Falling asleep at work - grounds for dismissal?

HurdyGurdy

This is another of our "heated debates in the canteen" scenarios, prompted by four of us bemoaning how tired we were at work today, and all for different reasons.

One person has a second job and works evenings as well as the daytime job and is finding it generally "all a bit much" - but they need the money, so can't give up.

Another has a young child who has been unwell, and the parent has been up during the night with the child for a couple of nights.

Another was out with friends (didn't drink, but had a late night) the previous night.

A fourth had just tossed and turned all night because they had "things on their mind".

We got around to debating what would happen if we actually fell asleep at work. Some said it was grounds for dismissal, others said the employer should be sympathetic to their plight and let them go home early as long as they made the time up later in the week, while others thought it should be a first warning as "you're not paid to sleep at work, you're paid to work at work".

This led onto a general [STRIKE]row[/STRIKE] debate as to whether falling asleep (at a desk job) would, could or should be grounds for dismissal, or just a telling off. And then what would happen if this became a regular occurrence.

What are your views

AP007

I think it's a sacking offence if I was to be honest and I have worked in an office where one woman would fall asleep.

If you didn't get the sack I would like to think if you did it more often you would.

timbo58

IMHO it's a written warning offence.
If you're not fit to complete a days work take the damn day off sick.

Janey7

At my work (which is just a regular admin-type job), falling asleep at work is classed as gross misconduct and is a sackable offence. I don't think someone has ever been fired for it, but it is written down in the HR policy so if someone gets caught they don't have a leg to stand on.

Torry_Quine

It was treated as gross misconduct where my cousin worked and they were fired.

Poppy9

I fell asleep at my desk in work once! So embarassing:o

I was sitting reading a long report that I had to condense and nodded off and woke myself when my head fell off my hand (I had one elbow on desk). No one noticed but I did say I didn't feel right and asked for leave for the afternoon.

Two days later I found out why I was so tired - I was pregnant!:T:T:T

I know lots of people who go out and sleep in their car lunchtime as we work in an air-con office and the lack of fresh air can make you tired.

dacouch

Torry_Quine wrote: »

It was treated as gross misconduct where my cousin worked and they were fired.

Was he a pilot?

paddedjohn

I reckon you would be more than sacked if you were a bus driver.

Daedalus

Poppy9 wrote: »

I know lots of people who go out and sleep in their car lunchtime as we work in an air-con office and the lack of fresh air can make you tired.

My colleague does that. Another colleague always goes home for lunch and makes sure to wake him up at the end of lunch. It helps that it is fine to eat at anytime, provided you are doing some work/'thinking'.


Fall asleep as a truck driver = Gross Gross Gross misconduct.
Fall asleep as an office worker = joking warning to get a coffee/more sleep. Everyone has sleepy days for whatever reason. Employers generally prefer someone to be sleepy and have a half productive day than take sick pay and do nothing.

If it is a continuous thing then a discussion as to why. If it is due to newborn etc most bosses will be lenient. If it is because you have a second job than it is tough, pick one.

Torry_Quine

dacouch wrote: »

Was he a pilot?

No. :rotfl::rotfl:

moneypuddle

We had quite an older lady at our work, working in telesales. She was just about 75, and used to fall asleep mid-phone call. So awkward! I woke her up on a couple of occasions and was always scared of giving her a heart attack.