the company employees. Larry Braxton, titled Plant Superintendent for Mount Ridge has responsibilities of overseeing all functions within each department including employee productivity and operations. The corporate human resources functions and operations at the plant level should harmonize and the reason being that both of them rely on each other for Mount Ridge’s plants acquiring standard qualifications to realize its company goals. However, the incident as mentioned in the case, violated and disregarded the appropriate policies of absenteeism and termination, two supporting HRIS reporting outcomes. Bud Johnson, surely an asset to the company as a skilled auxiliary operator was restricted from further promotion and pay increase. Larry Braxton has the line authority- making people-related decisions, as a plant superintendent to oversee whether each individual worker is performing at job expectations and recommend based on evaluations if further training or potential promotion is required. Overlooking his line authority created a conflict of interest for those employees that have expertise in other job functions within the plant, leading to the incident in this case study. Bud Johnson had additional expertise separate from his current job description as an auxiliary operator and was pulled out several times to assist over the basic operations and maintenance in the plants generating system. Bud Johnson felt that he deserves and ought to be paid for a higher position with Mount Ridge advancing to an equipment operator. However Larry Braxton did not take any further action on his request, leading Johnson unsatisfied and absent the following day at work. The absenteeism policy is if an employee is absent at work without informing an immediate supervisor consequences as one of the grounds for possible termination of his or her service. Upon returning to work, depending on the circumstances, the employee should provide an explanation or documentation supporting the absence that would report back to human resources. Joyce Newcombe was unaware of Johnson’s absence, only being notified directly through the employee a week later after termination. Consequently, Bud Johnson returned to work the following day he was absent with the decision to leave the company due to dissatisfaction of his pay and signed a termination notice form to be documented by company policy. Appropriate termination policies were violated as Johnson realized the termination form he had filled out was blank and contained incorrect reasoning as to why he left the company. Human resource specialists are often given functional authority-making effective crucial decisions on the type of benefits employees are obligated to. If Larry Braxton had reported to human resources about Bud Johnson’s exceptional work performance and capability, Joyce could have reviewed his performance and decide whether he is eligible for promotion. The incident shows that the authority, being Larry Braxton that is held responsible as the plant superintendent did not do his job well because he had not followed appropriate procedures. Although human resources had established benefit packages