PRYR RQST BIG Decision To Be Made

day late

day late

money? whats that?
I ask only that The Lord's will be made clear to me. I'm thinking of telling my boss to stuff it. Long story short, I was sent a job requiring replacement of 8 locks. I'm told by the ladies on dispatch that they want 4 keypad locks installed. They run about $175 each. The customer also wants a doorbell camera installed. The total of the bill was supposed to be a little over $1,000. I get there and the customer tells me she only wants only 1 keypad installed, on one of four doors and the deadbolts on the other doors replaced with regular deadbolts. Without those other three keypads the bill was just cut almost by half. The lady asked me to pick up a battery powered doorbell camera because I'm not an electrician and put that up. Turns out the camera can be hard wired to the doorbell, but I'm not an electrician. She wants to buy the camera and have one come by and hook it up. She wants to see the receipt for the camera. I have to show it to her. The boss says double the price of any parts we have to buy. She wants to see the receipt, so I can't do that now. On top of that, because there are remodeling changes in the works, forget changing the doorknobs for now. We'll just use these and not lock them until the new doors are put in. The price tag for this job just went down by over 50% Now, because the customer has changed their mind, the boss and the manager want to blame me for the loss of potential income.

I've worked for this guy for almost 9 years. I have LITERALLY put 100's of thousands of dollars in his pocket over the years. Now, because the customer changes their mind while I'm on site, it's my fault the job didn't make as much as they wanted. This is just unfair and unwarranted, to me. I need to know The Lord's will. Stay here and put up with this BS or find a new job. I just had this happen, I'm still highly upset by it and do not trust my judgement at the moment. "NEVER make a decision when you are upset. THAT'S how mistakes happen." is my motto. I mean I can make the same or more money by washing dishes in a restaurant, and without all of the trauma and drama. It wouldn't be as much fun, but it would pay the bills. I need The Lord to point the way. Prayers to that purpose would be appreciated.
 
adgal

adgal

Veteran Member
I agree that you should not make a decision when you are angry or hurt. What your boss did was wrong. But you don't know what he's going through right now. (Still doesn't make it right) Take a little while to cool down, then pray about it. And don't jump until you have something to jump to. Prayers sent!
 
N

Nich1

Veteran Member
Hard spot, day late. I commend you for taking a pause before making a decision. Plus, seeking guidance from your Heavenly Father is always at the top of the list. We will pray along with you, asking that you will have clarity. Jobs...even washing dishes...seem to be hard to come by these days so as was mentioned above, if you are led to leave, make sure there is a destination job before you quit.
 
Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
definitely don't quit - not without at least looking for a transition job >> you've been around - you must know people in the trade - do a quiet ask - sounds like that boss of yours is unreasonable and ungrateful - changing jobs can be sometimes the best thing that people can do for themselves ....
 
kyrsyan

kyrsyan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Breathe. Calm. 72 hours. Even if it means you have to take the weekend.

Update the resume. Put some feelers out. Quiet stuff that might bring you other pathways.

And then, when calm and with some upstairs guidance, make a decision. From what you say, you are good at your job. There may be an opportunity that you just haven't seen.
 
SusieSunshine

SusieSunshine

Veteran Member
I agree with quietly seeking employment elsewhere.

Years ago I had a similar boss. I knew that I should probably leave and find something else. But no, I hung in there as a good employee.

Things deteriorated badly.

I should have listened to my instincts.

Prayers for you.
 
T

Terrwyn

Veteran Member
I totally disagree. I always quit jobs when I was upset and never regretted it once. Can't even recall how many bosses I told to KMA. If you are a locksmith undercut their prices and work for yourself. You will still have customer headaches but minus the other BS. Makes all the difference trust me on that.
 
Sammy55

Sammy55

Veteran Member
Praying for you! You are in a tough spot right now. But the whole country is in meltdown mode so quitting right now may not be a good thing, depending on what your economic status is currently at. We'll help you pray for God's guidance.
 
TxGal

TxGal

Day by day
Adding our prayers! Your skillset would seem to be a high demand one. If you've ever wanted to be your own boss, this could be a sign it's a good idea. Having said that, it's also a huge leap of faith to run a business.
 
2zipper2

2zipper2

Contributing Member
Are you sure they are not trying to force you to quit without the confrontation? If you quit you have no unemployment insurance which might have some impact upon their mandated payments to the state or perhaps they have someone else they plan to pay less.
 
D

Delta

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I cannot say that locksmiths are in demand, but everywhere I go I see "now hiring" signs. In short, look around for an alternative--line up another job. Not sure why your boss is even telling you his viewpoint. Is he asking you to pay the difference (like in cash up front)? Is he threatening to deduct it from your pay? Either way, sounds like New York Mafia tactics. Look into a lawyer. What he seems to be threatening sounds flat out wrong. Maybe the customer is a lawyer (or maybe the customer is in cahoots with your boss?). This could be nasty.
 
packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
day late said:
I mean I can make the same or more money by washing dishes in a restaurant, and without all of the trauma and drama. It wouldn't be as much fun, but it would pay the bills. I need The Lord to point the way. Prayers to that purpose would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Have you ever worked as a dishwasher, aka as the dishie, in a restaurant? If not the let me tell you there's a lot of drama there and half of the staff is either drunk or stoned!
 
Kathy in FL

Kathy in FL

Administrator
_______________
Everyone seems to be losing their frelling minds and emoting with their butt than thinking with their head. Sorry @day late , at least you are using commonsense not to lead with your mad. My personal opinion? You deserved better treatment. However, don't blow out until you have a replacement position. World is a crazy place right now. Give yourself some options and then let God lead which one is the right one.
 
A

arks

Trying to keep up
Before retiring, I did home improvement for a small (8 men) company. We often found ourselves in a similar situation. The boss decided that if the scope changes significantly, we were to notify him and only do the work on the original work order until he and the customer agreed on the change order. That seemed to be a good resolution.
Picture below is just to lighten things up- but is often true!
 

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Raggedyman

Raggedyman

Res ipsa loquitur
desertvet2 said:
Stay, do what you need to.
Start your own business.

Then leave.
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THIS​
you will never make more or be more productive working for someone else than you will being self employed
ALWAYS remember that when HE shuts one door HE opens another.

PRAY ABOUT IT we’re joining in - REMEMBER:
Daniel wan’t saved FROM the lions den - he was saved IN the lions den​
 
2

223shootersc

Veteran Member
Pray for guidance by the Lord! You should never make rash and large decisions when angry, also it is bad business to let someone else force you with their actions to hurt yourself or your family. keep the job and start looking and make them fire you as they may be trying to get you to quit so they don't get dinged on unemployment!
 
Griz3752

Griz3752

Retired, practising Curmudgeon
tech said:
Follow the work order.
Click to expand...
If that's a written order, signed off by the customer, that is THE contract. Are you an employee charged w/ completing the work assigned or are you a contractor, supplying skilled labour?

If a customer decides to alter the order, in my world that used to attract "change order" costs because we usually had to order specific pieces & parts and do some programming to complete the work.

The contract is the written order, offered up by the customer and accepted by Mgt; any disputes are between them and, unless you willfully committed some egregious act, it's got nothing to do with you unless you participated in getting the order; doesn't sound like you did but, that's a point to consider.

Burning bridges is never a good idea so, I would take a day and see how this shakes out on your side of the situation.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't have a plan B.

Is it feasible for you to sever ties and go on your own?
 
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S

summerthyme

Administrator
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Do you like the jobb, overall? Does it work well, with your current lifestyle... are you able to balance work/personal needs?
Is your wife happy (mostly!) with the job?

I know that "pays well" can actually be a problem since you're now on SS. But I've also suspected you are being underpaid (both by the general job market and specifically as someone who has solid skills and years of experience building those skills... and by the way, that includes people skills, which your boss really lacks!)...

Anyway if you decide to stay for awhile, or give it another chance, before you do, write a short letter to him. Essentially, tell him exactly what you told us... and add a few other incidents you've told us about where he ignored your needs (including basics like getting the oil changed on company vehicles! ) or completely changed expectations and then complained about your work performance.

Conclude it by repeating what you've told us about making the company (don't say "him"... it's entirely possible, if his management is as bad as it sounds, that's he's in financial trouble) lots of money over the years. And then tell him you have always given 100% to the company, taking personal pride in satisfying customers, even the unreasonable ones.

And that while you'd still like to continue as a loyal employee, you weren't willing to be verbally abused or chastised for following the rules and company policy. And if he felt he couldn't avoid unreasonable criticism, then you'd be parting ways, effective (however long you need to remove personal items and settle up any debts). Because that is the one job condition which is no longer negotiable... being treated with respect, and not a whipping boy or scapegoat.

Praying for you!

Summerthyme
 
Dobbin

Dobbin

Faithful Steed
dstraito said:
Make him fire you. Collect unemployment!
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This.

Early in his employment one of Owner's former employers was quite "candid" about describing how they deal with "employees who don't fit our mold." During discussion was the "I hope he quits" versus the "If we have to fire him then the State gets involved - and our reputation with the State is already questionable."

As in - the State was "up" on what they were doing (running employees into the ground) and any claim by a former employee would be decided AGAINST the employer if the employee didn't quit first.

Meaning they would have to pay their full "half" of the 16 weeks unemployment compensation. (This in Massachusetts where unemployment is "shared" between the employer and the state.)

Little did Owner know then that later HE would become one of those employees who "didn't fit the mold."

For Owner's employment his failure was being due for "full vesting" in the Company Saving Plan. It takes three years service to reach this plateau. And the plateau was a common place to "force someone out" and remove necessity of the company match required by the program.

Owner's employer harassment, including "coaching & counseling", spurious accusations, conflicting direction, increased as the "three year" date approached. Then Owner broke his hand in a fall on Mt. Washington and was in a cast for 10 weeks. This DELAYED slightly beyond three years his final firing.

The day after the cast was removed (and any accusation of you're only firing me because I'm hurt and on light duty) Owner says he was told to go down to the "front office."

He was summarily terminated about three weeks into full vesting. Less than the first full pay period which the company would be required to do their "match." All sorts of "documentation" of his failure as a power plant operator with no appeal.

Owner resolved to make the company pay as much as he could. And he found the State of Massachusetts knew all about the game being played by his former employer.

And at age 55 - he did make them pay - the full 16 weeks. "I hope they complain about me the whole 16 weeks," he said.

Age 55 is a tough time to be looking for work. Generally by that age most employers realize that an employees "best" years are behind them - and most jobs really don't need the "experience factor." But Owner was persistent and eventually found work with "Dairyman" (whom I have mentioned) as a diesel mechanic. He was good - when all the farm machinery was fixed, they "found" other work for him to do.

Later he even found work in his engineering field - which paid well but required travel.

But Owner's experience as a "hired hand" he remembers well. Somehow he always thought of himself as more than that.

But let them deal with you as they deal with the other hired hands - you put them on the spot by your very existence in the job, and your good performance slaps them in their emotional face. And meanwhile - look for other work to leave of your own volition. Its always easier to find a job if you already have a job.

Nobody can fault "wanting to improve yourself."

Meanwhile, document EVERYTHING for your defense if it comes down to a "contest" in some State office discussion of your unemployment claim.

Termination with cause almost doesn't exist except in cases of theft, excessive unexplained absence, insubordination, or chronic recurrent alcoholism. Poor job performance is almost NEVER cited as a cause for termination - since it is so difficult for an employer to actually define what constitutes "poor performance."

Dobbin
 
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