Grounds for dismissal?

[joe1]

Hi
could any one offer any advice on a bad manager, terrible at their job, threatening to sue if sacked. They are ruining the business inside out, and have thrown up the 'being bullied' card. It's actually the other way around, all staff are scared of this person. How easy would it be for this manager to sue?

Can they sue for being rubbish at their job?

thank you, any help gratefully received!

[CheekyChops]

Who exactly is the manager planning on sueing? Surely as long as his employers follow the correct disciplinary procedures to get rid of him then he wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

[Nhozu]

not really clued on employment but worth noting; the staff could actually sue the company if one develops a psychiatric illness from the bullying

[buildersmate]

I guess you must be responsible for this 'bad manager' in some way, shape or form? - directly directly or indirectly.
If so, I'm afraid you are going to have to get a grip, otherwise (as others have noted) you may well have other staff making claims against the business. And it is the business that they will make a claim on - not on the alleged 'bad manager' - because the it is part of the leadership/management task of the business owners or directors to avoid such situations.
The business about suing is very likely an idle threat. The potential for suing would be for alleged unfair dismissal, so as CC says, it is important that you follow the correct disciplinary procedures to avoid such action.
The process is typically warnings, based on investigated incidents, then allowing some time for improvement, then another warning, and eventually dismissal with notice (or pay in lieu of notice) if failure to improve to satisfactory standard does not occur.
It is for senior managers to set the standards, and junior managers to follow them. To avoid potential claims, be specific about feedback on what is and is not acceptable, document what you said in a letter to the 'bad manager', review when you said you were going to.
It is beyond the scope of 2000 words to advise on how to run a performance management process here, but you cannot use terms like 'you are rubbish at your job' with people. You need to be using terms like 'you are not acceptable at your job because of this and here is a recent example'.

[buildersmate]

Well, you've had 3 answers here - yet nothing in reply to suggest that you've been back to look to see what we said.

Your question suggested 'any help gratefully received'?