one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

[ezbtr]

One of my techs missed work last week one day(while I was in Seattle of course) and I tried everything to get ahold of him as I and my other guys were worried. Turns out he got popped for a DUI(says he only had 2 glasses of wine....) couldnt make a call from jail, no cell. When I found he was MIA, sent one of the other guys to cover his site until he came back to work Monday. Now I have had discussions with him twice I beleive in the last year as he showed up hungover as hell twice, had one questionable "sick" day. When he did show up in this condition I refused to let him operate ANY light or heavy equipment(man lifts, etc) as he would have hurt or killed himself or someone else, basically his judgement sucks, go out drinking during the week.....now since the two times earlier he hasnt shown up to work under the influence/hungover, some progress..
He is a FT contractor, hard worker and a good younger(32) guy. ...I told him IF he has a problem with booze, Id try to steer him straight/help, but cant pay to put him in a pgm. as for now all my guys are contractors....Gonna have a weekly one on one meeting with him tomorrow...I don't want to ding him perse if he has a problem, but he also knows he aint working in that shape...he looses money...dont know if I want to punish him perse, Id really like to not ever see him in trouble again. Thoughts? Thanks

 

[JB]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

A drunk is a drunk, EZ. They kill people.

No slack.

 

[MrBossman]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

Sometimes getting a DUI will scare the person into getting his act together. He will be required to attend alcohol classes and most likely AA meetings which he hasnt done before.Not to mention the big bucks it will cost him. Real alcoholics cant just quit on their on most of the time so I would not can him right away but verify he attends AA meetings and be given one last chance to never show up drunk or even with it on his breath again. If he does you have no other recourse but to can him. just my 2 cents worth.

 

[OldePharte]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

It would appear that he has some drinking issues. Not knowing your contract terms, but you need to follow your drug/alcohol policy, if any. Also knowing that he some issues, you may be putting you and your company at risk if he hurts someone of causes property damage while under the influence. Talk to your insurance agent about your general liability insurance coverage.

He may have personal issues that he handles by drinking. Try to find out. You can try to be a friend to help the guy out, but be aware of your potential liability and company reputation.

If he has a DUI, does he still have a license? If not, how can he do his job?

There may be some state-funded assistance programs to help this guy out.

 

[mthieme]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

I'm with JB.
But I'm hard on drunks...my first wife was alcoholic & manic-depressive. Bad combination, deadly in fact (literally).

 

[JustJason]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

He's an employee.... so it's a sorta simple business arrangement.
Being a business arangment... ya have to try your best to put your personal feelings aside and do what's best for the biz.
Everybody has got there issues....... bad family/personal relationships... drugs, booze... crappy workers.... or they are just half nuts to start with.
But aside from that..... You have to decide if you value him or not. If you do value him, if he, all and all (and all the BS he may or may not bring to the table) Does he make you profit? And is he a foreseeable liability? It's simple really. If you value his work, you'll address the issue in the most PC way possible, and do what you can as an employer.
If you do not value him, or if he skimps by, or if no matter what profit he makes you.... he's still not worth the headache.... then his DUI is your ticket out of getting rid of the guy.
Just like how mechanics can't cure the world of stupid boaters (not that we want too!! ) you can't solve every employees personal issues.
So the question is.... what's the guys value to you?

 

[achris]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

Questionable sick days, showing up hungover, DUIs, not showing for work. Good employees (contractors) don't treat their employer that way, and at 32 he should know better and it unlikely to change.... cut him free. You've already done more than you require. He appears not to be appreciating your help.

Chris.....

 

[lester]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

To ask this question is to answer it.

 

[Skyhawk]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

A few episodes in a year to me hardly warrants a "drunk" but obviously you shouldn't come into worked half cocked. And yes a dui at 32 doesn't speak loudly for his maturity and responsibility but hey, good people screw up everyday.


Give him definite ultimatum, and mean it.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

Big problem....been faced with it myself over the years.
(I actually have a big issue on my hands right now).

As an employer you have the 'no drink issue' in the left hand, and your 'conscience' in the right.
I hate firing anybody....I know the dollars they get from me are important to their family....and no matter what I think of them....I just can't bring myself to the 'get rid of them' solution straight up.
I socialise heavily with other employers, and surprisingly I'm not alone.

May I suggest you do have a talk with him, be real firm and establish ground rules and standards that he has to abide by....and outline the monitoring system and consequences. And tell him these points are NOT open for discussion.

I know something else, JB is dead right; drunks and drug users are probably the biggest B/S artists god gave breath too, meaning he may well be able to give you excuses, stories and promises and convince you to keep him, to which you obviously have to show empathy with, but stick to your ground rules etc I mentioned in above paragraph.

Guess you just have to go with the 'conscience' in you, and do your best.

Cheers
Phillip

PS: I have found over the years, that the drug users are the worst.....I feel they get to a point where they actually believe their own B/S....

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

He sounds like a guy I used to work with... he got worse and worse until one day the company vehicle was stolen with somewhere around $50,000-$100,000 worth of equipment in it while he was buying drugs from a prostitute.

He was a strange sort of case, because he was a bad tech when he was completely straight, but a hell of a good tech when he was on something (usually alcohol or weed). At another job I worked with another tech that was kinda like that (except with alcohol only). Even his bosses encouraged him to drink on the job because he couldn't work well without it, but with it, he was great. To my knowlege, he's still there... but the first guy who had the company vehicle stolen was of course fired.

Well, that doesn't help you much I'm sure, but take it for what you will.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

Well, what is he?....
An employee or a sub contractor?.....
If he is good at what he does, give him a second chance.....
I'd be way more concerned with what he does on the job than off.......
At least he was honest & didn't give ya some bs story....
Make it clear if he f's up again, bye-bye....

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

3 strikes in a baseball game and your out. Explain that he is very close to being OUT on a permanent basis.

 

[mthieme]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

He sounds like a guy I used to work with... he got worse and worse until one day the company vehicle was stolen with somewhere around $50,000-$100,000 worth of equipment in it while he was buying drugs from a prostitute.

I remember a very similar incident many moons ago. The coworker was a good worker and all that but it seems he had a second life he managed to hide from everyone. It caught up with one day. He stole the company truck while 3 sheets to the wind. Got in an accident, cops found a gun int he truck, etc.

 

[gbb]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

Jeez, I had 2 glasses of beer last night out for dinner, good thing I didn't get picked up by the cops. You guys would want to fire me thinking I'm a no good drunk. I work everyday, show up and do my best for my employer. Going out and parting sometimes do not make you an alcolholic at that age, I am 55 and did my share of having a good time but I rarly drink more than 2 beers now. Have a talk with him but don't blow this out of proportion. There are alot of drunks out there but this doesn't show me that he's there.

 

[Carphunter]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

I personally have zero tolerance for drinking and driving. The second some drunk gets behind the wheel, they endanger all the innocent folks just trying to get somewhere. This person would be gone in a heartbeat if I were his boss, and hopefully the wake up call of losing his job would be enough to make him change his ways.

At 32, its gonna take something dramatic to change this fella, imo.​

 

[Carphunter]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

Jeez, I had 2 glasses of beer last night out for dinner, good thing I didn't get picked up by the cops. You guys would want to fire me thinking I'm a no good drunk. I work everyday, show up and do my best for my employer. Going out and parting sometimes do not make you an alcolholic at that age, I am 55 and did my share of having a good time but I rarly drink more than 2 beers now. Have a talk with him but don't blow this out of proportion. There are alot of drunks out there but this doesn't show me that he's there.

gbb, let me say that this fella got a DUI, which means he was above the legal limit for driving while under the influence, which means he broke the law, which means he was DRUNK!.............PERIOD!
I don't think anyone is blowing this out of proportion. When you have someone close to you get killed by someone drunk behind the wheel, then I bet your perspective changes. Lets just say, its happened to me.​

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

People with addiction/abuse problem can change. Despite JB's, and some of the others black and white view of the situation. I have personal experience with several ex and current employees that have had drug and alcohol issues. Multiple DUI's, jail time the whole nine yards. Two current employees have been trouble free over three and five years respectively. Both were let go (fired) on prior occasions. Both were good employees when they were sober, or straight. Their addiction's were their down fall. Once their addictions were under control two "problem" employees became highly valued members of our team. Granted I've gone through other employees with addiction/abuse issues that (as far as I know) never overcame their problem. Retaining and reforming the person may be a crap-shoot at best. It just depends on the potential payback, and the odds of success.

 

[mthieme]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

LT,
You're a good man for sticking by them. I think EZBTR would benefit from your experiences if you could elaborate. It sounds like he wants to keep the employee.
And while I'm sure people can change, I have not witnessed this personally. This may be a shame as I have formed a negative opinion concerning this as a result of life's experiences and simply do not tolerate people with this type of issue.

 

[tommays]

Re: one of my guys got a DUI and missed work, thoughts?

Well as and owner or manager

You put your self at risk once they have a DWI if there driving a company truck or hurt someone on the job and you are aware of it your in for the ride when it gets down and dirty


If you look at some recent events ,managers have had serious legal problems when they were aware of worker problems and failed to take action