EMPLOYMENT LAW: Two DWP Utility Crew Workers Face Termination for Misconduct and Dereliction of Duty

May 19, 2010

Los Angeles – Two utility crew workers are about to be terminated by the Department of Water and Power (DWP) after being caught on video drinking alcoholic beverage and spending a couple of hours in a strip club while on the job.

In the investigative report by CBS-2, several crew workers were caught on video drinking beer while operating utility trucks and spent some time inside Alameda Strip for about two hours to pass time while it was raining.

CBS-2’s David Goldstein even interviewed a former DWP employee who said that going to the strip club on rainy days may already be a tradition and crew workers do drink alcohol and get lap dances while inside the club.

Utility crew workers are supposed to work in the yard when it rains.

According to DWP general manager Austin Beutner, the misconduct termination proceedings have started against the two crew workers.

He added that the DWP is still conducting investigation against the other workers caught on video.