[dannl]

Could you give some advise as to what I should do with 14 of my employees using my Company trucks on the week - ends working for them-self's doing home repairs using my trucks, tools and charging all the gas on my Company credit card. I have 7 other employees who use my Company trucks to drive home and to the job each day but they don't use the trucks on the week-ends. I pay all of my employees very well and I don't know if I should fire all 14 employees or not. ( Does anybody out there ) have any suggestions for me or is this OK for them to do this as it is costing me over 660.00 a week just for gas for the 14 trucks not counting as maintenance cost on the trucks or ware and tear on all of my tools. ( Help )

[Mike Peterson]

Quite simple fix.
Don't let them take the trucks home on the weekends.

[ddlove01]

have you confronted these employees? Do you have anything in their job description against it? If you've never mentioned it before to them, you are really not at liberty to terminate their employment. What kind of business do they run? I would think they would have some kind of morals not to do these kinds of things with a company truck, but if they've never been warned, they probably think, no harm, no foul.

[harry chickpea]

Florida is an "at will" state. Other than the Federal anti-discrimination laws, anyone can be fired at any time for any (or no) reason.

What you are describing is called privateering, and it is illegal, as is theft of services. I'd dump the worst offenders and warn the rest.

[Prettygyrl777]

Keep track of mileage.

[HowdyYall]

I'd hold a meeting and say "no weekend work using my property"...they could be saving the most profitable jobs for the weekend. I'd document the milage on friday afternoon and monday morning.

you might also be worried about the legal liability of someone using your company truck. Since you are aware of the situation, you are now liable for any trouble they get into.

[Mar1lyn27]

Do you have a garage/parking lot to store the vehicles until the workers return Monday morning? If so, why not just have them hand in the keys before they get their paychecks?

[ssg II]

Employees taking advantage of my boss' good nature has all but put our company out of business. Not only were the guys using their trucks for personal stuff on the weekends, one of the crews took their truck to a topless bar for a "long lunch" about 45 miles away when they were supposed to be on a job. Another crew was seen hauling equipment for ANOTHER company. Can you believe the gall?

Those crews quit when they were called on the carpet and we've laid off most of the rest of our guys. You might mention to them that it's hard to find a good job in Florida these days. Almost every one of our former employees has come in wanting their job back. They acted like spoiled kids when they were here, and now realize the grass wasn't greener.

I agree with Mike Peterson & harrychickpea, leave the trucks in the yard on weekends, and if they start whining, let them go. Plenty of people out there are looking for work.

[CobraKen]

Originally Posted by Mike Peterson

Quite simple fix.
Don't let them take the trucks home on the weekends.

Yeah, what he said.....

[JimKing]

I run two businesses with a total of 30 employees. My buddy runs a security system installation company with about 15 employees. He was faced with the same problem that you have. We brainstormed his situation and came up with a solution.

We solved it by sitting down with the guys face to face and explaining that the costs of them using the trucks for private work was hurting the companies profitability. We all worked together to devised a fee system where the guys could 'rent' the trucks and tools for private work.

The fees cover the costs, with a small profit to the company. The guys still make a good profit on their private work.

This was a win-win as everything now is done out in the open, the guys feel empowered and are happy making extra money, the company covers its costs and then some, and the private work can sometimes generate other business for the company.