Stolen Tools

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Martinelli

Member
Location
Novato, CA
I just had an employee forget to load my Fien Multi Master back onto the van after he used it. He remembered that night and called to let me know, but the next day when we returned it was gone. The job site was filled with other trades but nobody saw anything. I am not expecting to find the tool but how should I handle the employee? Does anyone hold the employee financially responsible?
 
growler

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
Martinelli said:
I just had an employee forget to load my Fien Multi Master back onto the van after he used it. He remembered that night and called to let me know, but the next day when we returned it was gone. The job site was filled with other trades but nobody saw anything. I am not expecting to find the tool but how should I handle the employee? Does anyone hold the employee financially responsible?
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Was this a helper that was working with you? If I'm working with an experience journeyman I would expect that he has learned to put all tools away and have them accounted for.

If you are working with a helper then it's your job to make sure that everything is accounted for because you are still teaching and he is still learning.

I'm not sure that you can hold an employee responsible for tools unless he has signed for them.
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
IMPO, the best you can do is some sort disciplinary action, probably limited to 'writing him up.'

This is no different than an employee screwing up an installation and you having to pony up to fix it.
 
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petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
IMO it is your problem financially, and is just a cost of doing business. Now and then one of your employees is going to do something that costs you money out of pocket.

How you handle it this time is really something you will need to consider carefully since employees will see it as a precedant.

My suggestion is talk to your lawyer about what options are legal and come up with a written policy that you are willing to enforce, even if the guy is your son.
 
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Dennis Alwon

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
IMO, it is your problem but a good employee would offer to at least help pay restitution. I would if I did it.:)
 
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wawireguy

Senior Member
If this guy is a good hand over all you need to suck it up. Welcome to running a business. Stuff is going to get lost, broken and stolen. I left a shovel on a job site one time. It happens. If you don't like this employee maybe it's time for you to consider letting him go. I wouldn't mention the tool though. If you like him, write it off and keep trucking. A good hand is going to feel bad enough as it is.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Back when I was a helper, my boss deducted $75 from my paycheck for a drill someone stole.

If that's not legal, I wonder how much he owes me in back pay, with interest added on? :cool:
 
hockeyoligist2

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
Location
close to greenville sc
One of the guys I work with stopped to get parts and didn't lock his tool boxes. Someone stole a drill and charger while he was inside the supply house, 5 minutes maybe.

The supply house has a camera on the parking lot and recorded it. They gave him a tape so he could show it to the boss.

We have a policy that states tool boxes must be locked at all times when not attended. He got wrote up and is on six months probation for it.
 
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petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
LarryFine said:
Back when I was a helper, my boss deducted $75 from my paycheck for a drill someone stole.

If that's not legal, I wonder how much he owes me in back pay, with interest added on? :cool:
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In Illinois it is not legal to deduct this kind of thing from a paycheck without DOL permission.

I don't think it is illegal to have the employee pay for it, just not as a payroll deduction.
 
mcclary's electrical

mcclary's electrical

Senior Member
Location
VA
I'm not gonna bore you with a bunch of labor laws.

But any employer who makes an employee pay for something that got stolen is a real loser. Secondly, the journeyman in charge should have accounted for tools when the truck was packed up. The helper doesn't konw the truck by heart yet.
 
Benton

Benton

Senior Member
Location
Louisiana
People make mistakes, he did call and let you know that he forgot. Just let him know that you appreciate the call but stress to him that it is important that he learns from that mistake.... all you can do is move on... even if you let him go, it is still gone.
 
W

wawireguy

Senior Member
hockeyoligist2 said:
One of the guys I work with stopped to get parts and didn't lock his tool boxes. Someone stole a drill and charger while he was inside the supply house, 5 minutes maybe.

The supply house has a camera on the parking lot and recorded it. They gave him a tape so he could show it to the boss.

We have a policy that states tool boxes must be locked at all times when not attended. He got wrote up and is on six months probation for it.
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Hopefuly the guy gets some perks for driving the truck. If not I'd park it at the shop and tell the boss I'll meet him at the job site. (in a good economy that is)
 
K

ksmith846

Senior Member
Location
Port St Lucie, Florida
I just had a guy leave a $700 circuit tracer on top of his van and he forgot to put it back and he drove away. Needless to say it was never found. He was trying to call around to the supply houses to replace it himself.

I told him not to worry and I would pay for the replacement as long as he remembered to take more care in the future.

He's a great guy and I am certain he did not mean to lose it.

Point is that you need to hire and train employees that you can build a solid trust factor with and support them through their mistakes.

Just another cost of doing business. Lost and/or stolen tools should be an item in your overhead for the year anyhow.:)
 
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