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“Or?”
“Let him work today as normal. But I think you’d find that unconscionable.”
“I would.” After signaling, he changed lanes to pass a slow-moving vehicle.
“We’ve customarily had a specific way of handling terminations. We want to give the employee time to process the whole thing, ask questions, come to terms with it and let them keep their dignity. And we want to ensure no damage is done to company property, not that I’m particularly concerned about Seward. But…” The man had a family to support. “Since he’s receiving no severance, the situation is potentially more volatile. And we have the question of what to do with the rest of the crew, calling someone in, moving people around, figuring out how to deal with the work that won’t get done.”
He nodded.
“You should fire him,” she said.
“Oh?” Eyebrows raised, he glanced at her.
Kelsey glanced at the clock. “We have enough time to get to the docks if traffic flows well and we turn around immediately.”
His jaw was set and he was silent.
“That’s the best option,” she said. “We don’t have time to get anyone else from HR out here. But I can ensure we have a security guard in place. While you’re handling it, I can update the field supervisors and get schedulers working on the logistics. Honestly, I don’t see a more workable plan.”
He nodded.
“You don’t mind?”
“It’s part of the job.”
She searched his features and found nothing except determination.
He turned the vehicle around and headed for the highway.
“Do you need me to program the GPS?”
“I’ve been to the docks a couple of times,” he reminded her.
He took a ramp that gave her a view of the sun bursting brilliantly over the horizon, showing how vast and endless the city seemed. Because of where she lived and worked, it was sometimes easy to forget that.
Kelsey phoned Lawrence and updated him, and she asked for instructions on where to find the final paycheck and termination letter.
“They’re in Jameson’s top right desk drawer. The schedulers have a key to the office. The desk is unlocked.”
Nathan was greeted cordially by the crews onsite, and she figured it was a good thing he’d already been out here to meet them. The security guard ambled over, lifted a hand in acknowledgment then continued his rounds.
Barb, one of the schedulers, looked up when they entered the small office located about two hundred feet from where the tugs were moored.
“We’ll need access to Jameson’s office,” Kelsey said after exchanging pleasantries.
Though the woman gave a puzzled frown, she went to a locked cabinet and returned with a key.
She and Nathan went into the man’s office.
Kelsey moved aside a half-empty cup of old coffee and wiped crumbs off the chair before sitting behind the desk and pulling out the paycheck and termination letter. After double-checking that everything was in order, she stood and offered the papers to Nathan. “I’ll send Seward in when he arrives.”
He nodded and took the seat she’d vacated.
Her heart pounded when Seward walked in. Kelsey hated every part of this. It was easy to be distracted with the planning. It was another to be face to face with a man whose future was going to be devastated. “Seward,” she greeted.
Around them, people had fallen quiet, except for one of the schedulers who was talking on the phone.
“Hey, Kelsey. What are you doing here?”
“Mr. Donovan would like to see you. In Jameson’s office.”
The man glanced toward the office, then he looked back at her. “What’s going on?”
She noticed Nathan standing in the doorway. “Come on in,” he said. His voice was both calm and firm.
Seward’s eyes widened. He obviously knew what was happening.
“Captain Seward,” Nathan said. “This way.”
Kelsey gave Barb a pointed glance, and the woman got back to work. Others took their cue from her.
Seward walked slowly into the office, and once he was seated, Nathan closed the door.
“He’s getting fired, isn’t he?” Barb asked Kelsey when the security guard walked in.
“Mr. Donovan has had to make a difficult decision. We’ve got work to do. We have a tug with no skipper. Presumably we now also have an idle crew?”
The office fell silent again.
“Barb? Show me the schedule and give me some suggestions on what we need to do.” She had no intention of making the decisions, but she needed people to get back to work, and she didn’t want anyone overhearing the conversation in the office. The more dignity Seward could maintain, the better.
