question

Ok I have to ramble and if this isn't the right place to post it,  mods please put it where it belongs.  It's an employee issue so I thought here was the best place for it but anyway..

We have a new guy who has some issues.  I was pretty sure the first time I met him that he had some mental health issues thanks to my previous career and after I saw him ingest a handful of pills on Sunday my suspicions were confirmed.  Honestly I don't care if he is on meds.. heck I am on meds.. I have fibromyalgia and endometriosis and I have to take meds to be able to manage the pain attacks when they happen.   I've never bailed on work because of it and when I am there I suck it up and do my job and the bosses know about that as well as my egg allergy but they expect the same out of me as they do anyone else.  I also don't use it as a crutch but if I tell the guys that I physically can't put an order away or lift something they are right there and they help me. 

So given this guy has issues, we still expect him to perform on the line and honestly it is sketchy at best.  I had to go and clean the dry storage yesterday as I was just losing it with him on the line.  I would call orders to him and he doesn't listen..  he tried to sell an over easy egg that was broken and I said no that will come back.. seal it and then serve it sealed side down.  All day I could feel the hostility from him.. he was selling tickets before everything was up and I finally told him.. do not sell any bills. let me make sure things are up.  He didn't like it but he accepted it.  Then I would hand him the guts for omelettes and he would snatch them out of my hand and honestly I did not feel comfortable with him on the line.  More than once he would toss a knife onto the table and I said to him more than once to NOT do that as it is dangerous.  But again.. it went in one ear and out the other.  I almost feel like I am dealing with a child when I am dealing with him.  The KM is afraid of him.. he has witnessed alot more than I have as on my days in I have alot of staff and I usually get the new guy to do prep as he is a really damn good prep cook. 

The KM has seen him on the line go beet red and almost start to cry... and he does talk and laugh to himself all the time.  On the line he effs with things and likes to move around the tickets.  He will not do that when the KM or I are there but there was one day when they were effed in the FOH so when it got busy I took off my apron and went and did pass.  Seeing that pass is basically board just on the other side I was the only one able to do it.  I had a strong cook in and he took board but this guy started messing around with the tickets and what should have been a smooth transition turned into a mess because of him. 

He is on his way out.  His shifts are going to be cut as of the next schedule.. he is going down to three four hour shifts and if he doesn't figure it out and pick up his socks his shifts will be cut even farther. 

How would you guys handle this situation?  Honestly if it was up to me he would have not been hired but our owners are new to this business so it is what it is...

 

If we had someone else he would have been long gone, but sadly all of the people we seem to be finding are just as bad as him.  We did find a good egg though...we have another new guy who is freaking awesome!  So the plan is to cut the FNG's shifts and give the hours to other staff as well as the great NG.  Hopefully the FNG will either shape up or ship out...

 

Thanks, Ed.  Honestly that is what we have to do.  I know the KM is afraid of him given his mental health issues but the guy needs to know that things are not up to par and he needs to be given a chance to live up to our expectations.  So I have the KM's blessing to do just that... my plan is to give him five shifts next week and cut them on my days in to four hours.  I am off Monday and Tuesday and the KM is going to be away so the owner will be in the kitchen in my absence.  He will see the FNG in full swing both days so on Wednesday we can bring him into the office and let him know there are issues and we need to fix them and if we can't we will have to take him off of the schedule.  It frustrates me that the KM hasn't the "stuff" to deal with him but that just said.. before I had my own kids i worked with special needs kids and many of them had behaviuoral issues so I have that experience to draw on when it comes to the FNG.

 

Thanks, Bill and you have a good point.  If you don't mind I'd like to quote you when I talk to the owners.  They are new to this business and I am not gonna lie.. this is the biggest kitchen I have ever worked in and here I am helping to run it.  I know I earned my position but I have always worked in very small kitchens where it has been me and the chef or in the case of the cafe just me so I am learning as I go as well when it comes to employees and their issues.

 

Thanks, Skatz!  As I am learning, this business attracts all sorts of people, and we have to be a little more selective when we hire, I think.  The same can be found in the graphics industry as my husband over the years has told me stories over the "winners" has has worked with during his career as a graphic designer. 

The best of the worst employee story comes from him.. they had this designer who was totally full of himself (I met him and instantly disliked him) and well he was always turning up late, taking two hour lunches.. an hour for lunch and then another hour in the bathroom, and leaving early.  The higher ups had finally had enough of him when they caught him sleeping at his desk.  I don't mean resting his eyes either, I mean head back, mouth open and snoring on the job!  He got fired that day.  

 

I think it is the crazy factor that gets the KM.  I haven't that issue as I worked with special needs kids and adults, so I have a comfort level  and perhaps some understanding that he doesn't have.  It frustrates the crap out of me though, when someone looks me in the face when I am correcting them and then goes and does the same wrong thing again.

 

We have the probation period as well and then we're on the hook too.  If we are to get rid of someone after that we have to follow the proper channels and we're in the process of doing that.  Mind you somewhere there has to be a loophole because at my husband's studio today two people were let go and they were given the "we're very sorry to do this but we have to lay you off as there is no work right now" speech along with their severance packages.  Truthfully my husband thinks they were let go because they cost too much and do too little... he is always swamped with work so he has no idea what the rest of the studio is doing.  I hope he takes this as the kick in the pants he needs to spend some cash on a good computer system and finally go freelance!  Anyway I digress...

I wrote the FNG up today.. his behaviour was totally unacceptable and it needed to be addressed.  He knows his shifts are cut because of disciplinary reasons but that didn't change the way he behaved today on the line.  One more strike and he is out.  It's in the paperwork all new hires sign that they have two chances when it comes to discipline issues and the third time, their employment will be terminated.  He made it past his probation reasonably well.. we knew he would not work out on weekends but there were plenty of shifts during the week for him and in the beginning he did ok.  Now that he is comfortable it's a different story and it has to stop. 

 

Yep he did and yeah we have been played...

Hopefully the paper trail will support us but I suspect this freak is a pro at using the system.  Does the fact that he tried to hide his noon hour med intake from me count for anything?  I went into the back at the same time he was about to take his meds.. I do not give a rats ass if he is on meds and as I have  said.. I take meds but . whatever he wanted privacy for his dose.  Me, I get my water and take my pills and half an hour later I am feeing good and I have no pain...the guys all know and I tell them when I am having a bad pain day. 

yep. I love the way I see my tax dollars not working....

 

The owner has stepped in and has given him his last warning, so the next time there is a problem he is going to be out the door.  I know he will be all whiny at me on Thursday asking for more shifts and I will answer his questions but the owner will be present at the time so that he cannot go to him later and tell a story. (I caught  him doing that last week with another staff person)

They have learned their lesson with interviews, and I have been sitting in on interviews for kitchen staff now, as well as one of the owners.  I'm a stickler for references and when I set up an interview I ask them to bring in their references if they are not already on their resume.  While I am a fairly good judge of character, I appreciate hearing about the person from someone else.  I had one candidate look at me like I was crazy when I asked for a reference, and he reluctantly gave me the number of his former employer, but I didn't even bother checking.  Just his attitude in the interview was enough for me to say thanks, but no thanks... that and when asked about his starting salary he asked for more than I am making!