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Employee layoff question

14 posts
  1. James Gray
    James Gray avatar
    1 posts
    11/2/2015 9:11 AM
    My assistant gets laid off every November. He is in the typical paycheck to paycheck type of lifestyle that most of us are in. I usually try to find him some side jobs and some mechanic work in winter to help him out here and there. The other day he asked if it would be ok to cut up some wood from our wood dump area so that he could possibly sell it for extra money. What do you guys think about that? I am more worried about the liability of it than anything. I mean it's junk wood and he uses his own saw It wouldn't bother me. Would there be some sort of waiver he could sign for injury? I really want to help the guy out, but also don't want to get fired if he gets injured and sues us. Guidance is much appreciated.



  2. Michael Palmer
    Michael Palmer avatar
    0 posts
    11/2/2015 11:11 AM
    He would probably need General liability insurance to cover any problems that might occur, which is not cheap, not sure about signing a waiver, would ok first with gen. manager. Good luck, and hope all ends well.



  3. Steven Huffstutler
    Steven Huffstutler avatar
    11 posts
    11/2/2015 4:11 PM
    Anybody thats not an employee that works on the property needs to present me with a certificate of liability insurance. It's them or you, dude.

    Steve



  4. Larry Allan
    Larry Allan avatar
    0 posts
    11/3/2015 6:11 AM
    Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: Anybody thats not an employee that works on the property needs to present me with a certificate of liability insurance. It's them or you, dude.

    Steve

    Stevie, are you turning into a hipster, growing a man bun?
    Dude...Brother.all in one series of posts



  5. Melvin Waldron
    Melvin Waldron avatar
    43 posts
    11/3/2015 7:11 AM
    I have to agree with all the caution people suggest, but if he is still employed at the current time, could you allow him to cut that wood now on frosty mornings? He would still be covered under workman's comp for now if he is still on the payroll. I know it's pretty gray area though. It's too bad it has to be that way, but that is the world today for better or worse, I'm with the others be careful.

    Mel

    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

  6. Steven Scott
    Steven Scott avatar
    0 posts
    11/3/2015 8:11 AM
    Mel,
    I'm in the same boat, my only outside employee barely scrapes by due to some poor decisions in his past and while I try to keep enough work(and money) for him to stay on during the off season it just isn't enough so I let him take a portion of the wood from tree work. Its not a lot, a couple of cords, and the member who actually drops the trees for us takes the rest, but selling firewood helps this guy eat. I can probably get by with a little more given my locale and the fact that we are individually owned but I would say he is "on the clock" while he's cutting up wood.



  7. Steven Huffstutler
    Steven Huffstutler avatar
    11 posts
    11/3/2015 2:11 PM
    Larry Allan said:
    Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: Anybody thats not an employee that works on the property needs to present me with a certificate of liability insurance. It's them or you, dude.

    Steve

    Stevie, are you turning into a hipster, growing a man bun?
    Dude...Brother.all in one series of posts



    I'm growing a neckbeard



  8. Matt Dutkiewicz
    Matt Dutkiewicz avatar
    0 posts
    11/4/2015 7:11 AM
    Does he file for unemployment after being laid off? Just curious, many employers now see the benefit to keeping staff around, minimally, in the off-season. Paying into unemployment has no benefit for an employer, but keeping staff around, with calculated hours, allows the staff to collect the same amount as they would on unemployment, but also has a benefit to the employer, and employee really.



  9. Roger Brink
    Roger Brink avatar
    0 posts
    11/4/2015 5:11 PM
    Obviously paying the said employee the same as they would collect on unemployment to work for the employer is good for the employer only. Why would anyone get up and go to work and pay for gas and wear and tear on their vehicle for the same pay as they could get by sitting home and collecting. Makes no sense. Where's the benefit to the employee?



  10. Keith Lamb
    Keith Lamb avatar
    3 posts
    11/4/2015 6:11 PM
    Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said:
    Larry Allan said:
    Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: Anybody thats not an employee that works on the property needs to present me with a certificate of liability insurance. It's them or you, dude.

    Steve

    Stevie, are you turning into a hipster, growing a man bun?
    Dude...Brother.all in one series of posts



    I'm growing a neckbeard


    [url=http://s520.photobucket.com/user/alohakane123/media/jeff-bridges-800_zpsmnrt9one.jpg.html">[img">http://i520.photobucket.com/albums/w327/alohakane123/jeff-bridges-800_zpsmnrt9one.jpg[/img">

    Latest photo of Huffstutler.



  11. Peter Bowman
    Peter Bowman avatar
    11 posts
    11/4/2015 8:11 PM
    Roger Brink said: Where's the benefit to the employee?


    Oh, I don't know. Maybe just the satisfaction that he's being a productive member of society?



  12. Matt Dutkiewicz
    Matt Dutkiewicz avatar
    0 posts
    11/5/2015 6:11 AM
    The benefit to the employee is being a productive member of society and not sitting at home. No matter what your experiences are, those people still exist in the world. If the employee was a good employee, as I am assuming since he worked all season, and we would not keep a bad employee around all season, then he/she probably would rather be doing something than nothing. Additionally, if work is offered to an employee who files for unemployment, they would need to show up for that work or their unemployment benefits would be cut off.



  13. Larry Allan
    Larry Allan avatar
    0 posts
    11/5/2015 7:11 AM
    Keith Lamb said:
    Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said:
    Larry Allan said:
    Steven Huffstutler, CGCS said: Anybody thats not an employee that works on the property needs to present me with a certificate of liability insurance. It's them or you, dude.

    Steve

    Stevie, are you turning into a hipster, growing a man bun?
    Dude...Brother.all in one series of posts



    I'm growing a neckbeard


    [url=http://s520.photobucket.com/user/alohakane123/media/jeff-bridges-800_zpsmnrt9one.jpg.html">[img">http://i520.photobucket.com/albums/w327/alohakane123/jeff-bridges-800_zpsmnrt9one.jpg[/img">

    Latest photo of Huffstutler.

    Never met him but that looks like my "mind picture" And the "White Jeffy" is so apropos



  14. James Smith
    James Smith avatar
    113 posts
    11/5/2015 8:11 AM
    well here we have a lot of firewood that we give away every year. The difference is that as we trim the trees or cut them down we cut all wood to firewood size. This makes it easier for us to give away or get off of our property. It cost us $400 per load to get the big trash dumpster in order to haul it off property. I will gladly pay my guys for the extra time to cut all wood up during trimming because I save in the long haul.

    What is done with your wood? Do you have to pay to get rid of it? if so put the guy on the clock and let him cut it up so it can be hauled offsite. It helps both parties in the long run.



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