I started my new job. Couldn't be happier. I've got a good crew of guys to work with, and I get to wear my hardhat and workboots again. Heck, I even feel and look slimmer, though I've only lost 5 pounds so far.
I have a dilemma:
I am paid by a Recruiting Agency, and I answer to the Contractor.
I am a team leader, and there are three team leaders total.
As a team leader, I am responsible for the timecards for my team.
On Thursday, the other team leader: I'll call him "Gramps" for blogging purposes, Gramps dismissed the teams for lunch at 11:50. We walked out to the trucks and he had them wait for 10 minutes to clock out. Then they all clocked back in at 12:30. Nine guys at 10 minutes each equals about $23.00. No big deal right?
On Friday, my guys had to leave at 3:00. I clocked them out then I went back in to continue working. We are trying to make up time to get them 40 hours. Also, I was waiting for a container to be delivered. I received a phone call at 3:50 from the container company saying that the truck had broken down and the container wouldn't be delivered until Monday. I was up on the lift straightening out the cable track, and Gramps went to talk to his crew. He came back over and said he wanted to call it a day. I said that we were trying to get 10 hours in for the day to make up time. He said that's what he was negotiating with me, he wanted to leave at 4:00 but clock out at 5:30, to "Give the guys a break". I said "The guys have had a break all week. No, uh uh. I'm going to keep working." He was a little pissed and walked away. I finished my track and put my lift away and plugged it into the electricity, and stacked my tools in a box next to the lift. Then I walked over to his team and saw how far they had gotten, I complimented them on a good run and said I was stepping outside for a cigarette.
I only barely finished the cigarette when the guys all walked out, carrying my tools and ready to go. When we got to the trucks it was 5:10. I met Gramps at his truck and said "I don't mind 10 minutes here and there, but an hour-and-a-half is pushing it. I can't justify stealing." (That would be 4 guys at 1.5 hours = $90.00) He frowned at me and his team walked up with their timecards and looked straight at me and asked what time to put down. I said "5:30's fine, if you want." (That's about $20.00 worth for 4 guys at 20 minutes each.)
Saturday: 6 of us showed up at 7:00 and completed a walk-thru. There was only about 3 hours' worth of work and materials. I was there for half an hour and got the guys started, spoke to the PM, he wanted us to stretch it out until noon if we could. I got permission to let Gramps run the job and I went home for the day. I asked the guys to call me with their time when they leave, because I have to have the timecards turned in on Sunday. At 2:00 in the evening, I hadn't received a phonecall so I called Gramps and left a message, clearly asking him to call me back when he checks his voicemail. Sunday, I called again at 12:30 (after church), and again asked for him to return my call. At 4:00, I called my guys and asked them personally what time to put down for Saturday. The answer was "Gramps told us to put down 12:00. Did he not call you? He told us not to call you because he would do it." (notice the answer was not "we worked until 12:00", it was "Gramps told us to put down 12:00.")
My problem is this: Because Gramps is angry with me, he is not returning my calls. He told my guys not to call in their time yet he didn't call it in for them. Secondly, I don't know who to report this to. The Recruiting Agency? The Project Manager?
Is it even worth reporting?
I live by four basic principles:
1. If it's right, do it.
2. If it's wrong, don't.
3. If you mess up, fix it.
4. Love is a verb not a noun.
I know the fourth is not applicable in this situation.
What would Dear Abby say?
MsAmber
Bad Poetry?
- MsAmber
- I am complex, yet simple. I am hearty and frail. I am selfish and generous. I let my emotions prevail. I want to make some sense of it. Of Life, and Love, and God. I want to bring back the simple things. I know that makes me odd. But if you'll stay and read awhile maybe you'll start to see. Then maybe I can share with you a little part of me. MsAmber
3 comments:
I'd probably speak first with the recruiting agency and make it clear to them that I can't report work dishonestly, and see how they'd like me to handle it. That would give me feedback on the agency's sense of ethics. I can't really offer general advice in this specific situation, but I can say, in my field, I've seen people fired for falsifying their hours.
I agree with the last comment. I am new to this blogging thing and found your site through Frosty's blog. (he's a friend) In one of my past lives I worked at a recruiting agency and not only is the contractor paying the hourly rate to the employee, they pay the employer's burdern (taxes, SS, workers' comp, etc) and also a fee to the agency. What might seem a small amount increases when all is added in. This is always difficult but after reading your blog you know in your heart the right thing to do.
Ditto what Bob and anon. said... do the right thing. You may piss some off (but only because they were caught doing the wrong thing) and you'll feel better knowing that you have higher expectations for your crew. They will respect you more for it.
~ch
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