Finding qualified help

[DMiller]

'Just here to help', no substantial valued determinations just thinking aloud with your wallet in sight, sad.

I may end up a gypsy in a RV before too much longer as neighbors continue to encroach on the lines.

 

[JD955SC]

You talking about those tree service guys makes me think of a usual practice in a completely different industry here.

My brother called me in a panic one day, he was driving one of my tractor-trailers and filled up with fuel, went in the store paid for his coffee and snacks and left. He just knew he was about to be chased down and arrested. It was a large corporate owned store we all frequented about 50 miles from the shop, and I knew the manager. I called and said I'd be by to pay later, and she was fine with it.

When I got there, there was a very pretty girl about 20 at the register. When I said I wanted to pay for that fuel, she jumped up on the counter and gave me one of the best kisses of my life!

She said she wouldn't have gotten a paycheck for the next two weeks if I hadn't showed up! I have since found out that was common practice at stores around here. I would have quit as soon as I found out about that policy.

Not the first time I have heard about illegal as hell labor practices such as that. I had an ex GF that worked for Spinx and the stuff they did to her was insane. Also it’s common in restaurants to make the waitstaff pay for dine and dashers, which is insane.

 

[mitch504]

It must not be illegal in the state we share, since most convenience stores do it. I guess it is considered dereliction of duty on the cashier's part, and she must pay for "her" mistake, or be fired. My wife is a Walmart cashier, and I know she has to pay for her mistakes, but only those that are genuinely hers. Counterfeits and stuff, she doesn't pay for.

 

[DMiller]

I am sorry, the Clerks are NOT responsible for these and these companies DO have Insurance for losses, if they do not is their own fault and loss.

One need only to catch them Double Dipping that fountain of funding and crucify them.

 

[crane operator]

My daughter works for Sonic and if her drawer/ delivery change apron is off on count, it comes out of her end. So to speak if she starts her shift at $200, her drawer turn in has to equal that at the end of shift with her sold amount, or it comes out of her tips. If she messes up making change, sonic doesn't cover it.

They had a manager that was stealing from all the waitresses about $10-$20 per night. That manager would "miscount" all of the wait staff drawers and steal cash out of each of their drawers. They fired that manager when they found out, but none of the waitresses got reimbursed.

I think the main issue there is there is so much cash $$$, that if they don't make the employee's responsible for their drawer amounts, too much gets stolen. but when they are off by $2.10 you would think the store would just cover it. Its a crooked deal for the workers.

 

[BigWrench55]

It is not like that here in Texas. Companies still will try, but they only get away with it if the employee isn't informed about their rights. In Texas the only thing that can come out of your check is taxes. Anything else requires your written permission.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I worked at a grocery store when young and they did not much care if your till was over or under by $20 or so. If you did worse you would get a stern frown once in a while, do it too often and I am sure they would not be happy but mistakes happen. Everyone's till total error was posted on the wall every day.

Some of the more uptight ladies would come in half an hour early and break open all the rolled coin and count it out in case rolls were over or under (which they frequently are) and some would get downright upset if their error for the day was anything other than $0.00. They really wasted a lot of time counting coins.

 

[Truck Shop]

Washington is a terminate at will, employees can be fired/let go at moments notice without explanation. But the employer still insists he gets a two week notice when a employee is leaving.
Because of the terminate at will law it is extremely difficult to fight wrongful termination. With some employers it's damn near a need to tape any conversation. Pretty hard to even find a
lawyer to represent you because most business owners will have every lawyer in town on a retainer.

 

[John C.]

Washington is what is called "Employment by Convenience." Having been in management a few times I can say that most are definitely afraid of legal entanglements. The big issues are women and minorities. All the companies I've worked for in the last 35 years required a three step process of verbal warning, write up with sanctions and write up with termination. Problems happen on terminations when you step out of that process. There are ways around all this and the most common is to lay someone off because there is no work that they are suited for. Doing that though puts you on the hook for scrutiny from the state employment security department. The easiest way is to just make the atmosphere for the scofflaw uncomfortable enough that they want to leave.

The two week notice stuff is a bunch of crap. There is no law that requires it. I fired my last employer by taking two weeks vacation and giving notice on my first day of vacation. I've fired a couple of others by telling them to have my last paycheck ready at quitting time when I load up all my stuff. I negotiated a salary increase on one of them prior on a Thursday afternoon. I told I had a better offer at a dealer and to stay, I needed substantially more money. Told him I needed an answer by Friday afternoon to which he said he couldn't possibly get an answer that soon. It kind of aggravated me and I shot back at him that I couldn't possibly be there on Monday morning then as I had another job. He conceded by sending someone else to tell me on Friday at noon to keep my stuff there for work on Monday.

 

[Truck Shop]

I knew you would elaborate on this John. And yes there is no law on two week notice. I've had 28 jobs quit 26 and fired from two, and I was looking for a job when i found those.
But on the average most terminations happen without the three step drug addiction process. The employer doesn't want to lay anyone off under those conditions because their
on the hook for unemployment compensation. So yeah they make it uncomfortable while walking right up to the fence without putting a leg over that could cause a legal issue.
That's the Pacific Power way of doing things.

And the two I was fired from was for telling the truth. I called both owners a egotistical sack of sh!t.

 

[John C.]

A true journeyman of the trade trained through the school of hard knocks.

 

[Bls repair]

All the times I got laid off the the longest notice I got was 4 hours

 

[AzIron]

All the times I got laid off the the longest notice I got was 4 hours

I was working plant startup when I was 20 we worked like 14 hours a day for 3 weeks at lunch the layoffs came it was the end of the major part of the job so the crew I was on was tearing out a flush loop and pump so at 730 that night after 15 hours they picked slipped our entire crew first time I ever experienced that funniest part was the Forman got his papers the next morning super didn't want to stay late to slip him that super was piece of work

 

[walkerv]

Remembering one of our high school teachers sayings.
If you cant dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit .
As i grow older i realize bullshit is the only way some people get anywhere in life pisses me off people cant figure out the bullshitters or they dont really care , especially when your talking skilled trades , i take my learned skills very serious especially the ones i learned the hard way.

 

[DMiller]

Still remember Frucon telling me I was not to be needed further, and the look on the foreman's face when I dropped the parts in my hands. He asked if I had any intentions of finishing the last Job, just looked at him and asked Why? Loaded tools and went home.

 

[Tyler d4c]

It seems half the time is finding people who get along halfway decent. Seem if a half way good fellow starts work some place some guys out cast them so bad they move on. Just my observation of the day.

 

[John C.]

I like that!

I had an argument one time with a HR lackey about pay for the employees working for me. HR had the idea that employees would rather have warm fuzzys rather than being paid equal to the rest of the dealers in the area. I'm of the type who expects a job done properly in a decent time frame and pay that goes along with that. I'm not much for kudos and hugs when someone does the job they are supposed to do in the first place. Anyway I told the HR person that if they didn't think money made any difference, then they should announce that tomorrow instead of pay checks all the wrenches would get flower arrangements. Then we could see how many people would show up.

 

[Truck Shop]

The difference is guy's like John C, D Miller, Nige, Funwithfuel, C Mark, DoyleX, Petepilot, KHansen and of coarse my smelly a$$ grew up in a whole different atmosphere when we started out
in the field of mechanics. We and others like us didn't have this vast internet of how to advise, other than maybe a few other mechanics and paper manuals that was it. Wasn't any of this
freebie advise or howto on that handy item or unhandy I phone. When I first started out I made mistakes and still do but through the years of hard knocks I've cut back somewhat on mistakes.
But sometimes that's the best way to learn, you don't forget your mistakes but it always sounds better to talk about your hero stories and how you stepped up with a 3/8 wrench and tightened
the nut that was letting world to spin out of control.
But when I'm around someone who is 30 years younger than me acting like he knows it all, spends his time grunting and groaning then saying I can't get this apart can you help me. I get
a little up tight because really what he wants is someone to finish it for him. People like that need to fine another field of work.

 

[DMiller]

But when I'm around someone who is 30 years younger than me acting like he knows it all, spends his time grunting and groaning then saying I can't get this apart can you help me. I get
a little up tight because really what he wants is someone to finish it for him.

AT that Point I make Suggestions on what to try next, NO getting my old ass taking over someone else's job.

 

[Tyler d4c]

The difference is guy's like John C, D Miller, Nige, Funwithfuel, C Mark, DoyleX, Petepilot, KHansen and of coarse my smelly a$$ grew up in a whole different atmosphere when we started out
in the field of mechanics. We and others like us didn't have this vast internet of how to advise, other than maybe a few other mechanics and paper manuals that was it. Wasn't any of this
freebie advise or howto on that handy item or unhandy I phone. When I first started out I made mistakes and still do but through the years of hard knocks I've cut back somewhat on mistakes.
But sometimes that's the best way to learn, you don't forget your mistakes but it always sounds better to talk about your hero stories and how you stepped up with a 3/8 wrench and tightened
the nut that was letting world to spin out of control.
But when I'm around someone who is 30 years younger than me acting like he knows it all, spends his time grunting and groaning then saying I can't get this apart can you help me. I get
a little up tight because really what he wants is someone to finish it for him. People like that need to fine another field of work.

I must say being the young buck I am I've fixed alot of stuff with YouTube and Google. But truth be told if half the jobs started with a paper manual I may be lots of time and money ahead.