[Helen]

I don't want to sack him, I need him as I am so busy.....

And there's your answer above. I need him because I am so busy or to put it another way he knows who needs who most and he is taking the p--s basically.
We've been there before with this type of person, the fact he needs money, drink or has a personal problem IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM. Your problem is running a business and if he can't adhere to the terms he signed up to then go down the official route of 'warning' 'final warning' 'your sacked.'
In our case we had the Monday morning 'car's broken down, got a flat tire, stuck in London, don't feel well etc etc. I just got rid without any warning and took a chance, and got away with it. At the end of the day do you want to lose customers or a staff member, who might be good but is also more hassle than he is worth? I bet you spend your Sunday evening wondering will he be in tomorrow? Why should you have your weekend rest ruined over wondering what he is doing?

As for the comments about making him self employed, you can't do that if he is getting all his work from you. The only way around this (if you want to go that sort of way) would be to change his contract to an hourly rate of pay on the books.
Work=Pay
No work= No pay
Then see how things change

[Jim Gibbard]

Mike,

Are you anywhere near an answer to your question?

Jim

[peter maybury]

How many of the people that have been commenting on the above actually employ people. We as a business have large commitments and we need the people that we employ to be there to do the work  that pays these commitments. We cannot say to our bank I am sorry we cannot pay the overdraft this month because people have not turned up. We have had it all over the years and unfortunately somebody with a problem like this cannot be over looked. You cannot let one get away with it as it is an excuse for others and human nature being what it is.
We have lost our patience with people and have in the past made a rod for our own backs the more we gave the more people took. The problem with drinking is the longer it goes on the worse it gets. You cannot compromise your business over somebody who cannot get up on a Monday morning. Unfortunately it is a way of life for a lot of people but it is something that I no longer have the patience to tolerate.
It is something that will annoy you and it will only be a matter of time before he lets you down badly due to someones birthday, funeral, bumping into a mate etc etc . You must have some control. I like a drink more than most but it is not a way of life and work comes first and should with every one.

Peter

[Jim Gibbard]

Hang on a minute, this all seems to be getting OTT!! 
Peter, It sounds as though you are just the type of person the government could do with to tackle the crime and punishment issues facing the country at the moment, tough and uncompromising.  That is needed!! However, Mike states that this "problem drinker" has missed 1 or 2 days a month.  That means 2 days out of 28, hardly call in "Alcoholics Anonymous".

Also, you give the impression that if you employ someone, you actually own them also and can control their lives.  You do not own them, you employ them to work for you.  Where does this attitude stop, do you stop them going to the football match if they happen to support the other team.   

Whatever happened to a good old bit of "give & take" or "compromise" rather than the "hang em out to dry" attitude.  Just find a simple solution that suits both parties, then , everyone is happy.

Jim

[vacman]

Well i stayed out of this for several reasons, but i've been following the thread relgiously. However, regardless of what i think (and i am not commenting on this one), i must ask -in relation to the last message- is losing "1 or 2 days a month" acceptable under ANY circumstances? For me, no its not. I am the softest of the soft when it comes to staff and in the past people have run rings around me. But ultimatly if people regularly miss time like that i've had to do something practical about it. I simply can't afford to employ anyone who regularly has time off 

[derek leeds]

lets all work for jim then i can have friday off caus i go out on the p--- on thursday. somebody else plays snooker on weds so can they have thursday off or is it one rule for one and another rule for somebody else. its called anarch but you got to give or take....

[spencer davies]

What a generous man Jim, the more you give, the more people take. 1-2 days per month equates
to a lot of wasted time and money, there are plenty of reliable people out there desperate for a decent
job that won't take the pee.

I would get rid of a bloke like this quicksmart.


S

[peter maybury]

When people are in work they need to have their faculties and be focused on what tbhey are doing, If not I would not want them there and they are no goog to me. What they do in their private lives has nothing to do with me, when it affects their work it does become an issue. As I said in the previous post "how many people that have commmented actually employ people".
Those that don't probably do not understand the commitment and pressure on you to find peoples wages at the end of every week. I take that responsibility quite seriously this is why I expect a commitment back.
Most of the time my customers dictate the hours that I work, not me or any of my employees.

Peter
www.carpetceanercardiff..com

[Mike Halliday]

I must be too nice as I had a chat with him and just reminded his what a good job he actually has, and how if he keeps taking it for granted I i would stop all the his little perks and he would work a full 45hr week. no more 2.30pm finishes no more use of a company vehicle and he buys his own lunch and coffees

it is a hard situation, as we work together I can't have a traditional employer/employee relationship, we have to be 'mates' who share jokes and swop stories otherwise I wouldn't enjoy our work.

I'll see how it goes.






I could'nt find another man with his knowledge to take his place so in some ways he vital to my company.

[Jim Gibbard]

Mike,
Happy to hear you have sorted out your "little differences".  I am sure you have handled the situation in the best interests of both of you.  Hope all go's well.

Jim