The boss is skipping town on everyone

[ForTheArborist]

I noticed he was slacking off on sales this week, and he was having trouble lining up work. He's never had that problem before. Any work he did line up, he wasn't getting prices that he could profit on after paying us and paying for costs to do the jobs. I start getting worried because I didn't think this guy could get this company through a summer, and I've been depending on this. I already knew he had trouble with managing a business, but it was nothing I couldn't keep tabs on and patch up. As long as he kept those customers paying him top dollar, I thought things were going great. I had a salary.

By the end of this week he wasn't picking up the client checks. He was delaying paying us. It was looking shady, and crew became angry and highly concerned about not being paid. One of them went over to one of the HO's to get paid directly from an HO, and it worked. Otherwise the rest of us wait to be paid quite a bit of money.

The boss called us all lousy, slow, hazardous, white trash bunch, but that was only after he tried to sell his company to me for $10,000. I said he had nothing to buy, and I would not be buying his imagination. After that it was on. He threatened to have me locked up if I went to his wife's house (only known address listed on his new/second known contractor license listing online) or if went collecting checks from any more HO's. Then he says he doesn't owe me as much as he does. I have a chart I update every day showing what is owed to everyone. He has told me that he keep track of things in his head, and he writes nothing down.

Basically he's acting like I and the crew screwed up, and I'm fired for lying and causing him grief. We all know he's pulling the plug and moving out of town. I haven't lied or been trouble since I've known the guy, but I get serious about his unusual business actions this week, and suddenly he starts piling the mud on thick. He's a con too. Total con. I've seen him do his work.

Basically the truth is that he wasn't going to tell anyone he took the first trip up state to move his stuff to his new house. He still hasn't said anything about being out of town, but we know he's out of town because he hasn't picked up any of the client checks for this week. I don't know that he would have or plans on picking up the checks skipping town without paying.

At least I can sell the few saws and power pruner for the amount he owes me. I definitely want to keep the power pruner...and his smart phone.

 

[Tree Pig]

I noticed he was slacking off on sales this week, and he was having trouble lining up work. He's never had that problem before. Any work he did line up, he wasn't getting prices that he could profit on after paying us and paying for costs to do the jobs. I start getting worried because I didn't think this guy could get this company through a summer, and I've been depending on this. I already knew he had trouble with managing a business, but it was nothing I couldn't keep tabs on and patch up. As long as he kept those customers paying him top dollar, I thought things were going great. I had a salary.

By the end of this week he wasn't picking up the client checks. He was delaying paying us. It was looking shady, and crew became angry and highly concerned about not being paid. One of them went over to one of the HO's to get paid directly from an HO, and it worked. Otherwise the rest of us wait to be paid quite a bit of money.

The boss called us all lousy, slow, hazardous, white trash bunch, but that was only after he tried to sell his company to me for $10,000. I said he had nothing to buy, and I would not be buying his imagination. After that it was on. He threatened to have me locked up if I went to his wife's house (only known address listed on his new/second known contractor license listing online) or if went collecting checks from any more HO's. Then he says he doesn't owe me as much as he does. I have a chart I update every day showing what is owed to everyone. He has told me that he keep track of things in his head, and he writes nothing down.

Basically he's acting like I and the crew screwed up, and I'm fired for lying and causing him grief. We all know he's pulling the plug and moving out of town. I haven't lied or been trouble since I've known the guy, but I get serious about his unusual business actions this week, and suddenly he starts piling the mud on thick. He's a con too. Total con. I've seen him do his work.

Basically the truth is that he wasn't going to tell anyone he took the first trip up state to move his stuff to his new house. He still hasn't said anything about being out of town, but we know he's out of town because he hasn't picked up any of the client checks for this week. I don't know that he would have or plans on picking up the checks skipping town without paying.

At least I can sell the few saws and power pruner for the amount he owes me. I definitely want to keep the power pruner...and his smart phone.

Well I hope he doesnt read this forum genius... you are openly talking about committing larceny. I know he is a douche for screwing you but if he asks or demands them back you are stealing. Right wrong or indifferent I dont give a crap but why go telling everyone... not to mention I would have to think you are breaking a forum rule or something.

By the way didnt you use to spew some bs about running your own business?

 

[ForTheArborist]

Ya, I was thinking it would be larceny, but if he's not around to pick up his tools, what is it then.

BS businesses??? No problem.

 

[Pelorus]

Had a "tree guy" once owe me a pile of $$$ for I job I contract climbed for him. Wouldn't pay, wouldn't answer the phone.
Months went by, and I get some serious hate on. Drove out to his place one night after work (close to an hour each way). He wan't home, but his girlfriend was. Nice enough girl, but hooked up with a loser.

Only thing lying around was a splitting maul. I took it. She musta told him cause the next day I get a phone call from the cops.
Seriously. I get told basically that taking his maul is a CRIMINAL matter, but him owing me money is a CIVIL matter.
Ended up having to return the damn maul, and getting a collection agency to go after the scumbag. Got paid, minus the 30% or whatever it was the hounds got to keep for harassing him.

 

[newsawtooth]

Ya, I was thinking it would be larceny, but if he's not around to pick up his tools, what is it then.

BS businesses??? No problem.

Man, sorry to hear it FTA. Tough market out there in CA, unless Jeffers is around. The Tree Pig is probably right though, what with the larceny and all. What is the plan now?

 

[treeslayer]

shut up and handle business offline. he took you cause you let him. sorry bro. :bang:

next trees free, on his f ucking house.

 

[ForTheArborist]

He doesn't even have a house. He lived in a trailer which he supposedly just sold for much needed cash to fund his precarious life style. Oh, and now he's not moving, and he is holding me to being a subcontractor though I've been climbing supervisor.

I lost control of a small palm tree log over a garage on Friday, and it caused a few hundred dollars of damage. I said I would get a few bids on the repair job, and I would take care of the HO from there out. He agreed to that. We agreed to let me collect the bill for the Friday removal job, and I would handle the cost of the repair. No problem. The HO's payment would go towards the money he owed me. I collect all fuel, dump, and payroll costs from him plus a daily salary, so he owed me quite a bit.

On Saturday morning he said he wanted to sell me the company, and that he is moving. Since I was no longer an employee, I would not be handling any more customers or repair issues. I canceled any contractor estimates for the day.

Right this minute the guy is saying I was a sub contractor, and he is going to deduct the cost of the repair from what he owes me. I told him that I don't even have a contractors license, I never agreed to being a sub, and that liability comes with being a business owner. I'm waiting for his text back now.

 

[mikewhite85]

What part of cali you in? I need another climber. 818.299.0155

A boss should never make an employee pay for damage. You should start working for someone else.

 

[ForTheArborist]

What's great is that I happened to hire a few A+ crew members two weeks ago. The climber I hired has a lot of marketing and business management experience. We're going to try doing our own thing starting this week. Basically I'll be doing the same thing for the same salary because, and he's going to handle sales, liability and some climbing.

 

[2treeornot2tree]

Had a "tree guy" once owe me a pile of $$$ for I job I contract climbed for him. Wouldn't pay, wouldn't answer the phone.
Months went by, and I get some serious hate on. Drove out to his place one night after work (close to an hour each way). He wan't home, but his girlfriend was. Nice enough girl, but hooked up with a loser.

Only thing lying around was a splitting maul. I took it. She musta told him cause the next day I get a phone call from the cops.
Seriously. I get told basically that taking his maul is a CRIMINAL matter, but him owing me money is a CIVIL matter.
Ended up having to return the damn maul, and getting a collection agency to go after the scumbag. Got paid, minus the 30% or whatever it was the hounds got to keep for harassing him.

If she was cute, you should have tried to get a non monitary payment from her! :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[ForTheArborist]

So I guess I'm going to talk to a few customers today. One of them I'm in with well, and she still has to pay her half of a bill she went in half with a neighbor. Another tree customer from long ago actually called the police on the boss to have him put in the county mental ward for 24 hours on suicide watch. They hand cuffed him on the HO's property, and they handed him in. The boss said something about what happened was because the HO misinterpreted him, but I is leaning towards he is a liar, and I want to hear what the customer says.

Then there is the last customer to talk to today. I'm going to explain the bosses behavior and BS business practices to him, and see if I cannot get payment for the work I did over there. I'll get a repair guy to quote the repair work, and I'll let the HO pay him, and cut me the remainder of the bill. I can probably get the stump removal work from him too. Otherwise boss is just telling me he's not giving me a dime unless I fix the roof, and that he just wants to do what is right. What is right is he's liable. I was about to pay for that roof as an employee, but when the **** hit the fan, I said no way.

Then there is the boss's wife. I know where she lives. I'll just stop by to show her some of these texts from the boss to confirm any of her suspicions about him. It's no wonder she lives in the house, and he's been living in the camper trailer at the RV park.


This is nuts. Now I'm going to basically go to the State License Board, so they can deny him any contracting license privileges for the rest of his life, and I'm going to go on line to explain the guy's character and methods on review boards.

This guy spiked live trees, and he even fell out of a tree with a power pruner. He's not just a hack. He's dumb scum.

 

[ForTheArborist]

Sorry about the excessive ranting on the board. I'm just seeing what perspective the tree vets might have on situations like this.

 

[NCTREE]

Holy ####!!! FTA is back!

 

[Tree Pig]

The picture you are painting for us is not a pretty one and I'm not talking about your job or your boss.

Now he is going to commit fraud and there will be witnesses... The customers will point their fingers right at him and next thing you know FTA will stand for Failure to Appear when he is due in court.

 

[ForTheArborist]

Now he cut my company phone. He has no communication with me, and I'm still holding his gear. I've been going around to some of the customers to see if he has been stopping in to collect checks. They say yes, and they are disgusted by this guys business practices. They are taking my heed, and warning the friends that they referred him too.

If I go to the state lic. board I assume they'd hang him up for practicing with out a license, no bond, no workers comp, and this refusal to pay while pinning me with liability with him lying about me being a sub contractor thus being liable for payroll and damages. It should be interesting to undertake with the board, and learn a whole new dimension to all of this I did not know before. I like legal stuff.

This guy just had to play it cool, and pay me. Instead he wanted to get personal. He paid the other employees today, but no way not me. Well that's not cool at all, so I'll sick the dogs on him. I'm so sick of this hack.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Hey Ed, would this guy be named Jim and the ex has her own tree biz?
You answered my help wanted ad, but I guess when you found out it was me, you did not call back.
Jeff

 

[mr. holden wood]

Now he cut my company phone. He has no communication with me, and I'm still holding his gear. I've been going around to some of the customers to see if he has been stopping in to collect checks. They say yes, and they are disgusted by this guys business practices. They are taking my heed, and warning the friends that they referred him too.

If I go to the state lic. board I assume they'd hang him up for practicing with out a license, no bond, no workers comp, and this refusal to pay while pinning me with liability with him lying about me being a sub contractor thus being liable for payroll and damages. It should be interesting to undertake with the board, and learn a whole new dimension to all of this I did not know before. I like legal stuff.

This guy just had to play it cool, and pay me. Instead he wanted to get personal. He paid the other employees today, but no way not me. Well that's not cool at all, so I'll sick the dogs on him. I'm so sick of this hack.

Youre both hacks, driving around bothering customers,stealing gear, sendin rounds into garages, you guys are perfect for eachother. You have no one to blame but yourself. Youre only as good as the company you keep. Btw welcome back, youre **** show is always entertaining.

 

[lumberjack333]

When people don't pay, I start walking. I wouldn't have let the bill run that high, first sign of trouble get out. There are too many good companies to work for to be wasting time with the morons.

 

[mckeetree]

Youre both hacks, driving around bothering customers,stealing gear, sendin rounds into garages, you guys are perfect for eachother. You have no one to blame but yourself. Youre only as good as the company you keep. Btw welcome back, youre **** show is always entertaining.

I was thinking the same thing. The whole deal is assclown incorporated. Driving around bugging customers...don't you know they think both of those dudes are some real jackrags. About fifteen years ago there was this total moron that called himself Frank's First Choice Tree Care. Funny how some stick that "care" in their name when they wouldn't "care" if it rained straight up. Anyway, his sidekick was a guy that called himself Bear. I don't know why he called himself Bear because it was just that, HE called HIMSELF Bear. I never heard anybody else call him Bear. They would just call him "Frank's guy" or "That guy that works for that Frank's Tree Care" or something on that order. Those two were around my area for three or so years and you talk about a **** show, now that was one. Bear wouldn't get paid and drive around bothering anybody he could then Frank and his lady would have it out at a customers house. Next Frank disappears for a month or so and Bear breaks into Frank's trailer house looking to steal something. Sounds familiar.

 

[ForTheArborist]

Hey Ed, would this guy be named Jim and the ex has her own tree biz?
You answered my help wanted ad, but I guess when you found out it was me, you did not call back.
Jeff

"Wham!" :hmm3grin2orange: Right back at you.