Toni Berdit is the Washington, D.C. area supervisor for Quick-Stop, a chain of convenience stores. She has full responsibility for managing the seven Quick-Stop stores in Washington. Each store operates with only one person on duty at a time. Although several of the stores stay open all night, every night, the Center Street store is open all night Monday through Thursday but only 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday through Sunday. Because the store is open for fewer hours during the weekend, money from sales is kept in the store safe until Monday. Therefore, the time it takes to complete a money count on Monday is greater than normal. The company has a policy that when the safe is being emptied, the manager has to be with the employee on duty, and the employee has to place each $1,000 in a brown bag, mark the bag, and leave the bag on the floor next to the safe until the manager verifies the amount in each bag.

Bill Catron worked the Monday morning shift at the Center Street store and was trying to save his manager time by counting the money prior to his arrival. The store got very busy, and, while bagging a customers groceries, Bill mistook one of the moneybags for a bag containing three sandwiches and put the moneybag in with the groceries. Twenty minutes later, Toni arrived, and they both began to search for the money. While they were searching, the customer came back with the bag of money. Quick-Stop has a general policy that anyone violating the money-counting procedure could be fired immediately. However, the ultimate decision was left up to the supervisor and his or her immediate boss.

Bill was very upset. I really need this job, Bill exclaimed. With the new baby and all the medical expenses weve had, I sure cant stand to be out of a job.

You knew about the policy, Bill, said Toni.

Yes, I did, Toni, said Bill, and I really dont have an excuse. If you dont fire me, though, I promise you that Ill be the best store manager youve got.

While Bill waited on a customer, Toni called her boss at the home office. With the bosss approval, Toni decided not to fire Bill.

A. Do you agree with Tonis decision? Discuss.

B. What signal might the decision not to fire Bill give to other store managers?

C. Quick-Stop had a general policy that anyone violating the money-counting procedure could be fired immediately. If the store had a rule that violations of the money-counting procedure must be fired, what would be some of the steps that Quick-Stop should have in place for Toni to conduct a successful termination meeting?