15 minutes to shift change and the name on the call sheet is a person you know to always be the last one in and the first one out.
You've got stuff to get done today after you get off duty, but nothing that can't wait an hour or two when the phone rings.
Your relief says he forgot to set his alarm and needs you to stay as a favor until he can make the one hour drive to the station.
You know from your previous run ins it will likely be twice as long and they haven't paid you back for previous stand bys yet.
The boss wants to know if you're standing by for your relief or if he will officially be absent in 15 minutes.
You make the call.
You've got stuff to get done today after you get off duty, but nothing that can't wait an hour or two when the phone rings.
Your relief says he forgot to set his alarm and needs you to stay as a favor until he can make the one hour drive to the station.
You know from your previous run ins it will likely be twice as long and they haven't paid you back for previous stand bys yet.
The boss wants to know if you're standing by for your relief or if he will officially be absent in 15 minutes.
You make the call.
Comments
It is good to take care of your brothers, but there also has to be a limit. At some point, he needs to either pay back the time owed, or start coming to work on time.
Having been in just this situation, I say it depends. It depends on how many times he has boned you over on time, how frequently, your mood at the time and the reaction of the others on crew. If everyone is tired of Johnny come late, it may be time to let management start the disciplinary process.
Been there and been asked to do that on many occassions. I am always happy to help out, unless it drops me or my family in it, but I have also been taken advantage of plenty of times too. There are some on my station who I will always help out and there are some who have used up their favours with me.
I wouldn't tell anyone what to do in this situation, but I can tell you what I would do (unless it is a day that sets my family into a problem, then it's personal).
I have pride in my work and the job I do. I would hang in and cover for the asshole. I would not want to leave the shift short-handed, that is just wrong. But I would ask his Officer if I might have a word with him when he arrives. I would ask him/her if he/she has a drinking or drug problem because I am seeing a pattern and am thinking that the best thing to do might be to report my observations for the good of that person. Perhaps he/she needs help and has not recognized it yet. I am offering to be there for him/her and see that help is delivered. If that doesn't shake him/her up, then I make a promise that the next time this happens, I will set the wheels in motion to get the system involved. He/She will be listed as late/missing and they can deal with it. It is in the best interest of that person to get their life together and be able to perform a simple act like showing up on time for work.
I will be clear that I am concerned about his/her safety and security as well as that of his/her crew and know this will be for the best interest of all concerned.
But that's just me,
Capt. Tom
I am a push over - if I was given short notice to stay late after my shift, I would do it. I don't want to leave the on coming shift short, nor do I want compromise the 'care' the community gets when they call 9-1-1 (Something tells my the Courts, Lawyer, and (Grieving) Family members just won't accept this answer as an excuse to why their family member died as a result of call 9-1-1 and not getting the help they required - 'I am truly sorry you (Insert Family Members Title Name) died as a result of calling 9-1-1 and getting the RAM message (the message the plays when there are NO 9-1-1 Officers available to pick up a 9-1-1 call) but we were short staffed because an employee was late to work'.
Personally, I would work, and then bring this to the attention of Said Late Employee and my Employer. I would also mention to the then both, that the Late Employee has still have not paid me back for all the other times I covered their ass, and that I would like that to start happening, and then when they call in next time with 'a favor' I may be inclined to say NO and allow the disciple process to start (now I use the word 'may' here because of the reasons I mention earlier - I would probably still work for the Late Employee but at this point I would allow the disciple process to start).
We have had this happen at our 9-1-1 Centre a few times before, sometime it is easy to fix 'Have have you ever thought of using an alarm clock instead of your bodies internal clock' or 'well, I guess you are going to have to leave earlier then you currently do because traffic seems to be heavier on the roads you choose to take to work'.
I don't know about anyone else here, but I feel absolutely horrible when I am late for work, and I think it looks bad for my character, so I try as hard as I can to NOT be late for work, but well I am unable to control what happens when I am asleep eg. the power goes out for 7 hrs, so my alarm clock doesn't go off, or that when I went to bed it snowed heavily and NO ONE knows and remembers how to drive on the snowy and icy roads.
Hey and when I am late, I have found a box of Timmie's goes a long way to say 'I am sorry'.