# How to fire an employee



## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Well...we all can't be like Google, now can we?

"Ma'am...yes I know it's 9:00 PM but Jimmy came in late this morning so he has to do the drywall repair later than we normally do".


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

When I had my own employees and when I was the Super to fire a guy was as simple as... I handed them a check at the end of the day and said thank you but we no longer require your services.

I bent over backwards to work with guys and help them out. Usually came back in spades....

but then you get the occasional knucklehead.....who just does not comprehend any language spoken on earth....

I understand & respect the military point of view.

But it may suit you better to be flexible at times....not ALWAYS....

Back in the day I had incredibly loyal employees and a crew that followed me from job to job....

Dam I miss those days....:thumbsup:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Yep and I even pay them for the whole day.


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## pcplumber (Oct 12, 2008)

Robie said:


> Sorry...that first line is the dumbest thing I have heard in a long time.
> 
> And...it sounds like you worked for some pretty bad people.
> 
> Whose fault was that? I would have been gone probably somewhere between #2 and #3.


If you don't care that the employment at the company is conducive for what the employee wants then I would walk out on you during an employment interview. As an employee, I want in life what makes me happy and I am not going to allow you to screw up my lifestyle nor to make me miserable, not to stress me every day and give me high blood pressure because I have to be worried about being fired for being 15 minutes late.

I wrote in a post several years ago that one of the greatest things about the software applications I make is the software gives me reports for exactly how much each salesman brings in and how much money each installer brings in.

"Mr. installer, even though you installed $100,000 more than every other employee you are fired because I told you 10 times that you cannot come to work 15 minutes late."


"Mr. Salesman, you sold $450,000 more this year than any other employee, but you are fired because I told you to not to come in 15 minutes late."

Let me take a guess! Maybe, I should start handing out $100 bills and that will motivate my late arrivals who are already earning $100,000+? Of course, there is always the highway, or my way speech. I guess it is better not to any employee cranking out sales than to have an employee who is 15 minutes late.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Sales is so much different than hammering nails.

Don't you agree?


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## pcplumber (Oct 12, 2008)

Robie said:


> Well...we all can't be like Google, now can we?
> 
> "Ma'am...yes I know it's 9:00 PM but Jimmy came in late this morning so he has to do the drywall repair later than we normally do".


That is not an accurate statement. This thread is about contractor's employees arriving a few minutes late, not a few hours. No construction trade related customer should expect workers to arrive at the exact time. Every contractor should give a window.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Robie said:


> Sales is so much different than hammering nails.
> 
> Don't you agree?


slick shod silver tongue devils are WAY different that working guys with boots & bags....:thumbsup:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

pcplumber said:


> That is not an accurate statement. This thread is about contractor's employees arriving a few minutes late, not a few hours. No construction trade related customer should expect workers to arrive at the exact time. Every contractor should give a window.


Nope, I give my customer a daily exact time and I keep that time. It's really not that difficult. It's just as bad to be too early too.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

pcplumber said:


> That is not an accurate statement. This thread is about contractor's employees arriving a few minutes late, not a few hours. No construction trade related customer should expect workers to arrive at the exact time. Every contractor should give a window.


Then why the dissertation about software companies and sales people?


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> Nope, I give my customer a daily exact time and I keep that time. It's really not that difficult. It's just as bad to be too early too.


Disagree with the too early part.

Many guys arrived early to have coffee, BS, get their heads straight and ready to roll out when the sun came up.....:thumbsup:


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

> No construction trade related customer should expect workers to arrive at the exact time


Did I read that right?

No customer should expect someone in the trades to show up when they said they would?


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

griz said:


> Disagree with the too early part.
> 
> Many guys arrived early to have coffee, BS, get their heads straight and ready to roll out when the sun came up.....:thumbsup:


That is great on new construction but I don't want my guys waking or disturbing customers going in thier backyards too early. But absolutely new construction.

For the record I was always on the job early in New construction. Loved BS'n with the boys over coffee. It also kept me busy when others were laid off. Miss those days.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

I agree with griz. When I was the employee...I always wanted to show up a little early and enjoy my coffee and smoke...shoot the bull...get the skinny on the day ahead, etc.

It never hurt my future/pay/promotion either that the boss knew he could count on me to come early and stay late.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Californiadecks said:


> That is great on new construction but I don't want my guys waking or disturbing customers going in thier backyards too early. But absolutely new construction.



On remodels we met out on the street.

MANY personal issues, job issues & problems in the world were solved while drinking varying concoctions of coffee and BSing in the wee hours....

I recall rolling up on a job at 4am to get a jump on laying out.
My foreman was already there, had a couple of hundred feet of plate laid out before I got there....

I REALLY miss those days...


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

10 - 15 minutes is fine but don't go into the backyard too early. That is a rule. It's a good rule. The reason I know this is we've showed up an hour early before and didn't tell them and we were lucky their drapes weren't open or something like that. They brought it to my attention in a joking way but it made me think.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

griz said:


> On remodels we met out on the street.
> 
> MANY personal issues, job issues & problems in the world were solved while drinking varying concoctions of coffee and BSing in the wee hours....
> 
> ...


When I worked in Commercial the biscuit ***** used to throw a shot of kahlua in our coffee she kept on a shelf. This was on a state prison job too.Yep, those were the good ole days for sure! :laughing:


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

For the record, I would never fire a guy for getting to work too early.


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## charimon (Nov 24, 2008)

How to fire an employee, in Nebraska. "I don't need you anymore, here is your check"

No exception at will employment, cannot beat that.

I was taught to never give a reason for termination.

Also do not have an employee handbook it gives an implied contract to employees.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

charimon said:


> How to fire an employee, in Nebraska. "I don't need you anymore, here is your check"
> 
> No exception at will employment, cannot beat that.
> 
> I was taught to never give a reason for termination.


Cali is an "at will" state as well. I can fire you if I don't like you.


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## 82airborne82 (Apr 8, 2011)

pcplumber said:


> Robie said:
> 
> 
> > I can't believe I'm getting so wishy-washy in my old age.
> ...


You were a plumber in the AF in 72? A PLUMBER? Your gonna sit there and tell me I dont have the stones to confront my employees? Ive been on the front lines sir, I was an infantry platoon sgt in Iraq, and Afghanistan. Whose stones are really in question here? 

I have confronted these employees, have raised my voice, and written them up. They are NOT stellar employees. They are guys who show up every day (late) and leave right at 3:30! Furthermore on the rare ocasion one of them does happen to arrive early, they sit in their truck until exactly 7:00.


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## NJGC (Apr 5, 2014)

Californiadecks said:


> Why is it the boss is always on time. Seems to me it's almost always employees that are late. Now I wonder why that is.


The answer is simple.....the boss is a shareholder the employees are not, unless you make them 1. In which case I bet the late arrivals be few and far between. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk


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## Veronica494 (Sep 21, 2016)

It's all about setting expectations early on, which it sounds like you've done, but talking to each employee individually one-on-one when they start and explaining your on-time policy. Some people just have a poor concept of time and time management, and they need a fire lit under their butts before they take it seriously. Also, they may have been use to it not being a big deal at previous jobs, or even their boss being late all the time, so they just aren't in the habit.

But remember, not everyone was in the military and has the discipline you do. I judge employees on their work, quality and consistency. This is just me, but I don't drill someone for being a few minutes late, but I do make sure they're aware of it when it happens. If it's a good worker, I cut some slack, but I don't let it keep happening because they'll eventually take advantage of my good nature.


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## META (Apr 9, 2015)

82airborne82 said:


> Heres an update.
> 
> Yesterday I told the employee he is going to meet my lead guy and help him unload a delivery. I will not be in until later as I will be looking at another job in the morning.
> 
> ...


Fired.

Work promptness can generally be contingent on the type of work, and whether it also involves others. 

If you're working by yourself on a new construction job..who cares.

If you're working at a residence, show up when you say you will.

If you're working on a crew and output depends on you being there, show up on time.


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## CarpenterSFO (Dec 12, 2012)

Given the history, wasn't the blown delivery predictable, and therefore preventable?


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## META (Apr 9, 2015)

Of course it was. It probably was his way of giving himself a justified reason for firing, being he wasn't sure.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

Guess we'll see if he's still employed today or not... :whistling


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