gacpa
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Post by gacpa on Jun 18, 2019 11:01:09 GMT -5
I love this thread. Thank you so much for sharing. I don't feel so stupid now.
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gs11rmb
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Post by gs11rmb on Jun 18, 2019 11:07:41 GMT -5
I think that Jamie is my favourite so far .
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tskeeter
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Post by tskeeter on Jun 18, 2019 11:23:32 GMT -5
This thread is EXACTLY why I'm reluctant to go into business for myself. Also, my experiences with coworker from my last 2 employers showed me there is some serious crazy/stupid out there. I don't remember things being this bad when I was working in my 20's. I can only think of 2 people back then who had problems, and one had a serious problem with alcohol (sneaking drinks at work). Anyone else besides me & Sheila seeing some serious stupid out there? It's like some of these kids never grew up! Might be more stupid in the world now. Remember that smart people usually have one or two kids. Stupid people can’t figure out where those kids are coming from, so have a bunch. Over a couple of generations, the population balance shifts.
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dannylion
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Post by dannylion on Jun 18, 2019 11:38:37 GMT -5
It's locked so I can add to it but if you go to Everything Else and search "Tales from Jimmy" the original Jimmy thread will come up. It's been years and we still talk about good old Jimmy. Dude was a legend in his own mind. It may seem made up but I swear all of these employee stories are 100% true. I have no trouble believing that your employees are actual people. I have encountered their like myself (and I am related to three or four that would fit right in). The weird thing I have realized about a lot of these folks is that they really are probably doing the best they can, using their ability to process the information available to them. That's what makes stupid people so terrifying. They have no idea how stupid they are.
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dannylion
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Post by dannylion on Jun 18, 2019 11:39:46 GMT -5
This thread is EXACTLY why I'm reluctant to go into business for myself. Also, my experiences with coworker from my last 2 employers showed me there is some serious crazy/stupid out there. I don't remember things being this bad when I was working in my 20's. I can only think of 2 people back then who had problems, and one had a serious problem with alcohol (sneaking drinks at work). Anyone else besides me & Sheila seeing some serious stupid out there? It's like some of these kids never grew up! Might be more stupid in the world now. Remember that smart people usually have one or two kids. Stupid people can’t figure out where those kids are coming from, so have a bunch. Over a couple of generations, the population balance shifts. Read the article in the link I posted earlier. It explains a lot. It is also rather terrifying.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Jun 18, 2019 16:11:58 GMT -5
T- employee that thought I should pay him under the table to work on Sundays just called..... "Sooooo apparently my girl friend just called me...... I got a letter in the mail from the state. It says that the driving school I went to to get my CDL is a scam and my CDL isn't valid. Can I borrow a lowboy to retake my test?"
Awesome- so about the commercial truck you drove to the jobsite that you are not legally allowed to drive back to the yard. Thankfully I have a handful of CDL drivers on site that will be driving that truck back. T is the same age as my son. My son lives on his own and programs robots for the military. His entire team is gone for a few weeks and they trust him to work solo in the computer lab, programming and playing with robots that are part of a $44 million dollar research program. I can't trust T to have a valid driver's license? WTH. I don't know- insurance ran his MVR and he came back clean so at least his driving record is blemish free- now if only he can get a valid license.
Oh look at that- it's drink at my desk o'clock.
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Jun 19, 2019 7:01:23 GMT -5
I can believe all the stories. Over the years I worked as bookkeeper for two different construction companies and the stories I could tell would sound almost unbelievable! I spend a lot of time smh and rolling my eyes.
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jun 19, 2019 8:30:05 GMT -5
NNP, you can't just say that and stop. Tell us stories to keep Sheila company!
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Jun 19, 2019 13:41:36 GMT -5
I'll try to come up with details of a few. Long ago in the 80's and also want to get to PC to do the typing.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Jun 20, 2019 15:35:25 GMT -5
Update on employee A- He's crabby that we took his company truck and re-assigned it when he quit. He can't stay overnight where we are working because his wife doesn't trust him- guess that's what happens when you meet wife #3 while working out of town and cheating on wife #2. I'm assuming wife #3 doesn't want him out looking for wife #4.
He announced to his foreman that tomorrow is his last day. He convinced the GC to hire him at their original offer. Buh Bye, Not sad one bit.
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haapai
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Post by haapai on Jun 20, 2019 18:50:29 GMT -5
You are kidding yourself if you believe that this is the last that you will hear of him.
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Artemis Windsong
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Post by Artemis Windsong on Jun 20, 2019 20:58:59 GMT -5
I have a friend who was a water well driller. His dad and uncles taught him how to run the drilling rig and the employees. He quit school right after 8th grade and said school was to teach him how to get a job which he already had. Those rough necks are like the ones being chatted about here. He was too young to go into the bar and get his employees out of there. He could bail them out though. Sometimes every Monday morning.
He always carried a suitcase of food with him because they went so remote sometimes. He and a crew of 8 guys got snowed in for a week in WY. That suitcase of food kept them alive. That is his legend. I asked him to write down some of his memories of dealing with employees. He looked at me like I was crazy. He had interesting stuff happening with his employees all the time.
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NancysSummerSip
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Post by NancysSummerSip on Jun 21, 2019 7:22:15 GMT -5
I am home sick today, and really appreciate the Sheila stories! I work with some dumb people, but I think Sheila's folks make mine look a little smarter, though not by much. Most of the brainless buttheads we've hired seem to think taking time off for whatever the hell you wanna do is fine, even though you just started with the company AND YOU HAVE NO TIME OFF TO USE!! (FWIW, I am the only person on staff who actually has any PTO at the moment.) I have no clue how these people make it through life.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Jun 21, 2019 8:56:11 GMT -5
You are kidding yourself if you believe that this is the last that you will hear of him. He's like a bad penny, he'll keep popping back up. When he's here and working he's great, but he has a terrible attitude when he has to do anything outside of what he likes doing. That attitude infects the rest of the crew. No one is particularly sad to see him go but they all figure he'll show back up. Superintendent claims he told him he wouldn't be welcome back this season that we were not a revolving door employer. I guess we'll see what happens. I for one don't want him back, but when it's crunch time I could be outvoted.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jun 21, 2019 9:06:11 GMT -5
The first season I worked for the largest accounting firm in this area, they hired several interns for tax season along with people like me.
At orientation, one of the interns told us that she could hardly wait for her trip to the Dominican. Another employee, a former intern at the same college, asked if she had cleared that yet and she said no. He gave her a lecture on how you shouldn't do that at a seasonal job and you should tell them before you start.
Funny. She's still at the company full-time and the very nice guy who gave her the advice burned his bridge in a different way.
He asked for a transfer to the Madison office while his girlfriend finished college. It was granted with the provision that he return here when she graduated. When she graduated, he wanted to travel and then stay in Madison. He was presented with what he had signed when he transferred and was gone.
He has since married the girlfriend and where do they live? Here! They don't live in Madison. Yes, they did take about a 6 month trip all over Europe and that is what the company could not live with.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Jun 21, 2019 9:52:52 GMT -5
I'd burn a bridge with an employer if I had to for the opportunity to travel Europe for 6 months.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jun 21, 2019 10:59:03 GMT -5
I'd burn a bridge with an employer if I had to for the opportunity to travel Europe for 6 months. In a relatively small town where the employer had allowed you to intern while you were in college and then accommodated your request to transfer? He is from a well known family in town. His brother works for the company. His aunt told me they had no money to travel in Europe and his parents were going crazy because the entire trip went on credit cards and the parents of both he and his girlfriend had told them they were not paying for the European trip.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Jun 21, 2019 14:18:35 GMT -5
I'd burn a bridge with an employer if I had to for the opportunity to travel Europe for 6 months. In a relatively small town where the employer had allowed you to intern while you were in college and then accommodated your request to transfer? He is from a well known family in town. His brother works for the company. His aunt told me they had no money to travel in Europe and his parents were going crazy because the entire trip went on credit cards and the parents of both he and his girlfriend had told them they were not paying for the European trip. Yes. You only live once and you spend most of it working. If you don't take that 6 month sabbatical when you're young and don't have any real responsibilities, when else will you ever have the opportunity? You can hope you're well enough to go in retirement, but that's no guarantee, and even if you're healthy enough it still isn't care free like it would be right out of college because most of us still have a lot of responsibilities to take care of in retirement. He's burned a bridge with 1 employer in 1 town, and not for being lazy or doing anything wrong imo. He didn't perfectly plan out his life, and he took a probably once in a lifetime opportunity.
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OldCoyote
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Post by OldCoyote on Jun 22, 2019 9:53:39 GMT -5
Just think, These people need a high minimum wage,
So they can make a decent living.
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geenamercile
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Post by geenamercile on Jun 23, 2019 9:42:42 GMT -5
Love the stories, and honestly believe you are putting them in the best light. A is working construction for a company and I fully believe all of them. Since stating in September she has gotten 3 raises/promotions. She takes work seriously, but the fact that she is living in my basement after a year probably says there are some of her own that could be tell.
Need to add, I don't think A is stupid at all. She is actually really smart just poor impulsive control and a desire to take all of the once in a life opportunities. But besides messing around with a few co-workers off the clock and that drama, she does take work seriously, makes sure she pays me for the bills. She just really lives in the moment.
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Jun 24, 2019 6:58:31 GMT -5
Would have posted sooner but a bee had the audacity to sting me and my hand blew up like a friggin balloon but all is well now so here goes
My story isn’t anywhere near as good as the ones already posted but just an example of some of the stuff a bookkeeper does/learns from sitting in the office all day – can’t imagine what goes on out in the field.
Employee comes into office and says I’m buying a small house and I need your help writing a letter to mortgage company to explain the late payments.
Me: OK - why?
Employee: Well, I was 30/60 days late on truck note, credit cards and a personal loan that I had and it’s showing up on credit report.
Me: Well, I’m going to need a little more info so give me the reason for late payments and I’ll see how I can word letter that will appease the underwriters. (I had worked for a Mortgage Broker before this job so I knew the drill – heck I lived with the broker) but that’s another story. Employee: I had to use my last paycheck for something else and didn’t get it into the bank.
Me: That’s not a good reason so just spell it out and let me go from there.
Him: Well, I was in jail.
Me: What for?
Him: For shooting up my Ex Wife’s boyfriend’s house.
Me: Just give me the time frame/date this all took place and I’ll see what I can do.
I did write a letter and he got his loan.
Not sure about the statue of limitations on spinning a story worthy of Mark Twain but it worked
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Jun 24, 2019 7:14:50 GMT -5
Different company: Super comes in office to pick up paycheck for guys in field.
I noticed a bruise on side of face but say nothing – this is a pile driving construction co and guys are always banged up, missing fingers (from crane operators who are high on pot when operating cranes – we had a black ball list for that but another story)
He’s also wearing a baseball cap which is not the norm but what the heck.
He leaves boss office and stops by my desk to get checks and boss man hollers:
Hey Super show NNP you head.
Super takes off hat and has two really nasty gashes and a couple small ones on his scalp (he keeps hair cut really close anyway) Me: Holy sh## what the hell happened to you?
Super: Went home Friday night after having a few drinks and passed out.
Me: And??
Super: Wife beat him up with an axe handle – did I want to see the places on his back??
NOTE TO SELF: Next time wife calls office to find out where her husband is don’t tell her to f%%K off like the last time she called and started bugging me about him not being home.
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gambler
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Post by gambler on Jun 25, 2019 12:31:52 GMT -5
when i was a supervisor for a communications company i had a employee pawn all of the test equipment off his company van, i am talking 10s of thousand of dollars worth. I got a call from the cops in a city 9 hours from home the van was left sitting with the windows down and doors open, got another call from cops one time one of my was arrested very drunk. appears the took his van to a strip club at 2 pm and was banging on the back door where the girls came and went, he was hollering he needed to get in to fix the com equipment there was many others but these two stand out old saying 5 percent of you people will take 95 percent of your time
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jun 25, 2019 22:03:02 GMT -5
Not my coworker but a former boss of mine had a technician who got fired after being caught eating a microwave burrito while inside a sealed biohazard level 3 unit.
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sheilaincali
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Post by sheilaincali on Jun 26, 2019 10:07:57 GMT -5
when i was a supervisor for a communications company i had a employee pawn all of the test equipment off his company van, i am talking 10s of thousand of dollars worth. I got a call from the cops in a city 9 hours from home the van was left sitting with the windows down and doors open, got another call from cops one time one of my was arrested very drunk. appears the took his van to a strip club at 2 pm and was banging on the back door where the girls came and went, he was hollering he needed to get in to fix the com equipment there was many others but these two stand out old saying 5 percent of you people will take 95 percent of your time We've had former employees steal stuff and pawn it or charge tools to use on their side gigs. Never had one strip a van entirely to pawn the equipment though- you win for that.
I just don't get it- do people not realize they'll get caught? I live in a fairly medium size area- my town has 50,000 people. Every month there is a big article in the local paper about someone embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from their employer. Insanity.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jun 26, 2019 10:19:48 GMT -5
In the capital city yesterday, there was an article of the treasurer of the music club for a school district who turned herself in for not depositing the money received by the club's fundraisers and spending it on herself.
I see embezzlement articles about weekly around here. A person may not get caught today, but they will get caught.
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NastyWoman
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Post by NastyWoman on Jun 26, 2019 11:06:53 GMT -5
Not my coworker but a former boss of mine had a technician who got fired after being caught eating a microwave burrito while inside a sealed biohazard level 3 unit.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Jun 26, 2019 14:55:04 GMT -5
Another embezzlement story. County employee had a fake intern. The fake intern received almost $30000 in "salary". County employee also was under a contract for an hourly rate and gave herself an hourly raise so she received over $200K in compensation that she should not have received according to the contract. County fired employee for cause and she has appealed. To me the $$$ paid for her own compensation should have been caught long ago and not approved by whoever had to approve her hours and pay. We have a new State Auditor. He ran on there was corruption in state and county offices. For all the charges he has brought forward in less than a year, it appears he was right.
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Sharon
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Post by Sharon on Jun 26, 2019 21:52:00 GMT -5
My Dad had an employee who had been stealing parts etc out of his work van for some time. They always carry a variety of parts because you don't always know what you will need until you get out to the job. He then quit, with no notice, to start a competing company with all of his stolen parts. His business didn't take off, he then apparently had a change of heart and took the parts to his pastor who called Dad and arranged to return them. About a year later he reapplied for a job with my Dad. He wasn't called for an interview.
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Artemis Windsong
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Post by Artemis Windsong on Jun 27, 2019 16:56:23 GMT -5
In the capital city yesterday, there was an article of the treasurer of the music club for a school district who turned herself in for not depositing the money received by the club's fundraisers and spending it on herself. I see embezzlement articles about weekly around here. A person may not get caught today, but they will get caught. A regular occurrence here. The ones that make the newspaper are the crooks that didn't own up to it and let the insurance company pay.
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