What Would You Do?

[RiverDave]

Get that as well. But Not knowing all the facts.
He’s been there long enough to get a loan to help him out.
So maybe at the least. Have a chat with him.
See what comes from it.

Here’s the facts..

Employee borrowed money hasn’t paid it back.
Employee left company Christmas lunch early and abruptly
Employee went home and talked shit to at least one family member about boss and company
Former employee son called and threatened said boss.

What the hell is there to talk about?

Fuck that guy and his kid.

RD

 

[Mr. C]

Here’s the facts..

Employee borrowed money hasn’t paid it back.
Employee left company Christmas lunch early and abruptly
Employee went home and talked shit to at least one family member about boss and company
Former employee son called and threatened said boss.

What the hell is there to talk about?

Fuck that guy and his kid.

RD

I get it.

But as said. Who hasn’t gone home and talked shit about work.
Thankfully none of my kids never called my boss and stupidly threatened him. or I’d of been fired a 100 times.

 

[PDQH2O]

I meant when and if you talk to him about the voicemail etc . Don’t lose your cool so much you say something or do something that gives him any leverage later

Agree. You’re smart not to act off of emotion or assumption. If it were me, I’d talk to the employee and play the message, letting him know how unprofessional it is to take problems outside the company. Next time is discipline issue. His reaction will lead you from there.

 

[Your ad here]

Wish I could take what he owes me out of his final check and rip the bonus in his face.

I missed the part about the kid being a former employee. Is this about the employee (dad) or the kid that was a former employee?

 

[RichL]

Not that it makes a difference but I'm curious about the age of the kid. Immature teenager or mature (?) adult.

 

[RiverDave]

I missed the part about the kid being a former employee. Is this about the employee (dad) or the kid that was a former employee?

Go read the first post..

You’re fired too!! Lol

 

[hallett21]

Unfortunately you have to either fight the son or dad in the parking lot while the other employees watch .

Anyway you slice this a threat was made towards you. Cut em loose imo.

 

[RichL]

Go read the first post..

You’re fired too!! Lol

Oh hell I missed that too.

 

[4Waters]

Oh hell I missed that too.

I did too, Dave's gonna suspend us without pay

 

[n2otoofast4u]

Man my blood pressure went up just reading it. But, like you, as I have gotten older I try to not act on emotion as fast as I did when younger where I would have probably been on his doorstep this evening.

He’s a good employee, you obviously trust him to some extent to loan him money. Obviously he’s having financial issues if you had to loan him money.

My brain slows and says he went home with no bonus and explained to Jr. they they couldn’t buy X, do X, or they are going to lose X because they he didn’t get the bonus that he was anticipating. Kids are young/dumb and react differently. Said worker assumes he didn’t get a bonus because he knows he hasn’t repaid you, the kid doesn’t know you already loaned him money and thinks he’s going to intimidate you.

Hopefully the above is a closer truth to reality, you play the VM and pops reacts as most of us would, you guys talk it out and he becomes an even better employee. My bet is that there is tears shed.

Regardless, I will be ANXIOUSLY awaiting the update.

 

[jailbird141]

So what was the outcome?

 

[Joker]

Right now, I can’t afford to ride with this many days off, just gotta be careful. Kids come first before daddy

Here’s my employees text after having Christmas week off and a 2 week paid bonus. He also made 98k this year. I swear this shit gets old. Every year it’s the same thing.

 

[4Waters]

Unfortunately you have to either fight the son or dad in the parking lot while the other employees watch .

Anyway you slice this a threat was made towards you. Cut em loose imo.

I missed the the kid was a former employee, no choice but to let him go.

Don't erase the message incase he tries to sue you and definitely let him listen to the message.

 

[RiverDave]

So what was the outcome?

Step into my office.. you are fired too. lol

 

[monkeyswrench]

How old is the son? You said he used to work for you, so assuming he's not a kid. Why isn't he currently employed by you? Really, guy could have said something to his wife, wife blabbed to junior, and he gets stupid.

If you lent the guy money, you must have thought at one point he was okay. I'd hear him out at least. I don't know the situation, or the line of work. Different trades and people different situations. Me personally, I couldn't fire someone on Christmas Eve. (Possibly punch someone, but not fire them)

I never worked in a place that consistently gave bonuses. Tips and the occasional "kick down" for selling cars or bigger deals, but nothing like quarterly or Christmas stuff. Hell, any extra is really appreciated, but not to be expected. Life ain't like Starbucks, no expected tips for nothing.

 

[RiverDave]

How old is the son? You said he used to work for you, so assuming he's not a kid. Why isn't he currently employed by you? Really, guy could have said something to his wife, wife blabbed to junior, and he gets stupid.

If you lent the guy money, you must have thought at one point he was okay. I'd hear him out at least. I don't know the situation, or the line of work. Different trades and people different situations. Me personally, I couldn't fire someone on Christmas Eve. (Possibly punch someone, but not fire them)

I never worked in a place that consistently gave bonuses. Tips and the occasional "kick down" for selling cars or bigger deals, but nothing like quarterly or Christmas stuff. Hell, any extra is really appreciated, but not to be expected. Life ain't like Starbucks, no expected tips for nothing.

Just a quick point that baristas expect tips nowadays..

 

[monkeyswrench]

Just a quick point that baristas expect tips nowadays..

And it's bullshit!

 

[4Waters]

Man my blood pressure went up just reading it. But, like you, as I have gotten older I try to not act on emotion as fast as I did when younger where I would have probably been on his doorstep this evening.

He’s a good employee, you obviously trust him to some extent to loan him money. Obviously he’s having financial issues if you had to loan him money.

My brain slows and says he went home with no bonus and explained to Jr. they they couldn’t buy X, do X, or they are going to lose X because they he didn’t get the bonus that he was anticipating. Kids are young/dumb and react differently. Said worker assumes he didn’t get a bonus because he knows he hasn’t repaid you, the kid doesn’t know you already loaned him money and thinks he’s going to intimidate you.

Hopefully the above is a closer truth to reality, you play the VM and pops reacts as most of us would, you guys talk it out and he becomes an even better employee. My bet is that there is tears shed.

Regardless, I will be ANXIOUSLY awaiting the update.

Maybe this

 

[JFMFG]

To answer everyone’s question the kid is prob late 20’s. It’s kinda a delicate situation and I didn’t mention it in an earlier post because I didn’t want opinions based of the relation. The employee is my wife’s uncles brother in law. So wife’s uncles wife’s brother.

 

[brianwhiteboy]

 

[riverroyal]

Whats a bonus? Never seen one, must be a nice

 

[4Waters]

To answer everyone’s question the kid is prob late 20’s. It’s kinda a delicate situation and I didn’t mention it in an earlier post because I didn’t want opinions based of the relation. The employee is my wife’s uncles brother in law. So wife’s uncles wife’s brother.

Employing family is always difficult

 

[JFMFG]

Employing family is always difficult

Never again

 

[Melloyellovector]

You set the expectation for bonus’s.
If life / work got in the way, then as an owner might have mentioned that to the workers.
If bonus’s are off the table because of ……… then as an owner, its up to you to prepare people to lower the expectation.

If they expected yesterday ( as the norm ) then today lunch, they got hopes up, then it feels like this mofo just took us to lunch instead of giving a bonus.
You have to own part of this situation.

Of course guys that left are gonna vent when they get home. Dumb ass kid may not even been part of the conversation. His young dumb mind just thought he’d come up with a young dumb solution. Maybe dudes wife was waiting at home to go xmas shopping with bonus, dad comes home and like sorry babe no bonus, and all hell broke out. Wives get nasty when expectations aren’t met, lol

Typically guys are like intercoms, the ones that stayed would be texting the ones that left, we got bonus’s you should have stayed. Or you as owner maybe text hey you left early and didn’t get your bonus. But sounds like that didn’t happen.

Iv been the one depending on bonus, and now the one paying them. Communication is key good or bad. Silence is death for a worker

I’d play VM to Dad, and his future and bonus would be depend on his response. If he still gets, the date on check will be obvious it was written before his dumb ass kid thought he could be a shot caller.

good luck

 

[arch stanton]

I have more ideas if others he knows at work are getting bigger bonuses than him make a new bones check to tear up so it hurts more
If you hand out checks the same way every year and thank them for the good job like I do he should known from previous years or from the other employees and I would make sure he should have known and not been in such a hurry to leave

I fired 2 guys the same day 15 plus years ago for lying on there time cards I knew for a month I was going to do it and hired both there replacements that started the Monday after firing them on Friday
I still see both guys one works for a friend of mine and knows the story and that his guy was not the ring leader of the lie
The other guy is a homeless vagrant that lives near another friends business
I found out latter he had cheated many other businesses that fired him for the same thing he was a very talented driver and really is too bad because if he had asked for a raise before cheating I would have gladly paid him more
I believe I was the last company he worked for just burned too many bridges

 

[JFMFG]

You set the expectation for bonus’s.
If life / work got in the way, then as an owner might have mentioned that to the workers.
If bonus’s are off the table because of ……… then as an owner, its up to you to prepare people to lower the expectation.

If they expected yesterday ( as the norm ) then today lunch, they got hopes up, then it feels like this mofo just took us to lunch instead of giving a bonus.
You have to own part of this situation.

Of course guys that left are gonna vent when they get home. Dumb ass kid may not even been part of the conversation. His young dumb mind just thought he’d come up with a young dumb solution. Maybe dudes wife was waiting at home to go xmas shopping with bonus, dad comes home and like sorry babe no bonus, and all hell broke out. Wives get nasty when expectations aren’t met, lol

Typically guys are like intercoms, the ones that stayed would be texting the ones that left, we got bonus’s you should have stayed. Or you as owner maybe text hey you left early and didn’t get your bonus. But sounds like that didn’t happen.

Iv been the one depending on bonus, and now the one paying them. Communication is key good or bad. Silence is death for a worker

I’d play VM to Dad, and his future and bonus would be depend on his response. If he still gets, the date on check will be obvious it was written before his dumb ass kid thought he could be a shot caller.

good luck

Checks were cut today his was in the middle of the batch. They normally receive day of Christmas party which is today. Don’t really think I need to own anything. They’re the ones who left early. I shouldn’t cater to them.

 

[TrollerDave]

To answer everyone’s question the kid is prob late 20’s. It’s kinda a delicate situation and I didn’t mention it in an earlier post because I didn’t want opinions based of the relation. The employee is my wife’s uncles brother in law. So wife’s uncles wife’s brother.

Is he (the dad) a good employee? Is it worth keeping him around? Only you know.
Would he feel like shit if you played the voicemail, and explained how he left early? You got 20 others that got their bonus, he messed up and made a big assumption and it has back fired on him. Good luck, it’s not easy being the boss.
Unless you’re RD.

 

[viperized_jr]

I say give him a check to what he owes you in your name then another check for $1. Or give him a bonus and tax it so it’s pointless anyway. People always want to bite the hand that feeds them. It makes no sense.

 

[Melloyellovector]

Checks were cut today his was in the middle of the batch. They normally receive day of Christmas party which is today. Don’t really think I need to own anything. They’re the ones who left early. I shouldn’t cater to them.

I missread the you pay them before ( as in day before ) not before going to lunch.
Take a video burning the check, send it to dad with sons VM. Tell him to get plenty of rest over Xmas because he’ll need to be healthy looking for a new job.

 

[NicPaus]

I am sure the other employee will mention to him that bonuses were handed out. But he left early.

If he shows up apologizing then go from there. If not just terminate him and no bonus. Apply it to what he owes you. If he asks why play the voice-mail.

I would probably go as far as cutting the others that left early bonuses in half. Depending on how good of a employee they are. Ungrateful people don't deserve bonuses.

 

[Outdrive1]

Fuck the drama, fire him. Next time he won’t let his son run his mouth.

 

[Roosky01]

If you want to know what I’d do?

I tell the guy keep the loan money as his Christmas bonus. Step 2, you are fired.

Don’t even bother explaining yourself.

If the kid called that means the dad was bitching to him about you.. fuck em both.

RD

This is spot on. Fuk the ungrateful bastard and never look back.

 

[GRADS]

I'm going to play devil's advocate for a second so don't hate on me. As far as the loan, forget about that right now and let's talk about the events that transpired today. Was everyone done eating at lunch for the most part? Maybe he had shit to do and bounced. I'm thinking he talked to a co-worker that got a bonus and was like wtf I didn't get one? He goes home to the family and complains that other people got a bonus and he got none. Son decides he's going to stick up for his Dad and call his boss, who is kind of a family member. Was that right? No, but I get the emotions behind it. Seems like a big misunderstanding by both sides. Give him his bonus, hug it out, and wish each other a Merry Christmas.

 

[Angler]

I did too, Dave's gonna suspend us without pay

Dave is going to give everyone a 2 week time out, for you giving the kid and employee a break.

If the employee is replaceable, fire him. No place in business for threats.

 

[4Waters]

Dave is going to give everyone a 2 week time out, for you giving the kid and employee a break.

If the employee is replaceable, fire him. No place in business for threats.

The employee didn't make the threats and may not know that his kid did.

 

[JFMFG]

I am sure the other employee will mention to him that bonuses were handed out. But he left early.

If he shows up apologizing then go from there. If not just terminate him and no bonus. Apply it to what he owes you. If he asks why play the voice-mail.

I would probably go as far as cutting the others that left early bonuses in half. Depending on how good of an employee they are. Ungrateful people don't deserve bonuses.

I’m not going to cut the others who left early they will just receive them tomorrow or Thursday when they return. They didn’t come at the situation sideways like this guy.

I'm going to play devil's advocate for a second so don't hate on me. As far as the loan, forget about that right now and let's talk about the events that transpired today. Was everyone done eating at lunch for the most part? Maybe he had shit to do and bounced. I'm thinking he talked to a co-worker that got a bonus and was like wtf I didn't get one? He goes home to the family and complains that other people got a bonus and he got none. Son decides he's going to stick up for his Dad and call his boss, who is kind of a family member. Was that right? No, but I get the emotions behind it. Seems like a big misunderstanding by both sides. Give him his bonus, hug it out, and wish each other a Merry Christmas.

I get your side. But the he could have had shit to do doesn’t fly in my opinion in treating them to lunch they’re still on my time getting paid to be there. They don’t make their own hours other days so why should today be different. I’m leaning more toward the go fuck himself route no bonus and cut him a final check after I play the voicemail.

 

[Angler]

The employee didn't make the threats and may not know that his kid did.

Yes, I read that.
He complained about his bonus with his family without talking to the Boss, when he still owed the Boss money...

 

[GRADS]

I get your side. But the he could have had shit to do doesn’t fly in my opinion in treating them to lunch they’re still on my time getting paid to be there. They don’t make their own hours other days so why should today be different.

So are you saying he was going back to work? Sounds like he's the hardest worker of them all, not milking the clock at lunch.

 

[JL95]

Jelly of the month club checking in


We had a similar situation where an employee’s son called our plant manager threatening him and wanting to pull up etc. The father/employee was called pendejo “jokingly” by the PM. That was a fun few days over the weekend.

 

[HCP3]

The employee is my wife’s uncles brother in law. So wife’s uncles wife’s brother.

This feels like a @GRADS troll thread at this point.

 

[n2otoofast4u]

I’m not going to cut the others who left early they will just receive them tomorrow or Thursday when they return. They didn’t come at the situation sideways like this guy.

I get your side. But the he could have had shit to do doesn’t fly in my opinion in treating them to lunch they’re still on my time getting paid to be there. They don’t make their own hours other days so why should today be different. I’m leaning more toward the go fuck himself route no bonus and cut him a final check after I play the voicemail.

Given you let this out of the bag after I tried to paint a bigger picture, unless there is something VERY revealing over the weekend, this is my route now. I didn’t know he was in the circle, or as I call it “the tree of trust” until after my post.

 

[Dog]

Me being me I would absolutely "make" the dad listen to the voice mail. Depending on the relationship you have with the employee, their demeanor, and reaction would completely determine how things would go forward.

In the real world the best action would be to tell employee your loan is your bonus and move forward without that employee.

 

[Deckin Around]

To answer everyone’s question the kid is prob late 20’s. It’s kinda a delicate situation and I didn’t mention it in an earlier post because I didn’t want opinions based of the relation. The employee is my wife’s uncles brother in law. So wife’s uncles wife’s brother.

so neither you or your wife have any blood relation to that whole employee/son family

This can go many different ways but at the end of the day you have to live with................your wife. What does she think you should do? You can have things fucked up at work only or at work and at home if not careful.

 

[JFMFG]

so neither you or your wife have any blood relation to that whole employee/son family

This can go many different ways but at the end of the day you have to live with................your wife. What does she think you should do? You can have things fucked up at work only or at work and at home if not careful.

My wife was in disbelief. Her only comment was he owes us money and wants more money that isn’t even due to him it’s out of the goodness of your heart. So I think she’s on my side. She stays out of work stuff for the most part.

 

[Singleton]

My wife was in disbelief. Her only comment was he owes us money and wants more money that isn’t even due to him it’s out of the goodness of your heart. So I think she’s on my side. She stays out of work stuff for the most part.

So what did you decide?
I would still terminate his employment, but hand him his bonus check.

then, I would call all the other guys that skipped early and leave a VM “Bonus checks were handed out after lunch, but since you left lunch early, I still have it. Let’s talk the next day your back”

 

[tostark]

i had a manager leave me a 2 minute butt dial voicemail talking with employees about what a ass I was. My first day of a week off. I called him back, told him of the unintentional message ( not in detail, just that he left one) and we have a meeting at 9 am my first day back. I know he stressed for the week trying to remember what he said.

Ruin this guys Xmas. Call and tell him you will be meeting on the next work day to discuss his son’s threatening message. Let him stress for a few days Wondering what was said. Maybe even cause family drama in their house over Xmas. Then handle how you want

 

[JFMFG]

So what did you decide?
I would still terminate his employment, but hand him his bonus check.

then, I would call all the other guys that skipped early and leave a VM “Bonus checks were handed out after lunch, but since you left lunch early, I still have it. Let’s talk the next day your back”

We are working today. The guys who left early yesterday received theirs first thing as I don’t want more fallout from this. As for the guy that has direct involvement in this he had requested today off so he won’t return till Thursday then I will handle it. Plan as of now is to play voicemail tell him what he owes me is a wash and wish him the best of luck and move on.

 

[JFMFG]

i had a manager leave me a 2 minute butt dial voicemail talking with employees about what a ass I was. My first day of a week off. I called him back, told him of the unintentional message ( not in detail, just that he left one) and we have a meeting at 9 am my first day back. I know he stressed for the week trying to remember what he said.

Ruin this guys Xmas. Call and tell him you will be meeting on the next work day to discuss his son’s threatening message. Let him stress for a few days Wondering what was said. Maybe even cause family drama in their house over Xmas. Then handle how you want

lol idk if I have it in me to do that.

 

[CLdrinker]

I’m in agreement with RD.

Fuck this guy.

But what ever you do don’t say shit about shit. Don’t tell him about voicemail or why you are firing him. Do not give a reason!!

Hand him whatever money you decide on have him sign termination papers.

I just went through a wrongful termination lawsuit and what kept me from winning big money is they did not give reason. It was next to impossible to prove wrongful termination at that point.

But hey what do I know.

 

[CLdrinker]

Furthermore I can see a dirt bag lawyer claiming retaliation if you tell him he is fired because of the voicemail.

When legal matters and money is concerned shutting the fuck up is by far the best strategy.