# Employee Problems



## DannytreeLLC

My employees have been acting up lately. I am a smaller operation and it is just me and 3 guys that work for me. Today, on a job site the clients neighbor came out and was upset we were taking down the clients tree. Long story short the two guys on the ground beat the neighbor up. Talk about embarrassing. Anyways after we got back to the shop, the same 2 guys got in a fist fight with one another. I am at a loss for how to handle this, I can’t afford to lose 2/3 of my work force, but I also can’t risk these guys doing this again.


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## OddSawz

In all the jobs I’ve had, physically fighting with a fellow employee would have me out of a job.

Start finding their replacements. They could cost you business.

PS if there is a job out there that allows fisticuffs to settle things, let me know


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## Doorfx

Hockey player


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## lone wolf

OddSawz said:


> In all the jobs I’ve had, physically fighting with a fellow employee would have me out of a job.
> 
> Start finding their replacements. They could cost you business.
> 
> PS if there is a job out there that allows fisticuffs to settle things, let me know


Body guard.


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## DannytreeLLC

I’ve heard it’s impossible to find people to work right now. A lot love to claim the unemployment these days with the fake corona virus. These guys are pretty good workers, so it would suck to lose them if their replacements weren’t hard working. Just glad my climber doesn’t have these issues


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## lone wolf

DannytreeLLC said:


> I’ve heard it’s impossible to find people to work right now. A lot love to claim the unemployment these days with the fake corona virus. These guys are pretty good workers, so it would suck to lose them if their replacements weren’t hard working. Just glad my climber doesn’t have these issues


Just tell them next fight they are fired!


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## DannytreeLLC

I am more worried about them getting in another altercation with a customer/ neighbor. We got really lucky this time that the police weren’t involved (apparently the guy’s son has a warrant so he didn’t call). He did say some really hateful names to my guys, so I understand why they were mad.


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## lone wolf

DannytreeLLC said:


> I am more worried about them getting in another altercation with a customer/ neighbor. We got really lucky this time that the police weren’t involved (apparently the guy’s son has a warrant so he didn’t call). He did say some really hateful names to my guys, so I understand why they were mad.


Houses are always too close when this happens.


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## KarlD

Assuming the neighbour was asking for a slap, I’d let them off this time with a very clear warning that if ANY aggression verbal or physical is directed towards ANYBODY when they are representing me, they will be sacked on the spot, and if they want to fight each other it has to be on their time away from me and the business.
The reality is that good team member are very hard to come by and if you think you can keep them under control from now on it might be worth the effort. If you don’t think you can, choose the one you like/value the most and sack the other one. Should set an example for the one who stays and hopefully build some respect and trust between you.
Climbers don’t tend to get lairy because they know they have nothing to prove; anyone that can ascend on ropes to >20m with a chainsaw day in day out normally already has their **** squared away


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## DannytreeLLC

Well, Danny Tree is looking for a new grounds man. One of my guys, who was involved in last weeks altercation, showed up drunk today. I sent him home and realized after the job that he had thrown up in the back of my truck. So I called him and said don’t worry about coming back, your check will be in the mail this afternoon.


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## lone wolf

DannytreeLLC said:


> Well, Danny Tree is looking for a new grounds man. One of my guys, who was involved in last weeks altercation, showed up drunk today. I sent him home and realized after the job that he had thrown up in the back of my truck. So I called him and said don’t worry about coming back, your check will be in the mail this afternoon.


Solved one problem.


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## DannytreeLLC

I’m only about 5 years for retirement.


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## DannytreeLLC

Are there people on this forum in Independence MO looking for work I’d love to chat. $25 an hour and we work 10+ months of 40 hour weeks. Danny


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## Stephen Meister

DannytreeLLC said:


> Well, Danny Tree is looking for a new grounds man. One of my guys, who was involved in last weeks altercation, showed up drunk today. I sent him home and realized after the job that he had thrown up in the back of my truck. So I called him and said don’t worry about coming back, your check will be in the mail this afternoon.


Now you know the root of the original problem, alcohol.


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## lone wolf

Stephen Meister said:


> Now you know the root of the original problem, alcohol.


Does alcohol make people act like azzholes or does it bring it out from people that already are azzholes? I don't drink alcohol at all so this is a serious question.


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## Stephen Meister

lone wolf said:


> Does alcohol make people act like azzholes or does it bring it out from people that already are azzholes? I don't drink alcohol at all so this is a serious question.


Not sure, I think it depends on the person. I’ve seen otherwise good people turn into jerks and I’ve seen other people that you’ve suspected of being jerks, reveal themselves when they’re drunk. Not sure it’s a one shoe fits all scenario.


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## farmer steve

lone wolf said:


> Does alcohol make people act like azzholes or does it bring it out from people that already are azzholes? I don't drink alcohol at all so this is a serious question.


I've known some people that never touched a drop of liquor and were AH. Also know some that drink more than they should and are the best people. Then a couple that a drink or 2 turns them into the biggest AH you never want to know.


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## DannytreeLLC

When I first started out in the late 20th century, we would drink a few beers throughout the day. Now, you cannot do that.


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## Woodanhor

DannytreeLLC said:


> When I first started out in the late 20th century, we would drink a few beers throughout the day. Now, you cannot do that.


Party like 99...
If you were really there


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## DannytreeLLC

Well it’s been hard without him. Impossible to find a replacement. I may end up offering him a job subject to alcohol testing. I wish he would get arrested or something and get one of those “SCRAM” alcohol monitoring ankle bracelets. I am going to have to buy a portable breathalyzer on Amazon I think


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## Luztree

Your two employees are just mad you made a profit of $11.670 the other day with 3 employees and didn’t give them a bonus for the day. If you did, I stand corrected.


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## Deleted member 117362

Luztree said:


> Your two employees are just mad you made a profit of $11.670 the other day with 3 employees and didn’t give them a bonus for the day. If you did, I stand corrected.


+10, especially if he let his profit be known to them.


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## DannytreeLLC

I didn’t give a bonus but I paid them for the rest of the day, an extra hour and a half. And also took them to long John silvers. I take care of my men


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## Deleted member 117362

I bet they would have rather had an extra $500 in their pockets!


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## sean donato

I personally wouldnt want to risk the guy coming to work drunk again..... too much can go wrong.


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## Ketchup

Drunk on the job = fired forever. That dude can’t respect your or anyone elses saftey. I get it that you’re under pressure to make your commitments to customers (not to mention pay the bills) but it’s nothing compared to the liability of an injury or death. 
We got sued $300k for cutting down a tree on a property line once. If we hadn’t all been stone sober when the cops showed up we would have lost the case (and all lost our livelihood).
FWIW, friends have found good employees in the local jails. They want to work, they’re sober, and they’re cheap.


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## dmb2613

When people drink, the true person comes out, be it good or bad. But it is the true person


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## lone wolf

dmb2613 said:


> When people drink, the true person comes out, be it good or bad. But it is the true person


I believe that is 100 percent right.


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## young bucker

Years ago i was a climber for a tree company out of north Vancouver...boss sent me on a job with 2 groundsmen that busted their butts..but little did I know they hated each other...I was relatively new to the company..half way through the removal job, they started throwing hands at each other while I’m 80ft up a hemlock..had to repel down and play referee..called the boss and he said deal with it..bozo 1 walked off the job and bozo 2 took a cab home..boss then sent 2 more groundsman and the job was done 3 hours over the estimated time lol.i feel your pain.


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## Herman the German

DannytreeLLC said:


> I am more worried about them getting in another altercation with a customer/ neighbor. We got really lucky this time that the police weren’t involved (apparently the guy’s son has a warrant so he didn’t call). He did say some really hateful names to my guys, so I understand why they were mad.


Those neighbors sound like real pieces of crap honestly. Yet I understand where you're coming from, can't be bashing peoples heads in ect. I'd tell your guys to be professional until someone tried to lay a hand on them to harm them and then tell em to beat the devil out of em, hehehe. No most folks will back down when they see that their name calling didn't offend you, but most folks are so weak minded they can't resist being offended over (WORDS) or have a reason to beat someone's butt.. I'm just basing this on what I've seen and folks I've been around, I'm not judging your guys it's just the way it has normally went places I've worked.hope ya get it figured out though


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## blades

do not rehire the alky guy, will only bring trouble down the road. and think of your insurance - that is high enough already. guy gets into an altercation or something else happens you could be sans insurance and be libel for what ever. drugs and alky do not mix with Insurance co. or the courts.


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## Herman the German

blades said:


> do not rehire the alky guy, will only bring trouble down the road. and think of your insurance - that is high enough already. guy gets into an altercation or something else happens you could be sans insurance and be libel for what ever. drugs and alky do not mix with Insurance co. or the courts.


Very true. Not worth it in the long run. I'd rather have 3 halfway good workers and still have my company v.s. have 3 guys that'll hustle and cost me everything..


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## oldfortyfive

Put any new guys on at least 3 months probation to determine if you want to keep them. The faster you get rid of questionable workers the better off you will be. It's a hassle I know, but bad people can really sour a business.


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## Herman the German

oldfortyfive said:


> Put any new guys on at least 3 months probation to determine if you want to keep them. The faster you get rid of questionable workers the better off you will be. It's a hassle I know, but bad people can really sour a business.


Yep. It can also make the good guys ya already have miserable to be around them and make them quit. Seen it a bunch,I've always done mechanic work and seen owners that would get a few bad apples and would wait and wait to do anything about em and then before ya knew it the owner would always be stuck with a bag full of Di¢k$ instead of good employees because he was too afraid to do anything about em.... (Pitiful)


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## blades

to put it bluntly your employees reflect on you. bad employees = bad karma , can kill a company real quick.


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## ChasSC

blades said:


> do not rehire the alky guy, will only bring trouble down the road. and think of your insurance - that is high enough already. guy gets into an altercation or something else happens you could be sans insurance and be libel for what ever. drugs and alky do not mix with Insurance co. or the courts.


Especially if they find out you had previous knowledge. You could try hiring an Apprentice at a little more than half pay, to pull limbs and stack them. Then trimming those when your climber is finished. People are starting to look for jobs again. Back to your original problem, any worker should have told the neighbor that he needed to take it up with the landowner, they worked for him. (Then the neighbors could have punched it out)


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