View Full Version : I've made a HORRIBLE business move, now the piper is calling for his pay!
Green Pastures
06-30-2009, 03:35 PM
So a good friend of mine, he was the best man at my wedding....lost his job at a national trucking company recently.
I hired him on.
He has zero experience.
He's argumentative with me when I try and correct him.
He's damaged equipment doing stupid things.
He's stolen from clients....taking fruit off clients fruit trees without asking the client is stealing in my book.
He's caused an accident on the freeway by loading wheelbarrows in the P/U truck bed and NOT securing them in the bed. Pass a semi and a wheelbarrow flies out and goes tumbling down the highway, car swerves to miss it but hits it. $750 repair bill from the guy, THANK GOD nobody was hurt.
Yesterday I get a call from the city dump super who says my guy is not wearing his OSHA approved safety vest while at the dump and arguing with the super about it.
Today I get a call from a resident of a HOA I manage. My guy is cutting back Crepe Myrtle trees! Crepe Myrtle trees that are about to bloom. The resident asked him to stop and he argues with her.
I've been letting stuff go and letting stuff go because I love the guy. I've been hoping he would realize by my tone and things gone unsaid but implied that he's on the ragged edge of employment.
He doesn't get it.
It's ALL my fault.
I've got to fire him. Trouble is I've not given written warnings and he's (outside of work) a good friend, who's wife I know, who's kids I've watched grow up....
SUX!!!
dcgreenspro
06-30-2009, 03:51 PM
I would be out holding his hand showing him how I want it done....and if he really appreciated what you were doing for him, than he would be making a strong effort to do exceptional work.
You have to man up and can him, everyday he is slowly destroying what you have worked for, don't care who he is.......its your company, and it provides for your family.......
Like my Dad always says......."YOU GO TO WORK TO WORK, AND MAKE MONEY, NOT TO MAKE F'ING FRIENDS"..........
It sums it up, I don't have many friends, but I have a beautiful home, wife and kids......and two dogs......its all that matters.......great luck...
mdlwn1
06-30-2009, 05:24 PM
The bigger picture is.....Truckers, Construction, restaurant workers DO NOT make good landscape service employees.
coolluv
06-30-2009, 05:35 PM
You have to man up and can him, everyday he is slowly destroying what you have worked for, don't care who he is.......its your company, and it provides for your family.......
Like my Dad always says......."YOU GO TO WORK TO WORK, AND MAKE MONEY, NOT TO MAKE F'ING FRIENDS"..........
It sums it up, I don't have many friends, but I have a beautiful home, wife and kids......and two dogs......its all that matters.......great luck...
Right on Brother! I don't have but a few friends, the rest are acquaintances. If this guy was your friend he would not be acting like this. Most people that you think are your friend are jealous of what you have and are just trying to F### you anyway they can. Besides he sounds like a dumb@$$. Fire his Dumb@$$.
Your only friends are Benjamin, Hamilton, Jefferson etc.
Dave....
The bigger picture is.....Truckers, Construction, restaurant workers DO NOT make good landscape service employees.
Yes he is right, fire him, pay him unemployment and lesson learned......he knows what he is doing, maybe he is upset with your success......you never know
Littleriver1
06-30-2009, 05:59 PM
So a good friend of mine, he was the best man at my wedding....lost his job at a national trucking company recently.
I hired him on.
He has zero experience.
He's argumentative with me when I try and correct him.
He's damaged equipment doing stupid things.
He's stolen from clients....taking fruit off clients fruit trees without asking the client is stealing in my book.
He's caused an accident on the freeway by loading wheelbarrows in the P/U truck bed and NOT securing them in the bed. Pass a semi and a wheelbarrow flies out and goes tumbling down the highway, car swerves to miss it but hits it. $750 repair bill from the guy, THANK GOD nobody was hurt.
Yesterday I get a call from the city dump super who says my guy is not wearing his OSHA approved safety vest while at the dump and arguing with the super about it.
Today I get a call from a resident of a HOA I manage. My guy is cutting back Crepe Myrtle trees! Crepe Myrtle trees that are about to bloom. The resident asked him to stop and he argues with her.
I've been letting stuff go and letting stuff go because I love the guy. I've been hoping he would realize by my tone and things gone unsaid but implied that he's on the ragged edge of employment.
He doesn't get it.
It's ALL my fault.
I've got to fire him. Trouble is I've not given written warnings and he's (outside of work) a good friend, who's wife I know, who's kids I've watched grow up....
SUX!!!
I've been there. I think your guy needs his ass kicked. Obviously you're not going to do it. So just look him in the eye and tell him hes fired. What's he going to do? He might act like he wants to fight you but he wont. Don't say your sorry because you are not. He will file for unemployment. That's probably what he's after. By the way. He is not a good friend. You are a good friend. He is a jerk.
Green Pastures
06-30-2009, 06:13 PM
I would be out holding his hand showing him how I want it done....and if he really appreciated what you were doing for him, than he would be making a strong effort to do exceptional work.
I don't have time to hold hands, nor should I have to.
He's 50 something years old.
Green Pastures
06-30-2009, 06:20 PM
I've been there. I think your guy needs his ass kicked. Obviously you're not going to do it. So just look him in the eye and tell him hes fired. What's he going to do? He might act like he wants to fight you but he wont. Don't say your sorry because you are not. He will file for unemployment. That's probably what he's after. By the way. He is not a good friend. You are a good friend. He is a jerk.
I don't care if he files unemployment.
I know this guy, his wife, his kids and his grandkids.
I know when I fire him I'm taking food off his table.
It IS my fault for not being more clear with him from the start.
My biggest fault in business has been giving people to many chances and the benifit of the doubt.
Business is business.
DO NOT HIRE FRIENDS.
EVER.
Fvstringpicker
06-30-2009, 06:38 PM
Give him a copy of your post and tell him to think about it overnight and ya'll need to discuss it in the morning. Unless he makes a 180, you can fire him and probably destroy your friendship or let things continue, severely damage your business and destroy your friendship. Unless he changes, your friendship is history.
mdlwn1
06-30-2009, 06:38 PM
Now that your already in this...maybe its a good idea to give him an option (to take the burden off YOU) 1. Chance to redeem himself. (he wont..but at least YOU tried..hell understand later) 2. Lay out what it s that you require. Give HIM the opportunity to accept or reject. This isnt gonna work either..but to keep a clear consiance and get the ball rolling, you must set parameters..like for a small child. Make it his choice to stay and do well or leave now!
mikey.hill
06-30-2009, 07:04 PM
DO NOT HIRE FRIENDS.
EVER.
Maybe I'm an exception but I hire friends frequently, but make it clear to them that the job is temporary going as far as to have them sign an employment contract with employment term clearly defined. Never had a problem with a bad friend working for/with me and making it clear that their employment is limited usually lights a fire under their butt to get on the job search.
Bunton Guy
06-30-2009, 10:15 PM
Never hire friends. I thought that was a given...but I did it myself and he brought my company,me & my family all to our knees. Some things that make me almost come to tears when I think of what he did to us.
Do what I did....tell him that its not working out. You've been giving my company a bad name from your un-professional acts lately. That you want to stop anymore damage to your relationship before it goes to far and that your willing to pay him 4 weeks of paid leave & tell him that you hope he understands but this is the best you can do for him while he finds another job.
Never hire friends. I thought that was a given...but I did it myself and he brought my company,me & my family all to our knees. Some things that make me almost come to tears when I think of what he did to us.
Do what I did....tell him that its not working out. You've been giving my company a bad name from your un-professional acts lately. That you want to stop anymore damage to your relationship before it goes to far and that your willing to pay him 4 weeks of paid leave & tell him that you hope he understands but this is the best you can do for him while he finds another job.
Perfect post, a very wise man........I would follow this to the letter, pay now, or worse pay later.........later with a damaged business....
topsites
06-30-2009, 11:29 PM
Have you tried having a talk with just his wife first?
Especially since you know her, I'd consider this a plus.
Just tell her the situation like you did here.
That might yield something...
For one with her being a third party I would think she would be more receptive.
How to go about it, any which way you want, just tell her you'd like to speak with her about something.
That way she might talk to him later, you get where I'm coming from,
and it might not fix the PROBLEM but I do think it would help.
Plus women are good at this *%&^ LOL
SKYNYRD
07-01-2009, 12:42 PM
the world could use more friends like you, not friends like your friend. you have nothing to feel bad about:)
mowerdude777
07-01-2009, 12:53 PM
That sucks, I have hired bad help a few times, it is hard to find good help theese days
brucec
07-01-2009, 08:02 PM
You have to man up and can him, everyday he is slowly destroying what you have worked for, don't care who he is.......its your company, and it provides for your family.......
Like my Dad always says......."YOU GO TO WORK TO WORK, AND MAKE MONEY, NOT TO MAKE F'ING FRIENDS"..........
It sums it up, I don't have many friends, but I have a beautiful home, wife and kids......and two dogs......its all that matters.......great luck...
This sounds exactly like me! At the end of the day it's you or him that has to lose out.
Do not, repeat talk to his wife, that would be a major mistake, I gave up a great job to work for a "friend" I knew his wife very well, but she forgot to tell me he was a f'ing druggie............
When I resigned, he gave a 5K check, and instructions not to talk to his wife......I took it and cashed it......that was 4 years ago......never looked back...
Johnson LCO
07-01-2009, 10:35 PM
Isnt it funny that whenever you try to help someone you get screwed? Call me a cynic but lately every time I try and help someone out I get screwed. I hired a friend and his buddy as they needed the money this year and it was the biggest mistake I have made in this business. We were working on a big job in a development that I really wanted to break into and it was a really good opportunity to expand my business. I am not going to explain exactly what happened but they behaved EXTREMELY unproffesionally in front of the neighbors on multiple occasions and when I went out to get some more supplies I found them napping on the front lawn. Never again. I didnt make a scene at the site but paid them each at the end of the day and told them their help was no longer required. This has definitely strained my relationship with my friend but I am still so angry about it I dont care. To the OP, that guy is not your friend and seems to be actively trying to screw you over. Fire him immediately and dont look back.
old oak lawn
07-01-2009, 10:50 PM
GREEN PASTURES- I see your in Hampton, i am in Suffolk- anyway it's not your fault for trying to help someone you know by giving them a job. Your running a business not a daycare, if he cant do the job fire him. And someone YOU sign the paycheck for should NEVER be argumentative with you. The people that work for should know 1 thing -you are the boss. Just my 2cents. good luck
bohiaa
07-02-2009, 04:43 PM
been this situwation before..... I made the gus pull weeds ALL DAY LONG...
he will finley quit
Charles
07-02-2009, 07:23 PM
been this situwation before..... I made the gus pull weeds ALL DAY LONG...
he will finley quit
When I had employees, I had this loser weedeat a long bank in 90 something degree heat and very humid conditions. Something I have done many times. He quit 25% through it:laugh: Saved me from having to can him:drinkup:
Bunton Guy
07-02-2009, 11:16 PM
Like in my past post....be honest
Tell him you are being very honest because you care about him. That if he continued to work for you that you wouldn't be able to look at him as a friend but more like a employee....and that's not the direction you want your relationship to go.
Green Pastures
07-03-2009, 12:17 AM
Like in my past post....be honest
Tell him you are being very honest because you care about him. That if he continued to work for you that you wouldn't be able to look at him as a friend but more like a employee....and that's not the direction you want your relationship to go.
Your statement is not the truth.
I want to fire him because he's a lousy employee and is not improving, NOT because of anything else.
lifetree
07-03-2009, 01:30 AM
The bigger picture is.....Truckers, Construction, restaurant workers DO NOT make good landscape service employees.
I thnk this is the crux of the issue, right here ... you'll probably have to let him go even though it will hurt to do so !!
Littleriver1
07-03-2009, 09:37 AM
I don't care if he files unemployment.
I know this guy, his wife, his kids and his grandkids.
I know when I fire him I'm taking food off his table.
It IS my fault for not being more clear with him from the start.
My biggest fault in business has been giving people to many chances and the benifit of the doubt.
Business is business.
DO NOT HIRE FRIENDS.
EVER.
Your not taking food off his table. He is. The jerk statement stands.
DanaMac
07-03-2009, 10:31 AM
I hired a friend about 7.5 years ago. Best decision I have made business wise. Still with us, makes me and the business look good, very trustworthy. Honestly, he is probably the companies biggest asset.
I have known him and his entire family since about '85. I've been in two family weddings of theirs, been to his parents for Thanksgiving dinner. So I knew his character, morals, and work ethics to begin with. Don't hire a friend on a whim and a need for you or him.
JDUtah
07-08-2009, 08:12 PM
Your not taking food off his table. He is. The jerk statement stands.
I agree here. It is his responsibility to perform and thus earn food for his family. Not yours. If you fire him you are not the one screwing him... he is already screwing his own family with his lack of performance.
That is how it should be... Unless of course you supported Obama. :hammerhead:
If the job doesn't work for him... fire him. this will free him up to find something that fits him better. In the end you are doing both him and you a favor.
Lawn Pawn
07-08-2009, 11:21 PM
Not to make light of your situation... its not at all funny.
But someone said.... if you loan a friend $50 and never see him again, it's the best money you could have spent.
You need to let this ... person .. go!
Stillwater
07-14-2009, 05:20 AM
So a good friend of mine, he was the best man at my wedding....lost his job at a national trucking company recently.
I hired him on.
He has zero experience.
He's argumentative with me when I try and correct him.
He's damaged equipment doing stupid things.
He's stolen from clients....taking fruit off clients fruit trees without asking the client is stealing in my book.
He's caused an accident on the freeway by loading wheelbarrows in the P/U truck bed and NOT securing them in the bed. Pass a semi and a wheelbarrow flies out and goes tumbling down the highway, car swerves to miss it but hits it. $750 repair bill from the guy, THANK GOD nobody was hurt.
Yesterday I get a call from the city dump super who says my guy is not wearing his OSHA approved safety vest while at the dump and arguing with the super about it.
Today I get a call from a resident of a HOA I manage. My guy is cutting back Crepe Myrtle trees! Crepe Myrtle trees that are about to bloom. The resident asked him to stop and he argues with her.
I've been letting stuff go and letting stuff go because I love the guy. I've been hoping he would realize by my tone and things gone unsaid but implied that he's on the ragged edge of employment.
He doesn't get it.
It's ALL my fault.
I've got to fire him. Trouble is I've not given written warnings and he's (outside of work) a good friend, who's wife I know, who's kids I've watched grow up....
SUX!!!
He is not a friend after you realize this it will be easy......
Lawn Pawn
07-14-2009, 10:03 AM
He is not a friend after you realize this it will be easy......
Amen!!!!!!!!
tinman
07-17-2009, 11:51 PM
make it miserable so he will quit if you don't have the gumption to fire him. Cut his hours . Make him do lowly work. Reduce his pay etc. He is a parasite on your business and life from the sound of it.
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