Wish I didn't know

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 546

A person in a nearby department told me recently that they go out and have a beer or two at lunch sometimes. This is happening more frequently. I know that someone else should know about this but not sure who or how it could be brought to their attention. Any suggestions? This person doesn't have to drive pe or operate any type of machinery. I'm more concerned about their lack of focus on the floor while talking to customers.

Suggestions?

Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Oklahoma

One or two beers normaly is not enough too cause any problems
Unless they have more than that or you can smell it on them when close to them....Otherwise i would just keep shut ..If it's a problem uper managment will notice them...I would not put yourself in a position that might have dangerous repercusions.
When i was in the service i was a cop and we could even have a beer with lunch. While wearing a weapon.....Be Safe

Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

But then again, do you know where they eat/drink? How far they travel and then hurry back to work, if in an accident, whether their fault or not, they get nailed. I would seriously think about talking to this person and out of concern, tell them they need to quit. Question in my mind right now, is why they told you and have they told anyone else. Could even be a Corp. set up on you. Just food for thought, you have to make the decision. They told you for a reason and you told us for one. The ball is in your court now. Good luck.

Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 8

You aren't paid by the company on your lunch hour. They have no control over what you do on your own time. If you can tell by your breath or actions that you have been drinking, then and only then does it become a company issue.

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 546

Bitbug I guess you didn't see the part where this person becomes obnoxious to the customers after drinking their lunch.

I'm pretty sure that it isn't a corporate set up as was suggested. Two of them in that department went to lunch together and one came back and told me that they had both had 2 beers. I was told that the other one had been swerving all over the road. The main perpetrator keeps stating, "fire me, please".

I was upset when I asked for advice on this topic. I have had this person make condescending comments to me after they have been drinking. I don't take them seriously anymore. They have been messing up on the job and I'll just let management deal with it how they may. I don't want to get involved in any way shape or form. I had to remind myself that it isn't my job to police my peers. I don't want to be a rat.

Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Oklahoma

The thing is skibunny,years ago you could go too your fellow worker and say nock it of you idiot are you trying to get fired or what, and most of the time that would be enough....But nowadays you can't hardly say a thing or even tell somone without being labeld a trouble maker or a snitch...Hell these kids today don't care, the will cut tires damage windshields or anything else they can think of to get back at someone..Even if we follow corp rules. They will think it's someones else's falt they got fired not thiers. They can never blame themselves...If the problem continues pick up the phone call LP and just say (without giving your name) you really need too check on the drunk employee in plumbing and hang up. Our OP'S manager fired a guy for alwas talking on his cell while on the floor.Warned a number of times, later that night 4 sliced tires...
Just sit back and enjoy the show Rock on!

Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

So you just sit back and "enjoy" the show? Coward? You don't let punk thieves, and cut throats get away with anything. I didn't get here all these years by laying down and letting someone run over me. Never did, never will. There is certainly a rank and file and channels to go by, but, never, never, even if you are a lady, let anyone run over you. I am not a "bad boy" even though I have fought, been cut, shot, and faced a few bad times, but no one has to lay down, roll over, and play dead to some deadbeat that decides to cut my tires! You can take if you want to, but, I choose not to. Watch the movie, Alice, wonderland is just up around the corner and you supply your own popcorn! Rock on!

Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 546

The thing is that this person drinking while on lunch and then returning to work is almost 65 years old. I doubt that they would slash any tires but they definately have difficulty accepting responsibility for their own actions.

I'll share some popcorn if anyone else wants to watch along with me. I am just going to watch the entertainment.

Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Oklahoma

Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

Partial Quote:"Oh and as far as me being a coward." End Quote.

You'll get no problem from me. It was a multiple choice question. I hate it that just because women are women and many men think they cannot take care of problems. I adore them and would do anything for the ladies in my store. Most are smarter then many men give them credit. For any of us to tell them to take a back seat, is just not right. You and I may just come from the same pod. I was not trying to give you any grief, just got a wake up when, just because skibunny is/might be a female that she would just have to sit back and watch. I give women lots of credit on how to handle things and they don't have to just "take it" type thing. You are correct in saying I do not know you and that is ok, I respect anyone and would not give any trouble to anyone on any board intentionally, unless they came at me first. I apoligize for any harm I did and mean you no trouble at all.

Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 461

Years ago at my old store there was a guy that with a picker went too high in receiving and clipped a sprinkler head. It caused flooding and ultimatly caused about 30K worth of damage. The store had to close down for 60-90 minutes (on a sunday too so it was all ot)

damaged a bit of some sos stuff...if it happened further in the electrical area it could have shorted out the store...

Supposedly he was drinking quite a bit but no one really mensioned it. then again no one knew there was a manual release so he had to jump off

You can NOT drink while on the clock. but what you do off clock is your own business. Responsibility is the key here like anything else. If someone wanted to simply just drink they could just buy a bottle and drink it during lunch and not go to a resturant.

I have never personally seen anyone employed by lowes ever drunk (there was technically one girl that physically couldn't really work but found out later she was addicted to pain meds...she came out of rehab prior to applying) customers on the other hand I have seen high or drunk while coming in....

Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 26 Location: Michigan

According to lowe's policy, you have to stop drinking 4 hours before your shift. I believe it's longer if you are a delivery driver. This obviously doesn't give you the opportunity to drink on your lunch.

Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 21

We did in fact have a drinker at our store. He was hired as a specialist and passed all the tests and interviews. One day he fell over on something and that started a reality check for some, but when he was found in Mill Work on the floor, saying he should not have come in that day and smelled totally of beer, they decided what he was saying was very true and also told him to go ahead and take the next day and the next day and the next day, etc. Never saw him anymore after that. Real nice guy too, just liked liquid food a whole lot.

Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 10

If I were in that position, and a co-workers behavior was negatively affecting things. I'd anonymously throw them under the bus.

We had a flooring specialist who would smoke pot every day before coming in to work. It made him an excellent salesman, but he was lazy. Never pulled a p/l or an install order, never did much of the closing duties, nothing. But he would always have highest sales in the store. One day the other flooring specialist saw him hit one of my french door displays with a star wars while trying to get a pallet of tile into his flooring aisle. Put a huge dent in the door, bent the threshold, broke the door jamb off and left a streak of yellow across the whole thing. He anonymously wrote an email to our stores HR as well as the District HR saying the date and time of the incident, location to look for on the cameras and then added that they "should probably drug test him."

He was fired.

I've worked for three and a half years at Lowe's and every day I came in stone cold sober, worked as hard as I could and tried to keep my complaining to a minimum. My rule is that if I don't do the behavior in question, then I'll report it. If I also do the same behavior in question then I'll keep my mouth shut. The worst thing I probably do on the job is put returns on pallets of freight when closing if I'm running out of time or something. Forget that crap, I'd tell H.R

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