Sleeping On The Job
5560905
37 Posts
Call me naive, but I would assume that unless the job comes with a bed or cot, that as an employer I could expect the employee to KNOW that he/she is not authorized to sleep during a work shift.
I just attended an umeployment hearing for an employee who was caught on video surveillance, sleeping during this work shift on multiple occasions. This employee is a night desk clerk at a hotel and is responsible for meeting and greeting guests, handling guest transactions such as check in and out, and is responsible for the overall safety and security of the hotel from 11 PM to 7 AM. While activity is generally slow during the wee hours of the morning, some guests do arrive late and leave early and staff is supposed to be at the ready to assist them.
The judge asked me to show him a rule that made it clear to the employee that he was not allowed to sleep on the job.
I changed my strategy to focus then on the fact that the employee left his workstation and went into the back office where he got a blanket and sacked out in a chair for over half of his shift. We have a specific rule about leaving yoru workstation without permission or proper relief.
I dont' know how the hearing will come out but I focused on the fact that his behavior placed the hotel and its guests in jeopardy and was therefore so aggregious as to warrant immediate termination.
Where do you draw the line on having a specific rule for everything? I thought having video of the employee sleeping on the job was a sure fire way to win the hearing, but now I'm having doubts. Anyone else have a similar experience?
I just attended an umeployment hearing for an employee who was caught on video surveillance, sleeping during this work shift on multiple occasions. This employee is a night desk clerk at a hotel and is responsible for meeting and greeting guests, handling guest transactions such as check in and out, and is responsible for the overall safety and security of the hotel from 11 PM to 7 AM. While activity is generally slow during the wee hours of the morning, some guests do arrive late and leave early and staff is supposed to be at the ready to assist them.
The judge asked me to show him a rule that made it clear to the employee that he was not allowed to sleep on the job.
I changed my strategy to focus then on the fact that the employee left his workstation and went into the back office where he got a blanket and sacked out in a chair for over half of his shift. We have a specific rule about leaving yoru workstation without permission or proper relief.
I dont' know how the hearing will come out but I focused on the fact that his behavior placed the hotel and its guests in jeopardy and was therefore so aggregious as to warrant immediate termination.
Where do you draw the line on having a specific rule for everything? I thought having video of the employee sleeping on the job was a sure fire way to win the hearing, but now I'm having doubts. Anyone else have a similar experience?
Comments
I had an administrator once that the Board wanted to terminate. He would nod off at his desk. He point blank told me that I would never get rid of him,
because he had a physical illness. Well he is not there any longer, (performance issues did him in,) but then neither am I!
To be honest, I do take naps sometimes in a hidden away office space. But I draw the line at bringing a pillow and blanket.
Do a no sleeping policy, sure it's common sense, but it's still needed in your policies.
We had an employee with several health problems who would regularly put his head down on the desk and sleep. He blamed his medication. We came to an agreement and made it possible for him to take disability leave.
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]
We were discussing wage increases and he went through the list - arbitrarily marking people up or down from the 3% across the board. He got to a housekeeper that was SUB PAR all the way around and gave her a $.50 increase. He said it was due to the fact her husband was a ne'r do well and an alcoholic and she needed the money. I protested and he went on to elaborate that he had found her sleeping several times in his clinic office. He would just wake her up and send her on her way. He felt it was the kindest thing we could do for someone in a small town in a bad situation.
I know that goes against all our HR rules and the concept of equal treatment of personnel and I said so at the time. But looking back, that guy had a pretty good heart - just not necessarily in the right place.
The housekeeper has since retired and is doing her napping at home.
PS: I don't follow this concept at my current job.
She then stood up, shook my hand and said good bye assuming she was terminated. I did not terminate her and she ended up to be a super employee. In order to keep her awake, I had to load her desk up with work. As long as she was active, she was fine. I did get some strange looks when we both were in staff meetings though.