Idiotic Survey Help

You're definitely not the only one who has noticed. Back in the 90's we had two guys hired on the same day who were roomates. They were completely useless, acted like they wanted to get fired. They were clearly on some type of drug, so they boss sent one for a drug test. That's when he explained that his toothache medicine might show up as cocaine on a drug test. It did, imagine that!

> Am I the only one who has noticed the seemingly endless stream of idiots & morons that wants a job as the surveyors helper, not legit surveyors apprentices but the morons that will never be better, never aspire to be better, just happy to hang around do what they are told sometimes for $8 an hour.
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Man, you got my number!

A number of years ago I had a new hire on the crew. We were staking residential development and worked hard into the evening until we reached a good stopping point. It was the company policy for us to be "on the clock" on the way to the job, but we were "off the clock" on our way back.

About the third or fourth day he caught wind of this detail. And about thirty minutes before we were done he just sat down and said he wasn't going to work anymore since the company "owed him some time". That was fine with me. I told him find a spot in the shade and the rest of us would continue on for a while.

About a half hour later I sent one of the guys back to bring the truck ahead. We all climbed in it and drove off, leaving the mal-content newbie sitting under a tree, at 5:30 on a hot July day...15 miles north of town and 5 miles from the nearest phone.

He didn't show up the next day. When the boss asked me where the new guy was at, I told him, "He quit."

I have had a high rate of temporary helpers, everyone in my area has.

My latest favorite story is that of a 32yr old candidate who had a BA in Business. His family is into every minor to major enterprise around from carpenter to bank president.

He left his position at the family bank to come to work for me with the desire to become a licensed surveyor.

He loved the outdoors and never balked at any situation, even setting a stainless pipe in waist deep lake water.

He had to start at the beginning because he had no idea of how to use any of our actual surveying tools. He knew inches and feet, tenths and feet was new and he had never heard of vara, rod or chain.

Fast learner and was soon apt in tripod/prism sets, trudging thru the mud, muck and brush.

After a week he ask me when he could run the instrument. He could set one up and that was all he knew how.

That afternoon I gave him a $2 tour of the backup instrument and sent him home with the manual to read and informed him that in spare time he could test run the backup instrument in the backyard.

After another week he did not show up. I called and he said that I was not taking enough time to teach him what he wanted to know.

Then he exclaimed "I am going to have my license in about 6 months and you are not helping me know anything".

I let him know that he was still a few years away from applying for his test and that he had to have at least 32 college hours surveying class in his 4yr of college and spend some time in total charge of projects before he will be accepted.

He had heard all that before, it was then and only then it sunk into his brain that he was going to have to put more effort into becoming the paper pusher he wanted to be.

Have not seen nor heard from him since, now 2yrs ago.

That was my educated idiot story, I am going to wait unto another time to tell about any of the certified idiots that have showed up.

B-)

I am retired now but in my 40 years of licensed practice I introduced dozens of newbies to surveying. I was very fortunate to have avoided the "idiots". Several of my new guys have gone on to become licensed and many more have enjoyed long careers in the craft. Maybe I had a knack for interviewing?? Anyway, when you discover you have an idiot on the crew... you need to consider how this happened... maybe it could have been avoided with proper hiring procedures. BTW... I never hired an Eagle scout that didn't turn out to be a top hand.

Good reputation, being in a position to say no to poor candidates? Desperation and hiring make strange bedfellows.

well your company "policy" was illegal, people have to be paid while at work. punishing a man because he stands up against illegal employment practices doesnt sound like a good way to handle things. It sounds like a very poorly run business.

We hired a guy last year. He worked three days and then attacked his crew chief with the machete. We called the cops and they hauled him away. Well, it turns out that he broke his finger during his little rant and now he's suing us for ONE MEEEELLION DOLLARS!

So yes, there is no shortage of idiots wanting jobs.

"MEEEELLION DOLLARS"

Early episode of The Beverly Hillbillies has Granny telling someone that them oil people was buying Ol' Jed out with some new kind of dollars. Said they were meeeellion dollars.

Years ago I was working with a top-tier idiot and I told him to get the hammer out of the wooden tool compartment. We were working out of a Suburban with the box built up to the back seats, with deep slots for putting the legs in. A hammer had gotten pushed way into the end of a leg slot and was difficult to get out. I am quietly calculating in the front seat when there is a terrific racket right behind me. He had decided that the best way to get to that hammer was to dig through the plywood at the back seats with a shovel rather than fishing it out the prebuilt hole in the back and he was giving it hell. A motivated employee can do a surprising amount of damage in a very short time. I was so completely flabbergasted that it took me a while to recover and stop him. He ended up working back in a convenience store and very happy about it.

WOW, this story could prompt its own topic...

That deserves a beer or two or three. :beer: :beer: :beer:

I've had guys quit on me and the middle of a job an hours drive from the office and demand to be driven to the office immediately.

They only immediate action they got was understanding that the job was still going on and they could finish the day, keep up and get a ride back when we were finished or to head out and walk there now. Just stay out of my way.

Most were not there to get the ride at the end of the day and if they were, they rode in the back of the truck.

Every one of them was capable of doing the job, they just signed on for more than they were willing to give.

Not all idiots are unlicensed. My first day at a new job as a rodman, I had a crew chief walk up to a sidewalk corner, grab a rebar, drive it in to the ground near the corner and set up on it. In the field notes he wrote..instrument at found iron pin BS 0 on xxxxx...He worked for his daddy at a very prominent firm in western NY, The other day I see that this guy now has his license and posted on facebook about one of his clients properties and rumors he had heard about it...Reminded me how thankful I am to not be surveying in that area anymore.

From what I've read, travel time to the first job site and from the last job site doesn't need to be paid, unless an employer requires a worker to use company transportation. If it's voluntary (the employee can make his/her own way), then he/she doesn't have to be paid for the travel time. It is restricted to a 'customary commuting' area. Some states may have different requirements. See "Portal to Portal Act."

I'd be calling bs on that policy too, but I would hope I wasn't dumb enough to do it that way. Employees should get paid from the time they show up at the office until they leave. To do otherwise is just ridiculous.

if you require your crews to come to the office first, then you must pay them from the time they arrive till the time they return. if you want them to drive to the site themselves, then you are correct.

That sounds more like a case for an independant contractor than an hourly employee.

I think this is a common Operating Engineers contract item agreed to with employers. Apparently the Union can agree to one way travel and it is legal.

Hence the Party Chief driving the company truck back to the office at Mach 5 syndrome. Makes for a great company image ;-).

> well your company "policy" was illegal, people have to be paid while at work. punishing a man because he stands up against illegal employment practices doesnt sound like a good way to handle things. It sounds like a very poorly run business.

Not totally Illegal. Survcon got caught on that and had to pay a bunch of back pay to several employees. Their next policy, approved by the court, was that the driver got paid to drive the truck back and unload the equipment. Everyone else was off the clock.

B-)