The Problem with Reinstatement, Even if You’re the Pope

A client will occasionally ask about the advisability of reinstating or hiring back an employee who was terminated. And I say, it’s almost always a bad idea. But she’s changed. I really need his talents right now. A lot of employees would like to have her back. It’s almost always a bad idea. Pretty quickly, you’ll realize you’re going to have to fire him again.

Pope Benedict is the most recent leader, CEO, or boss to demonstrate the danger of a reinstatement. Benedict up and announced that he was revoking the excommunications of four schismatic bishops, including one who denies the Holocaust. This action has caused quite a stir among Jews, world leaders, and even Catholics. The Holy Father stood firm after the initial criticism and then tried to deflect the criticism with a more conciliatory tone. Now, he’s demanding that the Holocaust-denying bishop recant.

The Pope had good intentions. He was trying to promote unity in the Catholic Church by reclaiming the excommunicated bishops and reaching out to conservative Catholics who still chafe at the reforms instituted by the Second Vatican Council. Benedict also says he didn’t know about the one bishop’s anti-Holocaust views at the time he revoked the excommunication.

And that’s one of the problems with reinstatement. You don’t know a lot of things about the one who was previously terminated. The only thing you know for sure is that it was once necessary to fire him.

I know the church isn’t exactly like a regular workplace. But when it comes to reinstatement or the revocation of excommunication, it’s obviously not much different. As the Pope is learning in a quite public way, it’s almost always a bad idea.