Opinion ID: 220255
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Events Surrounding Davis's Reinstatement

Text: About a week after his termination, Davis telephoned Archie and arranged a meeting to voice concerns about his termination. After speaking with Davis, Archie decided further investigation was warranted. Archie interviewed several people about the transaction and termination, including the customer. (She also investigated Davis's allegations about Cleboski's getting away with murder comment.) Archie concluded that the facts were not as clear-cut as she once thought and that Davis should be given the benefit of the doubt since he has been a stellar performer in the department. Archie recommended that Davis be reinstated immediately, with back pay, but subject to a written warning and a performance improvement plan. John Woodrum, Archie's superior, reviewed her report and continued the investigation by interviewing some people she had not, including Cleboski. After he completed his investigation, Woodrum remained convinced that Davis had been properly terminated. But after the customer weighed in a final time with a story supporting Davis's position, the vice president of human resources overruled Woodrum and decided it would be best to reinstate Davis with back pay, including projected commissions and some bonuses. Davis returned to his position on November 2, 2006. He was greeted by Kevin Mahlberg, a white former member of the outside sales team who had been promoted to the managerial position Davis had wanted to apply for before his termination. Mahlberg gave Davis a performance improvement plan, which Davis signed under protest. Davis then went to Mahlberg's office, where Cleboski, in a defensive tone, told him something to the effect of, Despite what you think or what you believe, or whatever, you know, there was nothing personal with your termination. Cleboski then escorted Davis around the Business Class workspace and explained to the inside and outside sales teams that Davis was back with us after being out on an extended leave. Davis said that he was demotivated by this welcome, which was not as warm as another he recalled. He still managed to meet his sales quotas, however, notwithstanding the tepid welcome and the division of his customers among Rodgers, Coleman, and Schmitt. Sometime shortly after Davis's return, Time Warner developed a new compensation plan for the Business Class sales teams that was to take effect in 2007. (Neither Davis nor Time Warner has provided us with a copy of the plan or given any clear indication of when it was developed, distributed, or put into effect.) According to Davis, in whose favor we view the record, the new plan increased the inside team's sales quotas and shifted to the outside team some commissionable transactions that had been previously handled by the inside team. These changes allegedly reduced the potential commissions available to Davis and the rest of the inside sales team while raising the potential compensation for the outside team. Davis was highly dissatisfied with the plan, the terms of which no one was given the opportunity to negotiate.