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Original poster

What do you think should happen

72 replies

Rosebel · 23/07/2020 13:33

There is a situation that happened at my husbands work and I wonder what your opinion is on this.
So mower driver cuts on a residential road and there's a 10 year old who is fascinated by the mower and watches from his garden (don't know if it's relevant but he has special needs). One of the drivers is lovely waves to him and says hello. The other is a miserable git. The miserable one was on his own cutting one day and told this boy he was fed up of being watched and felt harassed. Also told the mum off.
The mum complained to the company. In your opinion should this driver loose his job or get a warning? Just interested in what others think. The situation has been dealt with but not in the right way imo.

OP posts:
Dogsaresomucheasier · 23/07/2020 13:37

Lots of kids find people and machinery fascinating. The man cutting the grass should be told not to abuse members of the public for being in their home environment, if it were repeated perhaps start a disciplinary process. What did happen?

LatteLover12 · 23/07/2020 13:48

Depends what he actually said.

I don't think the situation you described is worth anyone losing their job.

Lucked · 23/07/2020 13:52

I don’t think anyone should lose a job over it but I suppose some sort of internal review process on the incident. A company apology and a warning to the employee about it.

iklboo · 23/07/2020 13:57

Feeling harassed by being watched by a child? Wow. A Word (capital W) and a company apology.

SoupDragon · 23/07/2020 14:00

It's impossible to tell without knowing exactly what he said. On the bare information given I don't think he should lose his job though.

He doesn't like being stared at, there's nothing wrong with that.

IwishIhadaMargarita · 23/07/2020 14:05

He should be warned to keep his mouth shut. There is no law in public areas about someone watching what you are doing.

Original poster
Rosebel · 23/07/2020 14:05

Formal warning. The other driver and boss went to see the boy and let him sit on the mower and showed him how it worked. Let him use the blower machine.
Obviously this was just before lockdown but my husband has been off since March and onl found out about it when he went back last week.
So they did try and make it up to him but personally I think he should have lost his job. I'm pretty sure if I spoke to a member of the public like that in my job I'd get sacked.

OP posts:
MagentaRocks · 23/07/2020 14:12

Not something to lose a job over. That would be a massive over reaction.

CeibaTree · 23/07/2020 14:20

Why do you think a formal warning was not enough OP - that's a pretty serious outcome. How do you know the 'miserable' driver doesn't have special needs himself and is genuinely uncomfortable being watched?

SoupDragon · 23/07/2020 14:21

I think he should have lost his job

Nice.

maxdash · 23/07/2020 14:29

Depends exactly what was said and how, but definitely not something to sack someone over, especially if it was a first time thing. Personally I think that they were more than generous with what was provided.

Sisterwives · 23/07/2020 14:31

No I don't think he should have lost his job based on what you've said. I also think if someone is using potentially dangerous machinery, it's important that they don't feel distracted.

Lostnameperson · 23/07/2020 14:34

The circumstances around which people expect others should be sacked just seem ridiculous at the moment.
It gets more like 1984 everyday.

Original poster
Rosebel · 23/07/2020 14:38

Well what I think doesn't really matter anyway but I know that's what would happen in my job.
If you have a job working round the public surely you don't have a go at a 10 year old with special needs?
Why not just talk to the mum?

OP posts:
Icequeen01 · 23/07/2020 14:40

If he was swearing at you and was aggressive then I think it might justify him losing his job. However, if he just was moaning and generally being a miserable git then a formal warning would be sufficient in my opinion.

Sisterwives · 23/07/2020 14:47

But did he 'have a go'? Or did he say 'can you stop staring at me/step back, its putting me off/making me feel harassed/pressured'?

Also does he know if the DC has special needs? To be honest, even if he did, if you're working, especially dangerous work, and a member of the public is effecting your ability to do your job safely, it's okay to ask them to stop staring/step back or whatever.

cariadlet · 23/07/2020 14:47

Really surprised by the update. I'd assumed that the miserable driver had been sacked and that you thought that was a massive overreaction.

If you are in a role that you carry out in public view (eg mower driver, bin man) then you need to avoid being rude to the public but you're not obliged to go out of your way to be friendly. It's nice that the other driver waves at the boy but it's not part of his job remit.

That kind of job is very different from a customer facing role where dealing with the public is intrinsic to the job eg retail, receptionist etc.

If there had been previous complaints about the miserable driver then I think a formal written warning would be justified. If this was the first complaint then l, depending on exactly what the driver said, an informal quiet word might have been sufficient.

The owner is presumably worried about bad publicity. I guess that's why he went for a formal written warning and the ott gesture to compensate.

DameMargaretofChalfont · 23/07/2020 14:48

Wow OP - you really are a piece aren't you!!!!

At no point in your OP did you say the "miserable git" "had a go" at the boy.
You're either drip feeding or just not liking the fact not everyone agrees with you.

I think the driver should have been spoken to but even a formal warning is a bit extreme in my view.
As for you wanting him to lose his job for such a relatively minor matter - well that reflects on you doesn't it.

Original poster
Rosebel · 23/07/2020 14:50

It wasn't to me.
I agree that the company did their absolute best to make it up and the mum did praise them on social media but I think the driver who was moaning should have at least apologised for upsetting the boy.
Apparently he has got a bit of an attitude (as, in screaming at the boss if he doesn't agree with something) but no idea if it's down to him having special needs.

OP posts:
lljkk · 23/07/2020 14:51

The mower works for council?
My gut feeling is that a quiet word about being a decent human being (note in employee record) rather than a formal warning (or worse) is the only measure that should happen.
People are allowed to be merely grumpy. It's part of free speech. OP hasn't given specifics beyond the guy was grumpy. I don't know what "told the mum off" consisted of.
I suspect lots will yell at me for having this opinion.

KarlKennedyisaterriblehusband · 23/07/2020 14:51

Op, whats your role in this?

Lucindainthesky · 23/07/2020 14:51

No of course he shouldn't lose his job. He's operating machinery and the boy watching him is obviously making him feel stressed.

NeutralJanet · 23/07/2020 14:55

He shouldn't lose his job, a formal warning is plenty although I'm surprised he hasn't had one of those already if he really screams at his boss when he doesn't get his own way.

AnnaSW1 · 23/07/2020 14:57

Oh Ffs. There's no way he should lose his job

Itisbetter · 23/07/2020 14:57

Employee abuses disabled child for looking at him=warning or the sack
Employee asks child to run along because he is causing a problem = investigation into IF this is a problem, then training as to how to handle things better.

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