one of my employees was caught peeing in my client’s backyard. the homeowner is very upset. what do i do?
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If he is a good worker, move him to another job (assuming the customer is really that mad)
If you want to get rid of him, this is your chance.
...he is worth his weight in gold. is this indiscretion really termination-worthy even if i did want to get rid of him?
how did this end up??
Is there
a portable toilet on the job? Somewhere else the workers are supposed to go?
it is a large-ish reno that we are just finishing up the punch-list on. he thought know one was home and to go inside would mean trekking around to the front of the house, getting the key from the lock box, going to the back of the house to get in, removing muddy workboots, using the facility, and then repeating the steps in reverse. not sure if homeowner is legitimately upset or if he is just setting the incident up for leverage when it comes time to settle the final invoice. obviously, we ALL agree that it was a mistake but does it fall in the 'not sorry we did it, just sorry we got caught' category? while i do not condone such behaviour, it seems to me pretty much everybody knows such things go on from time to time. the poor guy is mortified. should i be the only one apologizing? should the pee'er apologize? in person? email?
The peer should apologize
on the phone.
This has nothing to do with the final payment due.
Heck, I probably would have done the same thing under the same circumstances. In fact, I HAVE done the same thing under very similar circumstances.
If the guy's the type who can apologize without getting too tongue-tied or upset, have him do so. If not, do so on his behalf. Then forget the incident. If the HO makes a stink tell him that, just for that, you're not going to tell him where you buried the dead possum.
Wouldn't be a problem here...we're on five acres.
Heck..hire him to lower the forest fire danger. Here pal, pound this pint of water......
But seriously, I think a frank discussion with the client and then the employee should clear this up. Good employees learn lessons, and good clients understand that employees learn.
Based on your description of the incident, IMO I would have likely done the same thing. Was the guy in a corner trying to be discrete when the actual deed was done? ? How old is the guy? Prostate hypertrophy? If so, I think I'd just explain it to the home owner, say both you and your employee are extremely sorry, and that he/she can be sure it will never happen again. If they want to make more out of it than that then it's their problem or as you said, they're just trying to get to a better bargaining position.
Besides, it will be a great story for years to come.
Tell 'em there's no extra charge for the fertilizer, but not to expect any more freebies.
prolly 'cause it was the HO's beer he drank he hadda go....
i polly pee in the yard more often in the summer more than in the house...... <G> like scott, on acreage....
jes curious, id he go on the flowers or right onto the walk the HO is 'very' upset? sure glad i dont have to deal with persnikkety HOs..
??
What do you do?
The homeowner is upset, so you apologize on behalf of your employee and tell the homeowner that it won't happen again.
You talk to the employee and tell him "bad dog....bad, bad, dog."
The employee does not grovel to the homeowner.
The homeowner does not lord this over you or the employee. If the homeowner demands that the employee not set foot on the site again, that's fine. Just let them know that because he's one of your most skilled and abled employees, transferring him to another jobsite might extend the timeline of the work a bit and drive up the cost of the job. But no worries, you can accomodate that demand from the customer.
And make sure that when you talk to the homeowner and tell him that you now have a new policy in place to ensure that this never happens again, make sure you do it with a package of adult-sized Depends Diapers under your arm.
Well, a little pee on the lawn or mud in the owner's house? I think I would have been more embarassed caught peeing in the owner's toilet. Some people just want to complain. Just get the job done and get the hell out of there.
Had a similar situation: No porta potty and the plumber took the toilet in the one usable bathroom out of commission for a while. The house backed up to a very upscale country club. One of my guys had to pee and found the most secluded spot there was just as the owner lady turned the corner. I had to run over and meet the husband because of this. While he was yelling at me, a drunk golfer got out of his cart and started peeing in the middle of the fairway. I pointed to him and the subject got dropped immediately.
>>>I pointed to him and the
>>>I pointed to him and the subject got dropped immediately.
Hahaha.....beautiful.
caught peeing....
I just caught myself peeing in a customers back yard and didn't fire me. But really some times you have to go and thats that. it sounds like he could have gone to get the key take off his gear go in pee get geared up again and gone out side to continue work but he must have saved you 20 mins of pay and unless he was on there front porch peeing onto the walkway I dont see the problem and the customer should lighten up and forget it . its not that big of a deal really. I pee outside more then I do in a house. maybe a portable toilet in your work trailer would work or just tell your guys to hop in there car and go to the nearest bathroom thats what we do on some jobs . whatever works and the job gets done and you make money for doing good work.
I keep a big paper cup in the truck, jes sit inna truck, do yur thing, dump it in the nearest drain or in the bushes.