professional opinions, please:

[imperialreign]

I was just thinking about this some, and I'd like some opinions . . .

Say, for instance, you have an employee that shows up routinely (3-4 days out of a 5 day work week), right on time, or 5-10 min late . . . given enough times, the employee would probably be fired, right? But say the issue had never been directly addressed before, and one day his alarm clock fails to go off, and he ends up 2 hours late - the boss man tells him to take the day, and he ends up with his pay cut for the day (which he doesn't find out about until he recieves his paycheck), is that acceptable? Right now, we'll call this person "employee 0"

Now, to go further into, say at this same "professional" institution, in regards to the other employees, and the boss, their buddies stop by every day, every other day, sometimes 2-3 times in the same day, but quite often. Their friends stop by to either have them fix something, or do some kind of "quick" work for them, freebies, or they're just there to shoot the shit for a while. Employee 0 never has his friends stop by, nor does he stop what he's doing to socialize with the other employee's buddies, nor does he drop what he's doing to address whatever it is they're trying to get done. But, the other employees, and the boss, routinely do so, and don't ask for any type of compensation for it. In a work insitution that schedules customers and doesn't accept walk-ins, is this practice acceptable or professional?

So, with both situations taken into account: other employee's buddies routinely take up 25min+ on an almost daily basis of business time, whereas a tardy employee who's tardiness takes no more than 10min of business time and never stops to socialize or cater to "drop-ins," is it professional or acceptable for employee 0 to be punished for routine tardiness when no one else is penalized for socialization time or charity-work time?


Now, with that outlook on it - I was 2 hours late to work last Friday, and my paycheck this week was docked 8 hours . . . even though it was the boss who told me to take the day off when I was en-route to work when I called him. After a lengthy argument with him the other day, I told him I'd work overtime next week to make it up and he told me that he doesn't pay any overtime; and this after I demanded to be payed for the day I was told to take off - because it wasn't my decision, and I had no control over my alarm clock dying. The only reason I'm late every day is morning traffic - it's never the same, no matter what time I leave the house, and even without traffic, it's a good 15min drive to the shop.

But, the point I'm trying to make is - I work all day. I never have any of my friends show up for anything, and if anyone (friend or family) does show up on rare occasion, I take care of their needs on my lunch break - not right then and there. I don't really socialize with the boss'es or employe'es friends when they do drop in, and I don't stop what I'm doing to accomodate any of their needs. Am I within my right by feeling that I'm being singled out and punished in this instance? Am I within my right for demanding to be paid for the 8 hours I was told to take off?

I have the feeling that this is the absolute last straw with the shop that I'm at, and I'm about to start looking for another place to work. I'm just tired of being treated like the "know-nothing" kid, if you know what I mean . . .

[Wile E]

While I understand your frustration, in the professional world, tardiness is looked down upon more so than "slacking off". From a mathematical standpoint it makes no sense, but that's just how it is.

As far as missing 8hrs of work, I don't know how I feel about it it. Are you considered a full-time employee? If so, I don't think they can dock your pay. But then again, it could be considered a form of reprimand. I'm a fence-sitter on this one.

[imperialreign]

I'm considered full-time, but we only work a 40 hour work week. Due to how our shops business is, and how small it is, he doesn't fall into a category where he's required to pay me for any overtime, either - so my initial thought of making up the lost wages went out the window.

I've told them before it's all due to traffic. I'd have to leave the house at 7AM to be there by 730, 745 . . . but, I'm not one to hang around and shoot the shit until 8. When I show up, I'm ready to work. But, the direction I have to go to work, I have to cross 3 major roads here, and all 3 feed the interstate . . . there are some mornings where I'm waiting 10min just to get out of the neighborhood I live in :rolleyes:

I'm just trying to get a better idea of where I stand in my argument. Like I said, that was the first time out of my 4.5 years at the shop that I was more than 15min late and hadn't called.


But, I'm planning on bringing up their socializing and catering to their buddies when we return to work on Monday, because, personally, I think those actions are as equal, if not more detrimental to the shops business as my tardiness. I also pointed out that there have been numerous times that I've been at the shop past 5PM finishing something up as a favor to a customer, or there have been times that I've completely skipped my lunch hour because a customer needed their vehicle back that day - and I don't recieve overtime for it, which I think is an issue in itself. If I'm 10min late to work, but I cut 10min into my lunchbreak, I view that as making that time back up to the shop . . . I wasn't done with the argument when we left on Wed, and I made certain to point that out . . . it's hard to argue with two people at the same time. :banghead:


Like I said, though, I think this is the last straw with this shop. The shop has been fairly dead for the last 6 months, and I'm tired of playing janitor all day, because the shop owner doesn't want to advertise or make any attempt to get work in the door. I'm tired of the arguing I have to do whenever I want a raise . . . I recieved my last raise in Aug -after 2 years since the raise prior to that. In between that time, I had graduated with my AAS in Automotive Technology, and earned 4 ASEs . . . never saw a pay increase; and when I finally asked him about it, the boss said he hasn't found any justification for giving me a raise. :wtf: It took the other mechanic getting on him to finally do something, and even still I'm only paid $13/hr . . . 6.5 years experience, 4 ASE, AAS in Automotive Technology - I'm still worth more than that. I'm thinking I might go on down the road to a dealership that I know quite a few people at. Traffic isn't a problem headed that way in the morning, I know more people there, anyhow - and pay ought to be better.

[KennyT772]

Being late to work due to traffic is never an excuse. Being the son of two business owners, I think just like your boss. When someone doesn't show up on time, you cannot count on them to make it in that day at all, which is very frustrating. Your boss called you off that day because he had already covered his bases, and didn't need you to work, and didn't want to think about it (because he was severly pissed). Being late and slacking off are two way different things.
Your boss can count on the slackers to show up.

When work is slow a boss doesn't care what you do as long as your responsibilities are done. Everything cleaned, etc and he could care less if your buddies stopped by. If you think this is unreasonable you will have a hard time finding work anywhere that is locally owned.

Go work for best buy.

[Steevo]

The boss used to rag on me about getting to work late. Now they just let me be. I work hard, and don't discuss crap liek fantasy football. Plus I am the IT guy, so their surfing habits are my secret :D.


On the pay dock, they cannot legally do that.


On the repremand, you should be to work on time, and traffic, your alarm clock, and weather are not their concern. As I was told, move closer, leave even earlier, and be ready.


It took a fight to get my last raise, but I got a couple bucks a hour, and some more benefits. But I have been showing up early or on time, and showing more dedication and team play. So show up early, bring doughnuts, and kick the shit around. Who really cares if you screw off so long as you get your work done and don't cause waves. That is what I have learned about office life. It is different than construction, and I had a hard time adapting, but now I come and go as I please, and do my work and then some, and they leave me alone.


At the very least if you start showing up early and brionging doughnuts they can't complain, either you will have done your job, or they will have their mouths full. Plus "killing them with kindness" I had my wife do this to some shitheads that she worked with. It all worked out for her, with the police there giving the shop owners a stern talking to about things while she packed her stuff. She was a cosmetologist, and this happend in front of a few very gabby clients. So they have never forgiven her for embarrising the shit out of them for what they tried to do.

[imperialreign]

I understand where they're coming from on the tardiness - honestly.

But, I also look at it from the point that however late I am, I return that back to the shop during the day - whether it's me cutting into my lunch break, or staying past 5 to finish to wrap things up . . .

In a different light, though - I don't socialize on my phone all day, I don't stop what I'm doing whenever their buddies roll through the door. The rare time I do get held up cause a relative calls, or one of their buddies wants to talk or whatever - I immediately get that "Don't you have work to do" bit from the boss . . .

My comeback rate is 0%, I complete all work well withing the billed labor time that is charged to the customer, and my repairs are 115% of what's called for (I do a lot of little things that take no extra time, but make the customer happy and improve the repair).

I mean, this is a small shop. There's me, the boss, the other mechanic and the secretary - that's it. No one is really in a position to be pissing someone else off, IMO. The shop can't afford to lose any personnel, and there are even fewer people in this area that would deal with the BS for the amount the boss wants to pay them for.

As for the cleaning . . . I don't have a problem cleaning my bay, my workspace, or helping tidy up the shop now and then when we're slow . . . but I was hired to repair the vehicles that come through the door. I did the math the other week, based on our invoice numbers, and over the last 6mo we're averaging 2 cars a day . . . 2! That includes oil changes, state inspections, and all the other piddly gravy stuff. As much as the boss expects me to do my job, I expect him to do his and get the work in the door. We don't advertise at all, and he makes no effort to help boost sales (and I've given them some great ideas, too).

I could bring the shop to it's knees right before I leave . . . the shop has a ton of OSHA violations, I'm sure the EPA would have a field day too - not to mention that they have me performing state inspections, even though I don't have a license (they write the sitckers, though).

. . . anyhow . . . all I'm saying is that I just get the feeling that this is turning into more of a "point out someone elses problems instead of taking note of our own" type of deal, here . . .


On the pay dock, they cannot legally do that.

explain this a little more to me - cause I didn't think they could either. Unless there is something under the state of VA. I was really pissed to see my paycheck, as no one made any mention of it at all. I had to ask the boss "WTF?"

[Steevo]

Offer to get some work in. Ask if you can. It usally helps if you have a gameplan, and are willing to work at something, so he doesn't have to. Make sure to put it in a was that makes the compnay, and him more money.




Ask a lawyer on the pay. As a manager at my former construction job, we could not dock pay if someone screwed up, broke someting, or showed up late. As per the companys lawyer. I yelled at one asshole we had working with us till he started crying, and threw a hammer at me, and all I could do was fire him. His idea of job security was to work slow, and he told me this to my face, after I asked him to pick up the pace a bit.

He also built things wrong, possibly on purpose, and while it was just me and him pouring some concrete steps that needed a good finish and a small patio he decides that he was gonna take lunch early.

[KennyT772]

As far as I know, if the boss calls you off for the day (you didn't work that day) there is no way you are being shorted money. Unless you are under contract, you work when your boss says to, you don't work you don't get paid.

If your numbers are really this bad then I would quit worrying about getting shorted a days pay that you didn't work, and make sure you keep your job, or find another. At two cars a day one of you is going to get fired, sounds like the boss would rather fire you.

[imperialreign]

If your numbers are really this bad then I would quit worrying about getting shorted a days pay that you didn't work, and make sure you keep your job, or find another. At two cars a day one of you is going to get fired, sounds like the boss would rather fire you.

That wouldn't surprise me, either . . . as far as personal history between employees go - I'm the new kid. I've been there 4.5 years, but . . . he's known the other mechanic since they were in their teens, at least 20 years now. The secretary is the boss'es step daughter . . .

But, he owns another business run out of the same shop, where he sells used vehicles. So, there is still some form of income. But, he hasn't been keeping up with his bills, either, and that has my concern. He still hasn't payed the bill for our motor oil deliveries (last delivery was 3mo ago), and the shop account with our parts dealers is maxed out, too . . .

Ask a lawyer on the pay. As a manager at my former construction job, we could not dock pay if someone screwed up, broke someting, or showed up late. As per the companys lawyer. I yelled at one asshole we had working with us till he started crying, and threw a hammer at me, and all I could do was fire him. His idea of job security was to work slow, and he told me this to my face, after I asked him to pick up the pace a bit.

I might ask a lawyer - but I'm not even sure if it's worth my time anymore. Honestly, because of how small the shop is, I don't think we fall under the FLSA laws :ohwell:

IDK, I think this week I'm going to throw is some resumes at places I've got some contacts with. There are other shops I'd be a lot happier working at. Right now, I'm sick of the BS in the shop as it is and being treated like I don't know crap. I'm tired of the morning commute headache every morning, 30min to drive 3 miles is a joke, oher shops I could get a job at are twice as far away (and in the other direction) and don't take the same amount of time to get to. I'm tired of the poor pay for what I do (where else you gonna find someone willing to swap motors and tranny's for $13/hr?).


. . . y'know, though, I think once I have another job lined up and locked in, I might file some complaints with a few organizations before I quit. I'm not normally like that, but like I said, I'm sick of being treated like the scapegoat - especially considering that I've brought that up to them before.

[Completely Bonkers]

1./ Stop complaining. You were at fault. Get to work on time.

2./ If you are knowingly involved in faking inspections (ie unlicensed to do so), then you are complicit in the offence.

3./ If you think the business is going bust, look for a new job

4./ If you think you can do your bosses job BETTER than he can, why dont you tell him that, and offer to run the business for a month FOR FREE. If the business does better, he pays you double. If it does worse, he pays you nothing.

Grit, grind, hardwork. Nothing but a silver spoon will help you avoid that one.

Thinking about grassing on your boss because you arent getting your way? Pathetic. Thats what the worst kind of spoilt girls do.

imperialreign, you're a good guy. But you're wrong on this one.

[imperialreign]

Yeah, I know the not getting to work is my fault no matter what - i already recognize that.


TBH, I think I was just letting it get to me too much and just felt like I was being targeted as the only one in the shop who has a problem. There's just been too much crap going on in my life right now, and I've been way too stressed out over all sorts of everything, between other issues at work, issues at home, problems with my gf, financial problems, etc. With everything else going on, I'm just immediately on the defensive when something else comes up. I've been trying to keep the stress level low, but that's just been increasingly more difficult to do - it just seems like everyone, even outside of work, is getting down my case for any reason they can exploit. Maybe I'm just being too nice with people . . . not sure . . . I'm just tired of being everyone's scapegoat. There's just too much going on, and no one knows how to back off my case even when I ask them, and hint to them, that they need to.


Anyhow, the only reason I thought about the OSHA and EPA complaints has a lot to do with stuff I've been complaining about in the shop for a long time. I mean, it's pretty sad, IMO, that we don't even have a decent first aid kit anywhere in the shop . . . so, I think that's more out of frustration on my part than anything else. :ohwell:


3./ If you think the business is going bust, look for a new job

I intend to at this point. I'm just too fed up with everything in the shop on top of our lack of work to do. I'm tired of being accused whenever tools turn up missing; I'm sick of being accused whenever something odd is broke on a vehicle I'm working on (for example, the most recent, we had a Land Rover come in for some oil leaks. The other tech diagnosed the oil cooler lines as leaking - I ended up with the chore of replacing them. I was installing the oil cooler line that comes out from the underside of the front cover, and the fitting didn't want to tighten - it just spun. Turns out the aluminum front cover was cracked on the outside of the fitting bore, I had to clean all the oil residue and dirt off of it to actually see the crack . . . I'm the one that gets blamed for breaking the front cover :rolleyes:), I'm tired of my repair recommendations being brushed off as unimportant, I'm sick of the boss having the other tech check over everything I do (before the other tech came back to work in the shop, I was the only mechanic out there for a year and a half, and never had anyone double check me before), I'm tired of my repair procedures being questioned (it's got me at this point starting to doubt my own handiwork), etc . . . I'm over it. I'm looking elsewhere.

But, as any other mechanic can tell you, this is a rough time of year to find another shop. I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and keep my mouth shut until I have something else in the bag. I won't be leaving until another job is locked in and definite.

Whatever, though, I'm just done and over it all

[KennyT772]

My step dad owns a auto repair facility, so I understand where your coming from. The way you are being treated does seem to be unfair, and I am truly surprised you still have a job, meaning the place hasn't gone under yet.

What I would do if I were in your place:
Sit your boss down and have a one to one chat. Talk to him about what is bugging you, the double checking, lack of first aid etc, available work. Don't tell him what to you, just see what he says in response to your questions.

Keep looking for another shop, and get creative with getting hired. Having a couple of their mechanics quiz you is a good way to show knowledge, along with proof of your non return rate. You should also not mention pay, and see what they offer.