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Normal hours are 7 - 3:30, he got done at 4:30. They average about 43 hours a week and he is not a ball of fire. Anyway, we let him go this morning and he said he was giving his notice today anyways. He told us we weren't using him to his full potential.
I think you did the right thing. I lived and worked in the central valley for 9 years and found it hard to believe how many guys talked so much trash and produced nothing. There were always 3 guys doing the work of 5 because the other 2 were hiding or just sitting there looking like they didn't have clude. There is a reason these guys bounce around.
 
I would just explain to him how it works....I have a couple of customers that manufacture stuff and when they need me they need me....There is no.."oh ill be there tomorrow" or "next week". They would just tell me "If you cant come today so we can keep production rolling we will call the other guy..."
I totally understand your situation. Personally...if this guy is "allegedly" complaining already I would think about finding a replacement for him..Who needs a bad apple in the mix..?
Im a work a holic right now....I think most new buisiness owners need to be untill you can get your company on auto pilot. I work all the time if the work is there. I work hard now so I wont have to wear my tools for the rest of my life.
 
Normal hours are 7 - 3:30, he got done at 4:30. They average about 43 hours a week and he is not a ball of fire. Anyway, we let him go this morning and he said he was giving his notice today anyways. He told us we weren't using him to his full potential.
Thank you for clearing the air, by your first post it could have been his first couple of hours of work for the company to test his mental fotitude. It does sound as if it worked out for the best.Although I have worked those extra hours for the extra pay, it is not legal for a contractor to demand such or to discriminate against for not working the OT, I agree with Speedy Petey we should have our time to spend how ever we see fit.
 
I will admit I used to HATE when a boss did that. ESPECIALLY on a Friday. The three hour job was never three hours. Bosses who do not work in the field, or those who are work-a-holics, typically pull this crap.
I personally think it is very inconsiderate to send a guy out at the last minute knowing full well they will have to spend and hour or more OT. Unless of course you asked if they wanted it. Many guys would be fine with it, some not.
Friday is usually a night out with family (for those with families), or even just dinner out. I personally think a good boss would take that into consideration.

Yes, I am a family man. No, I am not a work-a-holic.
I have to agree with you here. I am usually considered a company guy, however, I work to live, I don't live to work. I have a life, friends, family, etc. On a Friday afternoon when the wife and kids are waiting for me to come home and take them out, the last thing I need is to be told to do a "3 hour job" when I know that it will most likely go much longer.

When I worked for companies that had accounts with work that would be called in the last minute and needed to be done right away, they put us on "call" for those times. There was a schedule so we knew who would be responsible if a call came in, it allowed us to schedule our private lives around it. Usually the single guys who wanted extra OT would volunteer to be on call more often.
 
Three f**king pages and not one word about the job, was it finished and what the guy had to say when you met with him. I doubt I would want to work for you either. I like a boss that willing to talk things out. You might have lost a good hand.
Sorta harsh, but if I had a few beers I might post this. You can't believe anything from people that work together. It's what you see with your own two eyes that counts. Without even talking to the guy either, geesh.
 
I'm trying to build a business and I want to work 60 hours a week!
I hear you! I put in 72.5 hours last week... and I'm the manager! Now I'm down to only 55 hour weeks, and that's going to be a nice change. Only 11 hours on Friday, and Saturday off! Probably. Might do half days on Saturday to bring it up to 60 hour weeks. Not sure.

Mike
 
When I managed the drive/motor shop we used to get emergency calls every Friday about 4:00 pm. Never fail. We quit at 4:30. At first I would jump and get guys to stay and get organized for weekend work. My guys did not like it and I had to answer directly to the President. So I figured out how to eliminate some of this crap by discussing emergency work with the customer.
Are you sure its an emergency and are you sure you want to pay overtime to two maybe three guys. One driver, one winder and one mechanic. Sometimes two winders if it was a big motor. Tell them right upfront the difference between weekend work and regular hours work. In many cases the emergency was really not as critical as they thought. Many times in a real emergency, a new motor/drive/gearbox was much cheaper and a whole lot faster than emergency work/repair.
The old saying the "The Customer is Always Right" is nonsense. Most of the time you have to tell them what is right.
 
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