should i sack him!!

saintjammyswine

Assuming he is on a formal apprenticeship through for example a college, then the best course of action would be to speak to the apprentice co-ordinator (or similar, the person who liaises between the company, the apprentice and the training provider). There may be a similar history at the college and it could be a route that does not involve sacking him but gets better results.

skintandscared_2

I swear I think you have my OH's son working for you!!! He is EXACTLY the same as you describe, and he's 28! If I were you I would follow the proper procedures and issue verbal and written warnings, after setting out to him the expectations and requirements for his job. Do you have a staff handbook that lists requirements and what constitutes disciplinary offences?

I would also launch an investigation into the disappearance of the equipment. About 20 years ago a trainee solicitor at my old firm left a mobile phone on top of a payphone (it had run out of juice and in those days they were the size of bricks and VERY expensive!) and they made her pay for it. She didn't lose any more....

Evilm

Give him a warning and tell him if you have any of these incidents again he's sacked. Talk to the co-ordinator if there is one and reiterate this.

This includes working Saturdays - If he was told that the job would include that and now is refusing then he has no excuse and needs to work those days.

Making him pay for the drill may however not be allowed. I would consider marking any items with UV markers that identify them as yours though - then if they reappear on Ebay or locally to your knowledge you can have them checked for the markers.

wellused

Don't sack him if bright lads with qualifications and a driving licence are hard to come by in your area, you will just have to get on his back and keep on at him until the penny drops or until he leaves. He may turn out to be a good worker once he gets his head out of his arris.

bluenoseam

I'd give him a warning re turning up hungover & a final written warning with regards to the drill, sorry to say it but you need to also have a word to ensure he realises who's the boss & who's the employee.

JamesK10

If only every employer was like brutus1983! :T:beer: You've done your bit and tried to be understanding so now it's time to get tough, in America he'd have been not only sacked without them bothering to understand the problem but the police would have been looking into the "lost" drill as a formality.

Dock every day he's hungover until that amounts to the drill money. Give the Saturday work to people willing to do it which is effectively the same as a further fine if you didn't pay people for non-attendance/sickies anyway. Whilst accruing the drill money, sack him within your disciplinary framework when it hits £300 if you can't get him to open up, If he's been driven to drink by a kid on the way he can call Jeremy Kyle, it's not your problem.

donnajunkie

brutus1983 wrote: »

I work for a small electrical firm that my family runs and i was tasked into hiring an apprentice and took on a young lad he was a 2nd year student in college already and was the only person that stuck out from the other to applicants due to him having a driving liscence and cscs card.

in the last 6 weeks of working under my supervision hes turned up for work hungover twice.
refuses to work saturdays so he can play on his playstation even tho hes got a baby on the way in 4 months time
always on the mobile phone on facebook or something even after told to do something like tidy up or not paying attenion when im either explaining how to do something or how something works

whats topped it off today hes managed to loose an expensive drill which will cost nearly 300 to replace

hes a bight lad i want give him the chance but i cant see me letting him out on jobs on his own even if he does manage to get qualified

some of your issues are over the top and some are justified in my opinion.
1. turned up to work with hang over twice. get over it is what i say. did it affect his performance in any major way? if yes then maybe that would justify having a word. if it happens more regularly and affects performance then that could justify having a stern word.
2. refuses to work saturdays? well tough employees should be able to refuse overtime without consequence. the reason why is irrelevant. although he sounds a bit daft by saying its because he wants to play on his playstation.
3. always on mobile phone while working. this deserves a serious talking to. if it continues then follow the standard warning procedures. you know verbal warning, written warning etc.
4. lost an expensive drill. this really depends on how it happened regarding what action to take. use your common sense with this one.

wellused

America needed Jeremy Kyle.

paddyrg

Kid needs a wake-up call. Been in education and spoon-fed for too long, now feels he gets a free ride - why stop chatting and facebooking if he's being allowed to get away with it?

Maybe a stern meeting - a last chance to get things right and set things straight. Lay out the rules of what is and is not acceptable. Sweeten it by pointing out he has so much promise and you really want to be able to offer him work at the end - but he needs to step up his game as a part of becoming a grown up. Give him a second chance, but not a third.

As for the saturday working - is that actually overtime, or part of the normal hours?

jc808

donnajunkie wrote: »

2. refuses to work saturdays? well tough employees should be able to refuse overtime without consequence. the reason why is irrelevant. although he sounds a bit daft by saying its because he wants to play on his playstation.

Absolute nonsense

The guy is an apprentice - he is available when his on-the-job tutors are available... thats the WHOLE POINT of an apprenticeship.
The guy is an electrician, so isnt Mon-Fri 9-5...