Convicts, jailbirds and delinquents . . .

mjindra

I was hired by this company and told that it needed some structure in the HR Department. I AM the department, the first HR person this company has ever had. We are currently sitting at 38 employees. We have 3 sex offenders, (one is the owner's son), 2 people currently in jail (getting out on Huber, so of course, now their attendance is perfect), only six employees have perfect attendance, others have over 20 occurrances in the past 12 months, (including absent, tardy and leaving early). Nobody was ever fired (in five years) before I came along. NOW, I've put together a tracking / recording method for attendance. We have a policy that employees have signed off on, and they continue to be absent. I've fired 11 people so far, but when I let the supervisors know who is due for write-ups / discipline, they generally use "their discretion" because "when the employee is HERE, he's actually a good worker". Oh great. Keep in mind the employees all show up at the bar together after each shift, (occasionally with the owners and supervisors of the company; the owners are young and they party also, sometimes harder than the employees.) So, sometimes the humor isn't in the employees of the company, in my case it's in the company itself. I'm fighting a losing battle . . . can you feel it?

Parabeagle

I feel your pain. Been there, done that, have the t-shirt. I worked for a company several years ago that sounds suspiciously similar to yours. It was jokingly referred to as "Felons R Us." Actually had an employee who committed a bank robbery on his lunch break, believe it or not (this was before I arrived). All you can do is implement the policies, apply them consistently, discipline who you have to and pray the owners don't terminate you for spoiling all their fun. Good luck!

Don D

There is a bright side to all of this! Maybe Robin Williams can play you in the movie. Think of the royalties. Be patient. Good things are coming your way.

Rockie

Are you still there.....I think I hear your brakes squealing as they tear around the corner out of the parking lot!

jimlegal

From your post, sounds like you may be in harms way. If the owners party more than the employees, what does that say. Watch out! I wold be revising my resume and start quitely looking around. Is this really the type of situation you want to be associated with? From your own post, I gather not! Good luck...

Hunter1

Since you've posted a few times, I assume you're accustomed to our humor: Did the company hire you because you fit their 'ideal employee' profile? : )

mjindra

Oh I'm accustomed to the humor alright, Dandy Don broke me in by making fun of my Wisconsin lingo.

Actually, I used to work for one of this company's customers, so they knew that I was structured, straight-laced and consistent. The owner wanted me to come aboard to surround himself with people that are strong at the skills that he lacks. Little did I know that he and his co-owner are slackers. Thank goodness the customers don't get a peek at what these people are made of.

On the bright side, I'm building a direct-selling business separate from all of this and my goal is to be working for myself by July 2004 . . . if I can put up with these yahoos for that long. I just shake my head, do my darndest to get some structure built into this company so that when I leave they have something stable to build off of. I look at it as a huge challenge with a light at the end of the tunnel.

ritaanz

I worked for a company that had a large labor pool to draw from. The only problem was they were either drug addicts/jailbirds or alcoholics/jailbirds. I was told to hire the alcoholic. At least s/he would buy you a drink. #-o duh

Don D

"Structured, straight-laced and consistent"? I'm trying to remember if that was Ritaanz discribing herself or.....no, it couldn't have been. (She got me back by calling me Dandy Don. She knows I hate it when Pork calls me that).

mjindra

Well, there you go, at least you have a system! The system I use is by checking out the Circuit Court website to see if they are on their way to jail and also the Sex Offenders website. If nothing jumps out at me, BINGO!

LindaS

While I can relate to your situation the one thing I always keep in mind regarding huber inmates is at least you KNOW where they are when they aren't working!!! Gotta look at the glass half full!

mjindra

Great Point! And like I said earlier, Huber employees ALWAYS have perfect attendance. Look at the alternative!

Parabeagle

Think I missed something. What's a "huber?"

mjindra

Oh man, don't let Dandy Don hear you say that!

Huber is a program for jailbirds . . . they can get out of jail to come to work. Called a work-release program, more correctly it should be called jail-release program.

Parabeagle

Oh, ok. I'm hip. I saw Cool Hand Luke. x;-)