Employee Driving Recklessly!

I need some advice. Let me share the story quickly.

I got a call from my secretary that someone had called her and said that one of my drivers in a mini-van ran a lady off the road while merging onto the freeway. She said that he sped up trying to get on the freeway in front of her. When he was unsuccessful, he caught up to her and was yelling and cussing at her on the freeway.

This guy is 20 years old. He has been with me about a year. Whenever I confront him with something, it is always the other person’s fault. I know when I confront him he will say it was her fault. The reason I suspect this story is true, is because the other person has no reason to call our office and make up a lie, and my employee does have a reason to lie (keep from being disciplined). Also, the same kind of situation happened about 6 months ago. Someone else called and said something very similar.

So, my question is, “What do I do?”

Right now we have 5 company vehicles. I have 4 full-time Techs, and they each garage the vehicle at their house overnight.

Do I take away the keys, park the vehicle he was driving at my house, and make him drive to the jobs with his brother (who also works for me)? (Incidentally, he and his brother have been having a bad attitude lately, disrespectful, and argumentative. If so, how long should I suspend his driving privileges? How would I know that he has humbled himself and learned his lesson for the future?

Do I suspend him for a day or more - just tell him to take a few days off without pay?

Do I fire him?

He has generally been a pretty good Technician in the past, but lately things seem to be slipping. He has been impatient with a customer, skipped 5 upper windows on a job (probably overlooked this), and when I helped him and his brother on a job, I caught him just standing around doing nothing twice.

Plus, he wants a raise! He feels he is underpaid and overworked. Don’t they all! :slight_smile:
Anyways, any pearls of wisdom you might have would be greatly appreciated. I need to sit down with him tomorrow morning, so if you could shoot this off before 9:00 a.m. tomorrow (Pacific time), I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

Fire him.

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Bad apples spoil the barrel. Long suspension or termination.

Fire him.
Any employee that would act that way (road rage or the like) is a ticking time bomb.

Unless you’d rather chance him staying on board and damaging your reputation… You already have three people so far, that were mortified enough to call and tell you about his behavior. How many other people didn’t bother to tell you, yet told everyone they know, what kind of employees you hire?

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First it was the scratched glass, now people getting run off the road? What’s going on with your employees?

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talk to him about each one…see what he has to say…

I don’t have employees… probably for this very reason. I was twenty something 19yrs ago, and I thought I deserved way more pay like my friends got. The truth it, I always showed up late to work, when I was at work I thought that was enough, and the more I screwed around doing nothing (and got away with it) the better stories I got to tell my friends about it. I’m not telling you all kids are this way cause I was, I’m just stating you’ve gotta be vigilant and selective. You noticed I used “friends” a lot, cause if they could loose their house/rent, not have food for their kid(s), or money to buy their ride, heck goof off as long as you can! That was my attitude back then. Basically my twenties I tried to quit before I got fired! Thirties, I started a family and I finally got right.

Noticed your in Rancho, we’re in S Jose. Let’s meet up sometime! Or if you’ve got a request out this side and don’t wanna travel, you’re welcome to show them this way:)
AllStar Window Cleaning and More

And they’re still working here because…

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Might be from left field but could it be drug use? He had an incident in traffic. Make him drop a ui.

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As someone with experience with a situation just like this, fire him. It only gets worse. Promise

These are tough choices we make, I get it completely. If you fire him is the brother will likely get worse or leave too.

You have to determine what’s worthwhile for you. Trying to replace him and the painful efforts that will be or dealing with him, his brother and other employees that see the attitude and behavior and deal with this multiple times with others.

You have to set a tone, even if its laying out strong guidelines moving forward.

Use the raise to your advantage, he wants a raise, hes got to work harder to earn it,
respectful good work. Simple guidelines

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A wise business man once wisely said “You should ALWAYS be hiring. Always.”

Of coarse replacing an employee hurts. But IMO, it hurts worse to keep a bad employee on the payroll. In a sense, it’s rewarding bad behavior. I know we have a business to run and some rely on employees, but you aren’t going to have much of a business if you let the inmates run the asylum…

Which is why the WISE business advice of always be hiring, is true. You should NOT be putting yourself in the position to be scrambling to hire. You should not be debating IF you should keep someone or fire them, for doing something that is unacceptable. You SHOULD be constantly looking for real talent and adding people that BENEFIT your business. WE set the culture of the business.

Pulling the weeds from your garden ensures your garden does well. Letting weeds overtake your garden ensures crop failure…

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Good advice. Thank you. I’m interviewing someone on Monday.

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Well said!

Why don’t you try talking to him outside of a work atmosphere? Buy him a burger after a job. Sit down and talk. Probably something going on with him that he’s struggling to cope with. $15 and an hour of your time to invest in helping and hopefully keeping a decent tech.

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