Co-worker looking for job 8

[controlnovice]

I lent my company laptop to a co-worker while at a remote site, so he could check his email. No big deal.

In the evening, I log on, and go straight to my Yahoo! email account and blindly click on the first email.

It stated that "...my application was recieved and an offer would be made...". I then realized that my co-worker didn't log out and I just read his email about a job offer at a new company. I quickly logged off of Yahoo!.

I believe this is between him and our manager. However, we have an important milestone in my project in 6 weeks, and I don't want to have to train a new engineer in the 5th week when he leaves (I don't know if it will be the 5th week, or the 12th week, or anywhere in between).

His leaving will really affect my project and goals. My manager will be understanding of this, but it also means that a milestone lasting 3 weeks will extend to 6 weeks, if I can't get someone trained.

When we return, I would like to request my manager assign another engineer, but I don't have the 'ammo' to really make the request without bringing this up. He's a good engineer, but we have 3 others that are just as good, if not better, but not familiar with this project or process.

Any ideas?

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[MadMango]

I thought it was the other way around, you get benefits if you are fired, not when you quit?

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[Gymmeh]

I think it depends on the rules

 

[IRstuff]

In California:

You must be determined to be unemployed through no fault of your own as defined under California law.

In the case of a discharge, it is the employer's responsibility to prove that the former employee was fired for misconduct connected with work. In the case of a quit, the individual must show that he/she had good reason for quitting a job.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[MacGyverS2000]

The project manager i work with was like your "co-worker" and just checking jobs, his boss got wind of it some how, and fired him on the next day.

Wow... imagine the fallout on that one if it was later determined the guy wasn't really looking for a job. not to mention it's no one's freakin' business what I do in my off hours, including looking at other jobs. I can understand if someone was using company resources/time to do so, but if I did it on my own time I'd try suing their pants off for wrongful termination.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Gymmeh]

I am sure he will tell me more when I get a chance to talk with him again.

He just said he was just shocked at their reaction but he got a promotion by changing jobs.

Other then what I already said thats about the jist of it what he said.

 

[Gymmeh]

PS. mac, he was looking for a job

 

[josephv]

wow, he got fired because he was looking for another job?

How very Orwellian. I wonder where this is taking us, in the near future maybe we will get fired for "thinking about looking for another job"?

 

[MadMango]

At a previous job a few years ago my manager asked me out of the blue, "Why are you visiting Monster.com?" This lead me to believe either the company had tracking software, or someone in IT was playing Mother Hen. I told him I was looking for a "friend". Nothing came of it, but now if I need to visit a questionable website during working hours, I'll use my cell phone.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[controlnovice]

Thanks for all of your input.

Quite funny really. I found a solution which ends up being self correcting. I asked him to go home a few days earlier from our remote site, as his part was done, and he was just playing on the internet.

We agreed on the day and schedule, and I would take him to the airport. We were to leave at 4:30am from the hotel(only flight back to the US). At 4:40, he's not downstairs. I go to knock on the door, and I can hear him snoring. I wake him up, and he apologizes and says he'll be down in 5 min. Ten minutes goes by, and he doesn't show. I go to knock on the door again, and I can hear him snoring again. He comes to the door and apologizes again and he'll be down in 5 min. In 15 minutes, he finally arrives and gets in the car. I thought I smelled alcohol, but gave him the benefit of the doubt, and assumed it was aftershave, since he didn't have time to shower.

I speed to the airport, get caught by a camera to catch speeders, and drop him off with 20 min to spare. I get a call 15 min later saying he missed the flight.

On the way back, I'm paying closer attention to his actions, and he was drunk.

Get back to the hotel, told him to meet me at 8:00 for breakfast, then we'll go to the site. I walk past his room at 8:00....snoring. I leave for the site at 8:30....still snoring.

I don't think he had any intentions of leaving.

Essentially, this guy is as good as gone once management hears this.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[Gymmeh]

I cant see from your tone, are you happy (relatively speaking) with the way things worked themselves out?

 

[melone]

Are you mad that he didn't go home when you told him too? Are you his boss?

 

[controlnovice]

I just became the project manager for the project 4 weeks ago. To late to determine who was/wasn't going on the trip. I was and still am the lead engineer.

So, as the PM, I was mad he pulled this ****, although I am not his boss. The site is in a very, very nice location, and he essentially got a free day of vacation.

Am I happy with the way things worked out? I think I would express it as more relief than happy. I probably will take the 'golden rule' approach to me finding his job offer from the other company. But this other kind of behavior I can not accept.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[josephv]

OK, now I am a bit confused, how did he go from being a "good engineer" and someone you did not want to leave in the middle of a project... to this behaviour? There were no signs of trouble before?

 

[BJC]

controlnovice
I would quit your job. If your company is like most at least 80% of the people have resumes out or are keeping an eye out for opportunites. You can never predict when someone will be gone ( and thats just the ones who don't die from accidents or disease).
Find a company to work for where the people are loyal, healthy and carful. Your worklife will be perfect.

 

[melone]

I must have missed the point that you are the Project Manager. That changes things COMPLETELY! I was working under the impression that you were just an individual contributer. I would vocalize your concern to your co-worker about seeing his personal email from the other company.

 

[MadMango]

He might be a good engineer, but he obviously likes to party when away from home and on site. As the PM you should raise concerns about his inability to perform his job and the "receipt of resume" email.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[IRstuff]

I would not be so quick to assume the the subject can or should be booted. While you are not his "boss", as a Project Manager, you are his boss while on the project. As such you have an obligation to try and get the person to get their act together, particularly if his behavior affects the performance of YOUR program. You can and should consult with his functional manager about your "concerns" of possible alcoholism. There may, or may not, be a suitable outcome for all, but it's too early to make that prognostication. He might be going through a divorce, or whatever. If his work is otherwise beneficial, then straightening him out is easier and cheaper than hiring a new person and training him.

Functional alcoholics can still be quite useful. We used to have an ME who certainly tipped his glass often and well, but even when he was tipsy, he was head and shoulders above any other ME we had.

So long as he remains a positive contributor, you should, as part of his management structure, make every attempt to salvage his future contributions and his career. You need to check your company policy on this matter. In some companies, alcoholism is considered to be a disease, and as such, you can't fire someone for being sick.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[BJC]

Accusing or implying that someone is an alcholic is a slppery sloap. Are you a doctor or trained health care professional? If not are you a lawyer, if your not you may need one.
Wrongful accusations and uninformed opinions can cause someone a lot of trouble and loss of income. Don't be supprized if their lawyer shows up at your companys door to seek remedy ( thats money).

 

[MacGyverS2000]

A working drunk or not, I believe drinking on the job is grounds for dismissal in most positions. He was scheduled to work at a specific time and knew what the time was... even if he was not sitting at his desk, he was still on the job. Showing up to work in such a condition that it is obvious to others says he was drunk. If he was unable to wake up after multiple attempts and then missed his flight due to his tardiness (which was due to his inebriation), well... I would fire him, too.


Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[civilperson]

Companies do not pay the specific unemployment claim, rather the rate paid by the company is determined by the industry experience in claims. Thus all engineering firms pay the same rate regardless of their claim history. Companies who try to deny or minimize claims help the industry, not their specific rate.