To sack or not sack
Discussion
Monday this week, one of my lads in a 55 plate lwb sprinter fitted with about 15k of equipment is driving between jobs.
Sat nav takes him down a narrow lane, and he comes across a ford, over 2 ft deep with a mud bottom. Idiot drives through and promtly gets stuck. Big bill for recovery.
Now waiting for insurance company to decide if a write off, engine is deffo shot, plus rest of van very wet and damaged.
Now i just gave him a rollicking for being a donut and left it at that.
However, everybody i tell the story too presumes i sacked him, end of, they seem really surprised that i havnt.
Over to you guys.
Sat nav takes him down a narrow lane, and he comes across a ford, over 2 ft deep with a mud bottom. Idiot drives through and promtly gets stuck. Big bill for recovery.
Now waiting for insurance company to decide if a write off, engine is deffo shot, plus rest of van very wet and damaged.
Now i just gave him a rollicking for being a donut and left it at that.
However, everybody i tell the story too presumes i sacked him, end of, they seem really surprised that i havnt.
Over to you guys.
t happens people make mistakes. Legally you'd be screwed.I was in a works van once and we came across a ford, i had absolutley no idea what is was and was too scared to cross it, my passenger had a vague idea so we ended up crossing it in the end and it was OK
I would say a sacking is probably a tad harsh but i spose its hard to tell without seeing what it looked like exactly.
I would say a sacking is probably a tad harsh but i spose its hard to tell without seeing what it looked like exactly.
The insurance will still cover your cost (or most of it) though won't they?
Expensive is relative - if you get market value for your van and equipment, you're looking at a higher premium and the inconvenience. Regardless that there's a lot of money tied up in the van etc, that's only a worry if your insurance co wriggle out of paying.
From the point of view of employment rights, if the guy's a spanner then use it to start getting him out the door. If not, warn him etc and see if he tries to make up for his mistake.
I don't honestly see how you can sack him for one error, albeit a stupid one. It doesn't constitute gross misconduct by the sound of it.
Aside from that, there's no point sacking him at all unless
a) he's not been working for you very long, AND
b) he's someone you're keen to get rid of, AND
c) replacing him with someone better would be easy and have no effect on your bottom line
Expensive is relative - if you get market value for your van and equipment, you're looking at a higher premium and the inconvenience. Regardless that there's a lot of money tied up in the van etc, that's only a worry if your insurance co wriggle out of paying.
From the point of view of employment rights, if the guy's a spanner then use it to start getting him out the door. If not, warn him etc and see if he tries to make up for his mistake.
I don't honestly see how you can sack him for one error, albeit a stupid one. It doesn't constitute gross misconduct by the sound of it.
Aside from that, there's no point sacking him at all unless
a) he's not been working for you very long, AND
b) he's someone you're keen to get rid of, AND
c) replacing him with someone better would be easy and have no effect on your bottom line
Thanks folks, you have all pretty much summed up my thoughts, I was just amazed by people i spoke too just presuming id sacked him, i must know some heartless buggers.
No way would i sack him, he is not the most useful spanner in my tool box but hes an ok lad, honest and trustworthy. Shame he thinks merc sprinter vans float.
LOL
No way would i sack him, he is not the most useful spanner in my tool box but hes an ok lad, honest and trustworthy. Shame he thinks merc sprinter vans float.
LOL
Having seen neither the ford nor the employee it's hard to comment. But I will anyway. 
It might not have been obvious that it was so deep and with a squidgy bottom, so what he might have been thinking was...
"If I go on a massive detour rather than cross this ford (which you'd assume is safe to cross seeing it's a ford unless there's been a downpour), then the gaffer is going to have my nuts for just driving about all day instead of getting to jobs as quickly as possible"
Then he tries to cross and gets stuck and thinks
"Baws, the gaffer is going to have my nuts".
Got a degree of sympathy for the lad, unless he's a total nugget who makes a habit of this sort of thing.
If he's well liked by the rest of the team, and you make what appears to be an unreasonable punishment then you're running the risk of the rest of the team working to rule on you and it being totally counterproductive.
Folk phoning you for advice on the tiniest little think to make sure it's ok, etc.
Sounds like he's tried to exercise best judgement and come out unlucky.
But then I'm an honest type and like to think that everyone else works the same way.
It might not have been obvious that it was so deep and with a squidgy bottom, so what he might have been thinking was...
"If I go on a massive detour rather than cross this ford (which you'd assume is safe to cross seeing it's a ford unless there's been a downpour), then the gaffer is going to have my nuts for just driving about all day instead of getting to jobs as quickly as possible"
Then he tries to cross and gets stuck and thinks
"Baws, the gaffer is going to have my nuts".
Got a degree of sympathy for the lad, unless he's a total nugget who makes a habit of this sort of thing.
If he's well liked by the rest of the team, and you make what appears to be an unreasonable punishment then you're running the risk of the rest of the team working to rule on you and it being totally counterproductive.
Folk phoning you for advice on the tiniest little think to make sure it's ok, etc.
Sounds like he's tried to exercise best judgement and come out unlucky.
But then I'm an honest type and like to think that everyone else works the same way.
This Side Down said:
Surely insurance covers everything in this case??
Well, yes, but its never that easy. And of course im sure they will claw there pennies back somehow.Plus we are a small company, with only 6 vans, so 1 off the rd is a big % of business not being done, with sept/oct being our busiest time of the yr.
Never mind, i think the ribbing he is getting from folk is bad enough.
Olf said:
Wheelrepairit said:
Never mind, i think the ribbing he is getting from folk is bad enough.
To makes sure the message 'sinks in' get a copy of this stencilled on the side of his next van:
Edited by Olf on Saturday 19th September 18:48
Jasandjules said:
Wheelrepairit said:
However, everybody i tell the story too presumes i sacked him, end of, they seem really surprised that i havnt.
Why would you sack him for that? It was a mistake. Hardly gross misconduct.I told him that seemed harsh and he said they sack everyone who has an at fault accident!
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