field crew drove to job site, and realized they forgot data collector/computer. Drove back and charged 4 hrs.
?ÿAbsolutely?ÿ nothing done except burning gas.
Do I pay them?
field crew drove to job site, and realized they forgot data collector/computer. Drove back and charged 4 hrs.
?ÿAbsolutely?ÿ nothing done except burning gas.
Do I pay them?
They couldn't do it old school??ÿ Yeah I know, showing my age.
field crew drove to job site, and realized they forgot data collector/computer. Drove back and charged 4 hrs.
?ÿAbsolutely?ÿ nothing done except burning gas.
Do I pay them?
Yes, cut the boys some slack, and pay them.
It's a legitimate business expense = no crew is perfect
Its not the rod man's fault, and the party chief is already so embarassed it wont happen again. If you dont pay him, he might very well walk and in today's market you wont easily find a replacement.
You want to been seen as being a good employer, don't you?
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Only you can make that call. Years ago I was sick as a dog and asked my gunner to get everything together for a job we had a couple hours away. I already had the job loaded on the DC and I was determined to push through it and get it done. Two hours later we get to the job site and I ask him where he put the DC. 'Uhhh, I forgot it'. Four hours of driving for nothing. I might as well have stayed in bed. Did I put my time down? I did and got paid. Did I ever rely on that guy again for anything important? No. I'm willing to be a fool just once and stuff happens and you move on.
Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.
Total station but no prism.?ÿ AAARRRGGGHHH!!!?ÿ Fired myself.?ÿ Rehired myself the next day.
Trying to short your crew wages for a good faith error is a way bigger mistake than forgetting a piece of equipment.
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I reckon we all have made a similar mistake like that at one time or another. ?ÿUse to be the extra 9 volts or AA batteries because dc didn??t charge we had to replace them every few days. And whenever you didn??t have extra you were always in the boondocks where no stores were close.?ÿ
If this is not a reoccurring thing I would use it as a teachable moment. And above statement is correct finding new help is not easy. Everyone is advertising for crew chiefs I man etc. I even heard a LS the other day say just find me someone who can breath. I am tempted to role up in a wheel chair with oxygen tank plumb bob and steel tape and a set of chaining pins hanging off the side. And say am I hired. If he is usually a good chief just tell him it happens to the best of us but don??t let it happen again. Good Luck!
Yes, I have been doing this 23 years.?ÿ Been a Party Chief for 19 of that.?ÿ I just went out of town to a job 11 hours away and forgot the aerial targets and the job folder.?ÿ I had to do emergency planning and got the targets made up and was able to do without the job folder because of good planning on everyone's behalf prior to that.?ÿ Everyone makes mistakes.?ÿ As long as we learn from them and move on.?ÿ Take care of the people that take care of you.
Anybody who claims that they never forgot something important is either a liar or has amnesia.
In any case, if you try to withhold pay you are likely to have your state labor relations board - or whatever they call it in your state - come down on you. If they make a habit of this sort of thing you can fire them, but you have to pay them.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
Total station but no prism
If you are doing a lot survey, go to a hardware store and buy red reflectors of the type people put by their driveway. You should get 100 yard range, depending on brand (Hillman is best)?ÿ and the TS capability. Offset is very few mm.
Use to be the extra 9 volts or AA batteries because dc didn??t charge we had to replace them every few days.
Just thinking back on that.?ÿ It seems that, back when we needed AA and 9v, you could also run an instrument
without a dc.
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Maybe a month ago, did the same thing. My round trip was ~30-40 min.
They are your employees. You are responsible for their actions and you are responsible for paying them. It you don't want to be responsible for both of those things, then fire them. But until you do, you have to be responsible for both items not just one.
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This is one of the times that a Tick-sheet is worth making compulsory - and it ensures that you know exacttly what went to site so you can check what you left behind there! Other advantage is that when later you find something is out of adjustment (or loose, like the tripod legs) you can check back and see which previous jobs it has been used on.
Oh, and make sure the tick sheet is at the office door.
Pay them until you decide to fire them.?ÿ I've never had much luck changing individuals, so I tend to work with them unless it becomes unprofitable to do so.?ÿ I have certain employees who are great at certain things, like planning, and others who are bulls but can't plan.?ÿ I play to their strengths while supplementing their weaknesses.
Just like I do with my children, I won't threaten them with anything I'm unwilling to do.?ÿ I might be inclined to ask them put down the amount of hours they think they should be paid.
field crew drove to job site, and realized they forgot data collector/computer. Drove back and charged 4 hrs.
?ÿAbsolutely?ÿ nothing done except burning gas.
Do I pay them?
I did that once when i had barely been a party chief for a week. Luckily solo so if was just my time but I sheepishly clocked out and didn't charge my time. Luckily it wasn't 4 hours though.?ÿ
@rj-schneider yes sir that is so true. Just had that discussion the other day about today??s robots. Without a dc they are boat anchors.well at least the Trimble ones. If Al I could do is zero set and measure a distance and write down hz angle za and slope distance at least I could get the field book out and finish a job in a tight spot.?ÿ
What would you need to teach, for them to be productive at the far end without the data collector?
Anybody who claims that they never forgot something important is either a liar or has amnesia.
In any case, if you try to withhold pay you are likely to have your state labor relations board - or whatever they call it in your state - come down on you. If they make a habit of this sort of thing you can fire them, but you have to pay them.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
Both statements are so true.
I'm always surprised by the number of posts that I've seen on message boards (not just surveying) over the years where an employer is wondering if they can deduct wages for things like forgetting an item at the shop or even broken equipment.?ÿ Most of these type of instances are addressed pretty clearly in labor laws.?ÿ The most common answer is pretty much - no, you can't.
This horse is all but dead. That being said I can't resist throwing in a few pennies...
This is an opportunity. Use it to teach a little business, show your humanity, and stengthen the team. If the employees are worth keeping they will appreciate the grace and chew their own butts well enough. If it happens repeatedly keep the chewing focused on the right person...
My .02, Tom
Mostly agree, but how are you all planning to teach a lesson here?
They screwed up, and I'm sure they know it.?ÿ You can really only just nod and acknowledge it when they hopefully bring it up and are contrite about it.
You bringing it up, and talking about how they shouldn't forget stuff makes it worse, in my opinion.
So, as others have said, if it's a one time thing, it sucks, but move on.?ÿ But if it becomes a regular thing, then the person needs to be shown the door