# 1
Assignment 1 Comprehensive Case: Bandag Automotive
Assignment # 1 Comprehensive Case: Bandag Automotive
Leonardo Lins
Professor: Robert Menchaca
Strayer University
BUS 310
05/02/2011
2
Assignment # 1 Comprehensive Case: Bandag Automotive
1. Given Bandag Autos size, and anything else you know about it, explain why and how the
human resource management function should be reorganized.
First of all, I would recommend that Bandag Automotive creates a new and separate
Human Resources Unit.
Once the new Human Resource Unit is created, Jim will no longer have direct HR
responsibilities with the employees. In other words, everything will be handled through the new
HR organization chart. The new HR manager will help formulate business strategies and policies
and identify workforce requirements. Since, Jims father has a lot of experience with the
company and has created an excellent relationship with the employees; he will be a good advisor
for the new HR manager.
The new HR manager will have these tasks:
Serve as a link between management and employees by handling questions,
interpreting and administering contracts and helping resolve work-related
problems.
Analyze and modify compensation and benefits policies to establish competitive
programs and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Advise managers on organizational policy matters such as equal employment
opportunity and sexual harassment, and recommend needed changes.
Perform difficult staffing duties, including dealing with understaffing, refereeing
disputes, firing employees, and administering disciplinary procedures.
3
Assignment # 1 Comprehensive Case: Bandag Automotive
Plan and conduct new employee orientation to foster positive attitude toward
organizational objectives.
Identify staff vacancies and recruit, interview and select applicants.
Plan, direct, supervise, and coordinate work activities of subordinates and staff
relating to employment, compensation, labor relations, and employee relations.
Plan, organize, direct, control or coordinate the personnel, training, or labor
relations activities of an organization.
Represent organization at personnel-related hearings and investigations.
Administer compensation, benefits and performance management systems, and
safety and recreation programs.
2. Recommend what Bandag should change and/or improve upon regarding the current HR
systems, forms, and practices the company now uses.
Bandag should revoke all contacts with the external HR firm that had been hired
previously. Now, the new HR manager will completely separate Bandag from the external
agencies. He will have prepared the HR policies that work along with the companys new
strategy. All required forms will be internally generated. To ensure independence from the HR
agencies, the manager will recruit two HR assistants to assist. One will be responsible for the
recruiting, orienting, and training of new employee and employee advocacy. The second will be
responsible for evaluating current employees, tracking promotions, proper counseling and firing
of employees, and training current employees on new policies. Of course, the legal part of HR
4
Assignment # 1 Comprehensive Case: Bandag Automotive
that Jim had many problems with will now be the responsibility of the HR manager. Finally,
Jim, Jims father, and HR will evaluate the effect of the new unit on Bandag Automotive and its
HR issues.
The problems facing Bandag automotive result from a lack of a dedicated HR staff. Jims
policies are not wrong, but they are applied in the wrong way. If the HR unit is not created it to will
lead continuing problems and the gap between the employees and employer will be increased.
In the end, poor HR management will give Bandag Automotive a bad reputation and will lead to
a drop in quality, loss of customers and lower profit.
3. Jim fired an employee for creating what the manager called a poisonous relationship. Explain
whether or not the employee has a legitimate claim against the company and the actions the
company should take.
Henry Jacques was fired because his manager reported that while he was doing the
technical part of his job well, he had serious problems interacting with his coworkers and was
making his store poisonous. Jim approved Henrys dismissal. Though Henrys manager had
heard that he has a mental illness, he did not take that into account when evaluating Henry.
Henry also never brought it to his managements attention if he indeed has a mental illness. In
that case Henry does not have a legitimate claim against Bandag Automotive. He was warned in
his performance appraisals that he had problems working in a team environment, and he never
brought up the fact that he has a disability. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act,
the employee must establish he has a covered disability. I believe he was fired appropriately;
however, the right thing to do in this situation was to first transfer Henry to another position and
5
Assignment # 1 Comprehensive Case: Bandag Automotive
to give him a final warning. In this position, most of his work should not be on a team. If he
continues to be problematic when working on his own, a discharge would be more appropriate.
4. Miriam, the controller, is basically claiming that the company is retaliating against her for
being pregnant, and that the fact that the company raised performance issues was just a
smokescreen. Explain whether or not the EEOC and/or courts would agree with her and the
actions the company should take now.
Miriam had been with Bandag Automotive for six years. She went on pregnancy leave
for twelve weeks under the FMLA, and then received an extra three-week leave under Bandags
extended-illness-days program. Miriam was recently fired by Jim because she had been turning
her budgets in late and possibly forged some documents. If we assume that Jims claims are
solid, he had a right to fire her for misconduct. I believe that her claim of wrongful discharge
related to her pregnancy is unfounded. She resumed work for three months after her leave, and
may be angry because her request to adjust her schedule was refused. If she wasnt happy with
her schedule she could have quit. Bandags HR system failed here because a job description and
contract could have prescribed specific working hours.
5. An employee who is deaf has asked to switch jobs to be a delivery person and he was turned
down. He is now threatening to sue. Recommend what the company should do and describe why.
A truck maintenance employee who is deaf, applied for a job driving one of Bandags
distribution trucks, and Jim directly turned him down because of his disability. I would say that
the employee will win if he sues Jim, unless Jim can prove that the employee was denied because
there were more qualified applicants and in no way because of his disability. If the deaf
6
Assignment # 1 Comprehensive Case: Bandag Automotive
employee can prove that Jim thinks that is absurd for a disabled person to drive a truck, he will
win and cause monetary and public damages to the company.
Reference
Dessler, G. (2011). Human resource management: 2010 custom edition (12th ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall-Pearson.