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Nov 13, 2014

My son broke his ankle. Now, at 66 years old, I have to do all the work myself! : (

Guest

Hey Chuck, sorry to hear that,..but I guess just be glad you have the know how to get the work done. Maybe another relative or acquaintance could give you a hand? They don't need to know as much as you,..just get them to go along and be an extra hand for the non-essential things,..and also someone to talk it up with.

Jeff

-- Edited by Raystown Roof Cleaning Central PA 1-800-236-0322 on Friday 14th of November 2014 06:40:37 AM

Guest

Wise words from Jeff as always.

Hang in there Chuck. I know that you've been through a lot. Mighty fine looking family that son of your has!

Advantage Roof Cleaning · Nov 14, 2014

Sorry to hear about your son's accident but thank God it wasn't worse like a broken neck. Can you hire some temp help from a local temp agency?

RCIA Founder

Sorry to hear that Chuck cry

Everytime I place a help wanted AD on Craigslist, we have 25 or more applicants!

Nov 15, 2014

RE: My son broke his ankle. Now, at 66 years old, I have to do all the work myself! : ( - THANKS EVERYONE!

DwayneM · Guest

RE: My son broke his ankle. Now, at 66 years old, I have to do all the work myself! : (

Nov 15, 2014

DwayneM wrote:
Wish I was closer, I'd give you a helping hand. Good luck to you.

Thanks Dwayne!

RCIA members are nice folks!

Another member already offered to drive over 100 miles to help me!

I no longer have a large paycheck going out to my son weekly [although I did pay him the equivalent of 3 weeks pay and will continue to help him as it may be needed.

With my work, I just called customers and cancelled all the hard and farthest away stuff, leaving me to do the short, easier jobs myself.

Hiring people is a pain in too many different ways. Been there-done that!

Troy Layman · Guest

So sorry to hear about your son getting injured. I'll keep him in my prayers. Won't workman's comp cover him for on the job injuries?

Nov 17, 2014

Thanks Troy. No, he had his own business too and sub-contracted from me.
I am training a worker for him at 9am this morning and then all week on both of our jobs. maybe he will work out?

Troy Layman · Guest

Best of luck with the new guy. I hope he works out and learns quickly. Wish I was close enough to lend a hand a couple days, but it's a heck of a trek from Virginia.

Any idea yet how long he will be out and recovering?

RCIA Founder

Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 wrote:
Thanks Troy. No, he had his own business too and sub-contracted from me.
I am training a worker for him at 9am this morning and then all week on both of our jobs. maybe he will work out?

Work Release Centers have guys that HAVE to work, and show up, and plus, you get tax breaks for hiring them

They are drug tested, and some will be on work release for up to one year.

Nov 18, 2014

Thanks Chris!
I just looked into it and probably because there is no sizable city near me, I didn't find any Work Release Center.
I also looked up "Day Labor" and got nothing in Charlotte County.
At the moment, my son found a young guy [ 25 ish? ]through Craigslist and I have been training him on my son's business jobs and some of my own. We are paying him a minimum of $125.00 a day cash + if he pulls our trailers with his truck, then he gets $20.00 a day more. We don't do work over 15 miles from our homes.
He seems to be learning well and has a good attitude.
He owns a very small lawn / landscape business, but of course, has little to do up until like next April or May.
It makes me nervous to have anyone work for me without doing the "whole thing" Workers Comp, Unemployment Ins, paying 1/2 his Social Security, etc.
My son doesn't own a house, so there's not much he can be sued for, but I could lose mine!
So, I gotta look into going that route!
I HATE TRAINING WORKERS!!!!
I'm worn out and off to bed now. Thanks all for your input and care!

Advantage Roof Cleaning · Nov 19, 2014

Chuck be careful hiring an "employee" without having WCI. You can be putting yourself at risk. If this temp help is truly temporary, you may want to have him sign a contract. The contract should spell out that he is being hired as an INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR NOT AN EMPLOYEE. As always, consult with your attorney.

Troy Layman · Guest

Sounds like a good idea up front, but I'd consult an attorney as well. I'm not sure how responsible you would be to the state for managing the inmate, but some of these inmates have been known to wander off, a few have assaulted people, all which boggles my mind as they are prime for being released so unless they want to stay incarcerated, you'd think they would behave.

Another thing to ask about is if the work release person would be wearing a GPS tracking device. Some are required to wear them, some are not. I'm not sure if it varies by inmate or by location, but I'd feel I was putting my company at risk for bad reviews and press if I showed up with a helper wearing an ankle bracelet and the customer was offended, angry or scared. That would be something that could follow your company for a while. Another thought is that some places have the deputies stop by the places of work and check up on the people, and some also have them taken to and from the work site by deputies, which also would leave a bad taste in customers mouths.

My wife was...well, not treated correct 100% of the time growing up by people outside the family and I know my wife would not have been happy if this happened but she probably would have just locked the doors and dealt with it or left the house, or simply asked you to return when I got home. Now that we have a 4 YO daughter though, she would likely rip you a new one and kick you off the property and follow up with calls to the BBB, Angie's List, HomeAdvisor, negative reviews on your webpage if you have one and anybody else she could get to listen to her. Don't get me wrong, we believe in giving people a second chance, but having someone possibly roll up in a police car wearing an ankle bracelet and then being told that they will be working at your house when the customer doesn't know you either and they don't know what the inmate was incarcerated for and what risk they could be to them or their children...a lot of people may freak out. I'd definitely do some due diligence before taking that route.

RCIA Founder

Troy Layman wrote:
Sounds like a good idea up front, but I'd consult an attorney as well. I'm not sure how responsible you would be to the state for managing the inmate, but some of these inmates have been known to wander off, a few have assaulted people, all which boggles my mind as they are prime for being released so unless they want to stay incarcerated, you'd think they would behave.

Another thing to ask about is if the work release person would be wearing a GPS tracking device. Some are required to wear them, some are not. I'm not sure if it varies by inmate or by location, but I'd feel I was putting my company at risk for bad reviews and press if I showed up with a helper wearing an ankle bracelet and the customer was offended, angry or scared. That would be something that could follow your company for a while. Another thought is that some places have the deputies stop by the places of work and check up on the people, and some also have them taken to and from the work site by deputies, which also would leave a bad taste in customers mouths.

My wife was...well, not treated correct 100% of the time growing up by people outside the family and I know my wife would not have been happy if this happened but she probably would have just locked the doors and dealt with it or left the house, or simply asked you to return when I got home. Now that we have a 4 YO daughter though, she would likely rip you a new one and kick you off the property and follow up with calls to the BBB, Angie's List, HomeAdvisor, negative reviews on your webpage if you have one and anybody else she could get to listen to her. Don't get me wrong, we believe in giving people a second chance, but having someone possibly roll up in a police car wearing an ankle bracelet and then being told that they will be working at your house when the customer doesn't know you either and they don't know what the inmate was incarcerated for and what risk they could be to them or their children...a lot of people may freak out. I'd definitely do some due diligence before taking that route.

The guy we hired had no prior criminal record, or any drug or alcohol history either. And certainly no ankle bracelet! He was arrested, and pled guilty to dealing in stolen property, a felony. He said a guy owed him some money, and gave him an expensive ceiling fan for the money he owed him. He tried to return the brand new ceiling fan to the store it was sold from, and was arrested!

He was sentenced to 1 year in the county jail, and eligible for work release.

Felons are all over the place, they cut your grass, paint your home, fix your car, and prepare and serve your food.

I recently found out that most car washes here in Tampa use work release prisoners, and Taco Bell turns the other way about arrests, unless they are violent.

Guest

"The State of Florida has determined that it is an important interest of the state to ensure injured worker have some form of relief in the event they are injured as a result of work related activities. In keeping with the intent to further that interest, and with few exceptions, Florida employers with four (4) or more employees, whether full- or part-time, must provide workers’ compensation insurance to their employees."

Nov 21, 2014

Hi Ted!
According to that, I'm not required to have WC ? I would have 1 employee.
Of course, I guess they could still sue me and take my house?

Guest

Bergman Roof Cleaning Port Charlotte FL 941-698-1959 wrote:
Hi Ted!
According to that, I'm not required to have WC ? I would have 1 employee.
Of course, I guess they could still sue me and take my house?

There are other ways to cover your personal assets Chuck, but your best bet would be to consult an expert, which I am not

A PLUP, or Personal Liability Umbrella Plan is one way to cover your assets. Your insurance agent should be able to explain it in detail, and if it would suffice for financial protection. ( In additional, I carry $1M in insurance for all of my cars AND on my house. We spend all of these years building up our assets and net worth - need to make sure that no one can take it from us! )

Wishing for better times ahead for you Chuck.

Nov 21, 2014

Thanks Ted, good information!
Better times would be nice, but I was doing badly, before my son broke his ankle.
This is insanity! I fret constantly over my son. The 2nd specialist he went to [the first one sent him to a more experienced specialist] told him that he can expect multiple surgeries and even if the surgeries all go well, he can only hope for a 50% chance of being able to walk on it. That's terrible! 36 years old, 7 and 9 year old little girls and not much hope for the future! Roof cleaning and pressure washing is all he's ever done.
He hired a guy and I have worked day after day training him. He's catching on pretty well, but how long will he stay, before I'm training another guy for him?
Meanwhile, I'm trying to do my own work too.
Talk about stress and pain!! OUCH!

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum "Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"

The Roof Cleaning Institute Of America Training & Certification Forum
"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"