Need your thoughts on a new tech....

[Lee Stockwell]

One of my best commercial cleaners was a 40 yo who worked in housekeeping at the hospital. She stayed almost 10 years.

 

[Kevin B]

Big red flag there if you are saying he could not spend the night if the daughter was there.

not really. I dont let any single males not my children stay at my house because I have a daughter.

 

[Kevin B]

The name of the game in our industry is trust. What we have to go on is history. If he has a criminal history and it somehow comes into play you could be held liable for knowing. Even not knowing and not protecting your clients can be liability for you. A good place to start someone like that is in the shop working on rugs where you can build trust. In the home, they can swipe a bottle of codeine while you are moving the van or in the bathroom .

Clean Driving Record, Clean Background, and Drug Free is what we require. I don't care if weed is legal, it's not permissible in my company because we demand a zero tolerance for the safety of our clients.

 

[bob vawter]

Kellie...are there any lesbian bars near you. ...the. ones I've met are usually trustworthy. ..less drama...and can carry an ox up a flight of stairs. ...

Jus sayin'

 

[Zee]

Kellie...are there any lesbian bars near you. ...the. ones I've met are usually trustworthy. ..less drama...and can carry an ox up a flight of stairs. ...

Jus sayin'

Yeah... And they'll get all offended when a customer calls them sir because they look like a guy from behind.
There is one a few doors down from the office that pilots a Harley every day... The butch. 8 out of 10 would call him sir instead of ma'am.

I would not want my customers to accidentally be in a spot, where they're uncomfortable with Butch being offended, while in their house.

 

[rjwood]

in America you are exactly where you want to be.

Provided you meet a guy named George.

 

[rjwood]

I don't get all the sanctimony about marijuana. Do you hold the same objection to alcohol? Nobody wants employees that work high or drunk, but what they do on their own time is none of my business unless, of course, they're, say, hung over, which is a condition of alcohol only and not marijuana.

I no longer use either substance, though I have in the past, and between my personal experience and that of research, alcohol is by far a more dangerous substance.

So, what gives?

 

[WillS]

Weed will be legal all over the US one day. I'd rather have an employee that smoked weed then drank everyday. Our most ideal employee: one that does neither, has wife/kids to support and goes home after work, shows up on time, etc. etc. etc.

Learned our lesson needing to hire an employee right away. Hired the friend of one of our technicians that had been with us for 8 months. One day, they seen an ad I posted on craigslist looking to hire another part-time employee. This was last Dec. 2014 and we had slowed down beginning of January. I wanted another part time to take my spot so I was only cleaning 2 days a week. They never asked me about it and figured we didn't want to give them more hours and both quit at 10:30pm at night before a big commercial job the next day when I was out of town. The tech that worked for us for 8 mo. had no prev exp. and worked at Subway, his friend had no prev. job. Last time we took recommendations for friends to be hired.

It's hard to hire someone that is homeless, because even though they are getting a leg up, there is so much going on in their lives still. One thing goes wrong in their life, they could easily be gone. We have had a tech with us for over a year now that is on probation for non-violent, non-theft etc. crime. He has been great. It could be that he has to show a paystub to a probation officer and stay out of trouble, but hey, if your doing what you need to do, why hold a record against you for your whole life. No one should have to be subject that.

Good luck on the new guy or gal you hire!

 

[rjwood]

Yeah... And they'll get all offended when a customer calls them sir because they look like a guy from behind.
There is one a few doors down from the office that pilots a Harley every day... The butch. 8 out of 10 would call him sir instead of ma'am.

I would not want my customers to accidentally be in a spot, where they're uncomfortable with Butch being offended, while in their house.

Actually, she's probably dealt with that sort of thing her entire life and most likely handles it very well indeed. Though, as with anyone, that doesn't mean she would be suited to carpet cleaning.

 

[rjwood]

What's all this leg up stuff you guys throw around?

 

[Old Coastie]

Kellie, I don't need to tell you that cleaning is a skill set and craft. Hire the heart, teach the skills.

I once put an ad in Craiglist and had two dozen answers in hours. I tried them in the order they called and wore 'em out by the sixpack. The one who worked hardest was a young woman with no car. No go.. But you can specify anything you want and pick from a group.

Given your situation with your ailing husband, PLEASE don't involve yourself in ANY form of rescue or rehabilitation of employees. Your next move carries huge import, because the person you hire must soon be able to let you stay home often or break away suddenly.

Besides that, the skills you have are too valuable to be taught to anyone but an appreciative, dedicated person.

God bless your search.

 

[Goomer]

With what little I know of your situation, I would keep looking.

I agree that your current situation warrants you to err on the side of caution, and minimize taking such risks.

I have no issues with trying to help someone out, regardless of their situation, but it's very different when all other things are peaches and cream, and dealing with the consequences of any bad decision are easier to manage, and there is available energy and resources to deal with such events if they arise.

Being stretched pretty thin as you are right now due to the other serious circumstances you are dealing with, you need to play things very safe.

Part-time day-laborer is one thing, but inviting someone you do not know intimately into your home is out of the question.

A criminal record is one thing, but it is the homeless status that raises more flags to me, as one can only wonder as to the circumstances that lead to his homeless status, and how complex his situation most likely is.

You have more than enough on your plate right now as it is without adding a homeless employee to the mix.

Given your big heart, I can easily see you becoming dragged deeper into his situation, and obligated to "save" him if you establish too much of a relationship.

Again, nothing wrong with that, but now is just not the right time for you to take on such a task.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

The name of the game in our industry is trust. What we have to go on is history. If he has a criminal history and it somehow comes into play you could be held liable for knowing. Even not knowing and not protecting your clients can be liability for you. A good place to start someone like that is in the shop working on rugs where you can build trust. In the home, they can swipe a bottle of codeine while you are moving the van or in the bathroom .

Clean Driving Record, Clean Background, and Drug Free is what we require. I don't care if weed is legal, it's not permissible in my company because we demand a zero tolerance for the safety of our clients.

Trust me, I completely agree. In my desperation I had a lapse of reasoning today...lol. I'm going on only an hour and a half of sleep last night.
I'm going to go to the VA this week or next and see what I can come up with there.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I don't get all the sanctimony about marijuana. Do you hold the same objection to alcohol? Nobody wants employees that work high or drunk, but what they do on their own time is none of my business unless, of course, they're, say, hung over, which is a condition of alcohol only and not marijuana.

I no longer use either substance, though I have in the past, and between my personal experience and that of research, alcohol is by far a more dangerous substance.

So, what gives?

It's not about what they do on their own time, it's about what they have in their bloodstream while driving your work trucks or operating your expensive equipment and being in your customers homes. Oh, and they are good for forgetting your stuff at jobs......ask me how I know.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

Kellie, I don't need to tell you that cleaning is a skill set and craft. Hire the heart, teach the skills.

I once put an ad in Craiglist and had two dozen answers in hours. I tried them in the order they called and wore 'em out by the sixpack. The one who worked hardest was a young woman with no car. No go.. But you can specify anything you want and pick from a group.

Given your situation with your ailing husband, PLEASE don't involve yourself in ANY form of rescue or rehabilitation of employees. Your next move carries huge import, because the person you hire must soon be able to let you stay home often or break away suddenly.

Besides that, the skills you have are too valuable to be taught to anyone but an appreciative, dedicated person.

God bless your search.

You and @Goomer said it best....not that it's a contest, but you are absolutely right. I am way too vulnerable right now, and even though I have already decided against it, the point you made rings very true and it is now something else that I know to look out for not just in this situation, but in everything. Also, you are right in that eventually there will come a day when I would have to stay with George, or be pulled away from a job.
Thank you so much everyone for helping me with this. I know me, and I know that if I did not have your validation and input I would feel guilty and let it eat me up inside thinking I could've helped someone. But that's because I expect way too much of myself, and others and now definitely is not the time to take anything like that on.
Hugs to you all!

 

[bob vawter]

Yeah... And they'll get all offended when a customer calls them sir because they look like a guy from behind.
There is one a few doors down from the office that pilots a Harley every day... The butch. 8 out of 10 would call him sir instead of ma'am.

I would not want my customers to accidentally be in a spot, where they're uncomfortable with Butch being offended, while in their house.

No...i wadn't talking about a strapped down crew cut....
ain't they got no little cute ones out there..............

 

[rjwood]

It's not about what they do on their own time, it's about what they have in their bloodstream while driving your work trucks or operating your expensive equipment and being in your customers homes. Oh, and they are good for forgetting your stuff at jobs......ask me how I know.

I was a part of the corporate scene in the early eighties when all this drug testing began to take hold. There was back then a very necessary debate, which in my mind should have remained in the forefront of the issue. That debate was about where lines were drawn between private and public knowledge of one's behavior outside of that which was obvious in obstructing the rights of others.

I see that debate has largely been decided on and privacy has lost out. That is a shame. The only reason to know what is in a person's bloodstream is to be invasive in their private life. I personally find that offensive - but that's just me.

I suspect the AIDS epidemic had much to do with this issue of privacy and helped those who would want to be nosy about other's private lives create laws that have taken down the barriers that stood to protect us from each other's prying eyes.

It's nice to have the power to offer employment to others, but that also means being carefully judicious. The fact that I as an employer can force those who would like a job with me to stand naked before me is an awesome power that should hardly ever be invoked.

 

[Ed Valentine]

Kellie;

Cutting to the chase and relying on my Law Education, my recommendation is: NO. Legally you would be highly responsible for his actions and this can set you back big time.

NO-NO-NO.

Hope this helps.
Ed Valentine
cross-American corp.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I was a part of the corporate scene in the early eighties when all this drug testing began to take hold. There was back then a very necessary debate, which in my mind should have remained in the forefront of the issue. That debate was about where lines were drawn between private and public knowledge of one's behavior outside of that which was obvious in obstructing the rights of others.

I see that debate has largely been decided on and privacy has lost out. That is a shame. The only reason to know what is in a person's bloodstream is to be invasive in their private life. I personally find that offensive - but that's just me.

I suspect the AIDS epidemic had much to do with this issue of privacy and helped those who would want to be nosy about other's private lives create laws that have taken down the barriers that stood to protect us from each other's prying eyes.

It's nice to have the power to offer employment to others, but that also means being carefully judicious. The fact that I as an employer can force those who would like a job with me to stand naked before me is an awesome power that should hardly ever be invoked.

Here's the deal RJ.....let's say they get into an accident driving one of my trucks and a blood test is taken. And weed shows up in their bloodstream because maybe they took just one bong hit before coming to work, and we all know that most do. What do you think my insurance company is going to say?
I get what you are saying about the whole privacy issue...believe me, I do. But when my business and livelihood is in their hands they better not be smoking weed. That's it, that's all. If smoking weed is more important to them than their job, they can go work somewhere else where that will not be an issue.
I've had guys work for us who smoked weed, and there were always issues. I'm not willing to deal with it anymore, I've got enough on my plate.
As for knowing what is in their bloodstream....if I have a guy working for me who smokes crack or does meth in their spare time who is to say they are not addicted and will not some day steal from one of my customers, or me? I do have every right to make sure that I'm not hiring a drug addict. My customers trust our company. We go into many homes where they are not home and I will not compromise their safety or belongings.
We cleaned Carmelo Anthony's home once, back when he was in Colorado. His walk in closet had a big table that covered the length of a long wall. It was covered with very expensive watches. Just sitting there in the open. Sometimes things can be very tempting for people who do drugs. So yes, I have the right to know what drugs my potential employees are doing in their free time, because drugs ALWAYS effect in some way the life of the user beyond the walls of their own home.

 

[Mikey P]

If you can keep your potty mouf under control I highly recommend hiring JayDubs.

If you can find one that was dis-fellowshipped for getting caught reading a Sears Catalog, even better.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I keep hearing that.....I'm going to check the VA first, but if nothing comes of it I will look into that as the next option.

 

[rjwood]

Here's the deal RJ.....let's say they get into an accident driving one of my trucks and a blood test is taken. And weed shows up in their bloodstream because maybe they took just one bong hit before coming to work, and we all know that most do. What do you think my insurance company is going to say?
I get what you are saying about the whole privacy issue...believe me, I do. But when my business and livelihood is in their hands they better not be smoking weed. That's it, that's all. If smoking weed is more important to them than their job, they can go work somewhere else where that will not be an issue.
I've had guys work for us who smoked weed, and there were always issues. I'm not willing to deal with it anymore, I've got enough on my plate.
As for knowing what is in their bloodstream....if I have a guy working for me who smokes crack or does meth in their spare time who is to say they are not addicted and will not some day steal from one of my customers, or me? I do have every right to make sure that I'm not hiring a drug addict. My customers trust our company. We go into many homes where they are not home and I will not compromise their safety or belongings.
We cleaned Carmelo Anthony's home once, back when he was in Colorado. His walk in closet had a big table that covered the length of a long wall. It was covered with very expensive watches. Just sitting there in the open. Sometimes things can be very tempting for people who do drugs. So yes, I have the right to know what drugs my potential employees are doing in their free time, because drugs ALWAYS effect in some way the life of the user beyond the walls of their own home.

You appear to think I disagree with your decision. I don't. I think you've made the best decision for you. Nor do I tend to tell others what to do.

My argument is philosophical in nature and your thread is an excellent one for members to discuss those philosophical differences. That's all there is to my input.

 

[Spurlington]

Liability !!

We do a lot of elderly people and Im always seeing drugs on the counters of kitchens and baths. Ive seen a bottle of oxy 100 count full on the kitchen window sill, master bed room vanity a whole drug store. Ive seen guns, Ive seen cash and jewelry. Gees if I were a thief Id be in my glory.

You take a chance with anyone but someone who has been busted already shows theyre willing to take a risk to do the wrong thing. They would be better working around something that wouldnt cause a huge liability issue.

Imagine telling the customer beforehand who youre sending. They probably wont use you. Protect yourself by protecting your customers. Im not against rehabilitation but you have to be careful where you mix your matches.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

You appear to think I disagree with your decision. I don't. I think you've made the best decision for you. Nor do I tend to tell others what to do.

My argument is philosophical in nature and your thread is an excellent one for members to discuss those philosophical differences. That's all there is to my input.

I wish I could remember who said this:

"There is nothing like debate to refine an idea"

 

[rjwood]

I wish I could remember who said this:

"There is nothing like debate to refine an idea"

I Googled it, Jim, and no credit is given. That means you're the author. Congratulations - it's a good quote.

Properly debated, anything and everyone benefits. It's how civilizations advance.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

You appear to think I disagree with your decision. I don't. I think you've made the best decision for you. Nor do I tend to tell others what to do.

My argument is philosophical in nature and your thread is an excellent one for members to discuss those philosophical differences. That's all there is to my input.

"The only reason to know what is in a person's bloodstream is to be invasive in their private life. I personally find that offensive - but that's just me."

Sorry, my post was mostly in response to this comment you made. I didn't realize you were being philosophical...also your other comment about the power of an employer to make an employee stand naked before you that you rarely invoke.

Im not trying to argue with you, just stating why I see nothing wrong with drug testing any potential employees.

 

[rjwood]

It's important to keep what I write in context, I try to be deliberate with my wording. My comment was not an accusation against you personally, it was meant an indictment on what drug testing has become. It's unnecessarily intrusive in too many instances.

It's easy enough to spot a person on drugs by looking in their eyes and observing behavior. Police do it all the time. And as a business person you have no choice but to keep an eye out for it regardless of who is hired.

We still don't know what violations this person was guilty of, only that there are some. Today it's rather easy to have a criminal record with say the police being able to apply charges based on mind-reading as in the case of intent to sell or distribute tacked on to any drug possession charge if the police officer decides to for reasons of his/her own. He/she could have been having a bad day for all that is known.

I gather that no matter who you decide to hire you'll be demanding drug testing?

 

[rick imby]

I know Kelly wouldn't hire me as I have a record too, several records, mainly 33 1/3 but some 45s.
I have been fighting with my Coke addiction for years also---Pepsi or coke it doesn't matter to me. Bloomberg is after me.

I have found debates normally harden each person in their own belief.
Normally they are only listening to your thoughts to find something else to disagree with.

Arguing really hardens you in your position. And the other person in theirs...

 

[PrimaDonna]

FYI...

I know you are not meeting him at this point, but for future reference certain questions are illegal, so be careful what you plan to ask

Also, it is illegal to ask for a copy of drivers license or take photos of people during the interview process. You may ask de that only after offer had been made and accepted.

You are opening yourself up to a descriminatuon lawsuit if you do so. (Descriminatuon based on looks, age since you have their birthday on license)

A warning to all who are thinking about or have done this. Don't do it.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I know Kelly wouldn't hire me as I have a record too, several records, mainly 33 1/3 but some 45s.
I have been fighting with my Coke addiction for years also---Pepsi or coke it doesn't matter to me. Bloomberg is after me.

I have found debates normally harden each person in their own belief.
Normally they are only listening to your thoughts to find something else to disagree with.

Arguing really hardens you in your position. And the other person in theirs...

Rick, I have a record. And I would hire someone who has a record as long as they are non violent, non sexual and non theft related. Although if someone has a theft from a drug problem and has a proven track record of being clean for quite some time, I am willing to give them a chance. But I let them know that I will do random testing on them, because unfortunately, people can and sometimes do relapse. I offer them a lot of support and ask them to always be honest with me. I've only been screwed over once. I am a very forgiving and understanding person which is why I was willing to consider this guy in the first place.