Boss on Vacation...

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stickboy1375 said:
I was wondering what smaller companies do when the boss goes on vacation, who answers the phone, pager etc... and should compensation be a factor for the extra work load?
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Stick, that was my point with my Make it so, Number One thread.

I am the 1st Mate for a small shop. I hold an EC license (which is our equivalent to a Masters) and have owned my own business. I am not a partner. I am a well paid, well motivated employee. The owner and I worked together years ago, back when he was General Foreman for a very large shop (150+) and I was one of his foremen.

I believe that he has complete trust in me, as I bid jobs, handle customers, invoice, hire/fire, and operate the business. There has been a few times, were he had on his tools, and I took a GC to lunch. He just took a week of and went to Vegas.
:cool:
 
kbsparky said:
Let me clarify something here:

IF you as a business owner make everyone take a week off for a "vacation shutdown" then your employees have the right to file for unemployment benefits for that week they are unable to work for you.
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Obviously, you have never filed, or it's been along while.

He can (and should) file, but he does not get any money.

FYI. The first week laid off = no benefits. Money does not start until the 2nd week off, but the first week is never paid. If a guy is laid off for six weeks, he gets paid five.
 
The obvious thing here is the rules are different in different states. In Maryland you are eligible for benefits from the first day of unemployment. Including vacation shutdowns.
 
legalities aside, if you are a small (2-4 man) shop and you can't go on vacation without your employee wanting extra compensation for the week to answer the phones and do his job, something is very wrong.

again, this is a small shop. you are not getting 100 calls a day and scheduling 50 trucks. you are a 2 man shop.

as an employee, take the phones for the week, let the boss have a little break.

that was my point...
 
LarryFine said:
What happens if you have no work for the guy for one day?
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He is eligible to file a claim for that one day. It's so bad here, that if you merely reduce his available hours for work he is able to file a claim for partial benefits based on the work history, and the number of available hours today.

And I am referring to a small shop, with one or two employees here. This is the focus of my comments.

How about this for a horror story?

I hired one guy to help me out on a weekend, he only worked for me one day. He had a regular job at a local factory, and wanted some extra ca$h.

One year later the factory closed for a week, calling it a vacation shutdown. This person went and filed for unemployment, and since I had paid him wages during the past 5 calender quarters, I was charged a portion of his unemployment benefits!! The resulting surcharges on my account was several times the actual wages that I had paid in the first place!! :mad: And he didn't even work for me anymore. I had no chance to dispute the claim, or offer him a job during that shutdown, etc. I was held liable for payments, nevertheless.

It's nasty out there.... :mad:
 
kbsparky said:
He is eligible to file a claim for that one day. It's so bad here, that if you merely reduce his available hours for work he is able to file a claim for partial benefits based on the work history, and the number of available hours today.

And I am referring to a small shop, with one or two employees here. This is the focus of my comments.

How about this for a horror story?

I hired one guy to help me out on a weekend, he only worked for me one day. He had a regular job at a local factory, and wanted some extra ca$h.

One year later the factory closed for a week, calling it a vacation shutdown. This person went and filed for unemployment, and since I had paid him wages during the past 5 calender quarters, I was charged a portion of his unemployment benefits!! The resulting surcharges on my account was several times the actual wages that I had paid in the first place!! :mad: And he didn't even work for me anymore. I had no chance to dispute the claim, or offer him a job during that shutdown, etc. I was held liable for payments, nevertheless.

It's nasty out there.... :mad:
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sounds like MD is not so business friendly...however, if I ever decide to work for someone else, I'm going to Maryland...
 
emahler said:
legalities aside, if you are a small (2-4 man) shop and you can't go on vacation without your employee wanting extra compensation for the week to answer the phones and do his job, something is very wrong.

again, this is a small shop. you are not getting 100 calls a day and scheduling 50 trucks. you are a 2 man shop.

as an employee, take the phones for the week, let the boss have a little break.

that was my point...
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My point was throw me a bone, I work my a$$ off too...My boss takes 3 times more vacations than me and his vacations are on the other side of the spectrum then mine...
 
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stickboy1375 said:
My point was throw me a bone, I work my a$$ off too...My boss takes 3 times more vacations than me and his vacations are on the other side of the spectrum then mine...
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well, to paraphrase a line from Iwire -

"Did someone force you to become an employee of a small EC"

Does he throw you any bones throughout the year? bonuses? paid days off? etc?

Does he keep you working (and collecting pay) all year long? even when there is no real work?

If the answer to these questions are no...then get job with a better boss and a better company. You aren't obligated to work there. If you aren't happy, move on.
 
if I remember correctly you make more money doing illegal side work than you do working for your boss. Also, if I'm correct, he doesn't even give you health insurance.

If I am correct, please re-read my post #24

The problems could be from both sides. Apparently, there are problems with you guys. You definitely feel under appreciated. Maybe rightfully so.
 
emahler said:
if I remember correctly you make more money doing illegal side work than you do working for your boss. Also, if I'm correct, he doesn't even give you health insurance.

If I am correct, please re-read my post #24

The problems could be from both sides. Apparently, there are problems with you guys. You definitely feel under appreciated. Maybe rightfully so.
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A few corrections, I used to do sidework, and I do receive health insurance, I wasn't making this a employer vs employee battle, for obvious reasons, & your probably right, I shouldn't be working for a small company. Thats why I'm trying to move on, there are issues that should be discussed between us and we'll see what happens...
 
stickboy1375 said:
A few corrections, I used to do sidework, and I do receive health insurance, I wasn't making this a employer vs employee battle, for obvious reasons, & your probably right, I shouldn't be working for a small company. Thats why I'm trying to move on, there are issues that should be discussed between us and we'll see what happens...
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ok. but I think that that is the main point...at least to me. If I as a boss don't take care of my employee enough throughout the year so that he will take over for 1 week while I get away, then I did something wrong.

If I don't trust my employee to take over for a week, and instead close down the company, there is a problem.

If I take care of my employee better than anyone else, and he still wants more to cover for that week, then there is a bigger problem.

either way, if there is an issue one way or the other, something is wrong.
 
emahler said:
ok. but I think that that is the main point...at least to me. If I as a boss don't take care of my employee enough throughout the year so that he will take over for 1 week while I get away, then I did something wrong.

If I don't trust my employee to take over for a week, and instead close down the company, there is a problem.

If I take care of my employee better than anyone else, and he still wants more to cover for that week, then there is a bigger problem.

either way, if there is an issue one way or the other, something is wrong.
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Yeah, I really like hearing opinions of employers, I wish there was a standard pay rate instead of guessing what I cost an employer a year and what I think I might make an employer a year...
 
stickboy1375 said:
Yeah, I really like hearing opinions of employers, I wish there was a standard pay rate instead of guessing what I cost an employer a year and what I think I might make an employer a year...
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funny part is, there really should be. Regionally, we all have similar OH per man hour. The larger we are, the more man hours to cover OH. Yet, our pricing is so wacked that there is no rhyme or reason.

oh well, good luck.
 
Round my parts, there's a group of electricians that all cover for each other during vacations and such. In a more competitive market, that might not work so well, but everyone here gets along very well. It's nice to surround yourself with genuinely nice people.
 
I am a small shop. Three people including myself. I expect my help to step up when I am gone. They are given a list of projects. I make sure they know which are higher priority and they know they can always clean the shop, sort inventory, or take unpaid time off if they want. Their choice. They do not have to answer the shop phone but if I call them they are expected to respond. No more or less than when I am around. They get paid vacation, holidays +, sick days and a Simple IRA when they qualify. I do not get any more benifits then they do and normally make less money.

The advantages I have are the longer hours, more responsibility, and privilage of doing damned near all the paper work.
 
IMO employees are your most important assent, from year one, my employees were paid holidays and vacation, one week for first 5 years, then 2 weeks and after 10 years 3 weeks. I also cover them for any family days necessary. I did not take a vacation for the first 5 years, then took cell and pager with me, still do.

I find vacations almost a pain I have to bust buns prior to going to get everything completed, then return to a big pile of stuff to do and takes me a while to catch up. ALMOST not worth it
 
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