As a manager, would you fire an employee that made a mistake? It probably depends on the degree of the mistake. You probably wouldn't fire an employee that forgot to attend a staff meeting. But you probably would fire an employee that stole from the company.

I became interested in this topic after reading an article from USA Today in which an American Airlines pilot was fired for showing up on the job intoxicated. The pilot was removed from the flight because another employee smelled alcohol on his breath. The pilot tested above the legal blood/alcohol limit for pilots. He was fired two days after the incident.

Intoxicated driving is a media darling. If the pilot was not fired and the media got hold of this incident it would have become a public relations nightmare for American Airlines. I'm sure he was fired for intoxication and not just to avoid a PR nightmare. After all, American Airlines is a big company with standard HR rules and procedures.

I'm sure this scenario is played out in dozens of small businesses around the country everyday. Perhaps, it is a truck driver that shows up to work with alcohol on his breath or anything else along those lines. You, as a manager of a small business, don't usually have the benefit of having strict HR guidelines to follow like AA does. You normally just use your judgement.

Managers at big companies cannot always just use their judgement. Some incidents, like in the American Airlines example, can generate negative publicity forcing them to make the proper decisions to avoid such scenarios.

It is a difficult job being a manager. Firing an employee can have broader consequences then you think. So, should you fire an employee that makes a mistake? I dont think there will ever be an answer to this question. It should be left to you, as the manager, to decide.