A kid gets terminated at work...

[CobyRupert]

Should an employee give two weeks notice before quitting?
Should an employer give two weeks notice before ending someone’s source of income?

Bonus points if you can answer yes to one question and no to the other and include phrases like “ mutual respect” in your reasoning.

 

[plowhog]

I look at this business and can't help but think how stupid the ownership is. ... One of many reasons why my kid is looking for a better job now.

Exactly how "at will" employment should work. The kid isn't contractually obligated to stay, and only does so because there isn't yet a better alternative. The employer isn't required to further reward the kid, nor even continue the employment, even if such are stupid decisions.

Q- when you kid finds a better job, the employer will lose an already trained employee, have to replace that person with a (likely) more expensive employee, and endue the costs of interviewing and training someone new. Why do you think they are doing something that seems so obviously stupid?

 

[Sigarms]

Your kid's boss is banking on finding another good one after your son moves on. Typical NC private sector small biz employer. That group is very slow to figure out why it isn't working in this business climate.

That line of thinking makes no sense to me.

Currently it seems this business loses an employee every month other than the standard "going away to college" during the summer months.

You have an employee who shows up at work when they are supposed to, they do what you tell them to do, and they work longer then they are scheduled for, it makes no sense if that employee who has the second longest tenure at the business doesn't make what everyone else is making in a heartbeat vs the PITA factor it will involve in finding a new employee that will be just as good and dependable.

It's actually kind of an insult to hire people with the same amount of experience at a higher pay rate IMO.

I really hope my kid does find another job LOL

That said, kid is smart IMO. Kid deals with it because already has saved over 5k in the 7 months there, and has only been applying at one place at a time to given the potential new company time to get back so multiple offers don't come in at the same time, and looking at higher end places in hopes to be a server before high school graduation. I've mentioned the best gig I had in college was waiting tables at higher end places because the ticket prices and the tips add up. As I explained, would you rather make 15% on a $30 meal for 4 or 15% on a $90 meal for 4?

 

[plowhog]

Bonus points if you can answer yes to one question and no to the other

It's an interesting question, but not a fair question since the expected standards of employer / employee conduct are different.

If an employee hears another employee say: "If I don't get what I want I'll bring a gun to work and shoot the place up," the employee doesn't have a specific duty to act and protect other employees. Morally, of course, but legally, not so much. The employer does. The employer could be sued (or worse) for failing to action in many circumstances.

So, such an employer would show "respect" to the other valued employees by immediately terminating the one making the threat.

 

[plowhog]

It's actually kind of an insult to hire people with the same amount of experience at a higher pay rate IMO.

I would guess when you kid puts in his notice to quit, he will be offered a pay raise. But most likely, at that point it will be too late.

 

[Sigarms]

when you kid finds a better job, the employer will lose an already trained employee, have to replace that person with a (likely) more expensive employee, and endue the costs of interviewing and training someone new. Why do you think they are doing something that seems so obviously stupid?

Honestly, no clue why they are doing something so stupid IMO. I know of at least 3 people who left for "better" jobs.

It's not like an extra $39 per week ($1 pay raise) would break the bank on their P&L.

That said, seems the 15-18 year olds make $9.25 and hour, and the 19-23 year olds make $10 or $11 an hour and they call them "managers". This way, they don't have to pay overtime is what I'm guessing. That said, I do think they need to be very careful about that IMO as far as working "management" per hours per week.

Thing is, all these kids (employees) are on a group text, and they discuss work. Kind of interesting that these kids know everything that's going on with work even if they aren't working that day. Kind of a new wrinkle in dealing with teenagers with technology today.

 

[Sigarms]

I would guess when you kid puts in his notice to quit, he will be offered a pay raise. But most likely, at that point it will be too late.

2 week notice would be mandatory. Yes, I believe we're at the point that no matter what they would offer (probably nothing) leaving is what's on the mind.

Thing is they know a raised was asked for over a month ago. It just boggles my mind why you wouldn't want to take care of what seems to be a good employee (and by all accounts, I don't think I'm looking at this with rosed colored glasses).

 

[plowhog]

no matter what they would offer (probably nothing) leaving is what's on the mind.

Your kid will likely learn a valuable lesson. I learned this same lesson in my early 20's and it was valuable to me.

I worked for an employer making a low wage. At the end of the month I did not have enough money for food. I asked for a raise, and got the runaround. Two months later, more runaround. And then two months later ... again. Meanwhile I was starving at the end of each month.

I landed a better job somewhere else making close to double the pay. I gave notice, and the employer tried to replace me. All the applicants willing to work for that low pay were ... in his eyes ... entirely unsuitable. So, he offered to match my new rate of pay at the new job. I said no.

That was a valuable lesson. It was better to "live it" than have someone explain it to me. So maybe what is coming is good for your kid.

 

[two_bit_score]

I'm gonna take this to the grave.....some people, very few unfortunately, work hard and do their best because it's the right thing to do. Too many employees are just putting in there time and trying to get to tomorrow and too many just going for a ride. Of course government employment is the best example of that.

I found increasing salary, in most cases, has little to no long term effect. The person doing their job well because it's the right thing to do will do it weather you give them a raise or not.

I worked for a great employer who constant preached that “surveys showed” employees did not work for money, they worked for “satisfaction on the job”.

My response was “Stop that paycheck and see how many keep showing up”.

I stayed with that firm many years because I was, mostly, treated fairly and respectfully. Some bosses were better than others and the real poor ones never lasted long anyway. But, they paid well and, had a great profit sharing program, ESOP plan, more vacation time than I could ever use, good Company funded retirement Plus a 401k, company car at essentially no cost to me, travel when and where I needed to at my discretion, decent per diem travel allowance, good support for professional development, etc. But had they stopped giving raises in the early part of my tenure especially I would not have stayed 40 years.

 

[RickB]

That line of thinking makes no sense to me.

Currently it seems this business loses an employee every month other than the standard "going away to college" during the summer months.

You have an employee who shows up at work when they are supposed to, they do what you tell them to do, and they work longer then they are scheduled for, it makes no sense if that employee who has the second longest tenure at the business doesn't make what everyone else is making in a heartbeat vs the PITA factor it will involve in finding a new employee that will be just as good and dependable.

It's actually kind of an insult to hire people with the same amount of experience at a higher pay rate IMO.

I really hope my kid does find another job LOL

That said, kid is smart IMO. Kid deals with it because already has saved over 5k in the 7 months there, and has only been applying at one place at a time to given the potential new company time to get back so multiple offers don't come in at the same time, and looking at higher end places in hopes to be a server before high school graduation. I've mentioned the best gig I had in college was waiting tables at higher end places because the ticket prices and the tips add up. As I explained, would you rather make 15% on a $30 meal for 4 or 15% on a $90 meal for 4?

I didn't say it made sense.
My time working for others was generally spent working for employers that took pretty good care of me regardless of their overall employment practices.
Then I moved South. It's a lot like living on a one way street.