if your hours have been cut, you can collect unemployment benefits by Alison Green on March 23, 2020 You should know that if your hours are cut due to coronavirus (or for any other reason), you can file for unemployment benefits in your state. I’ve heard from some people who incorrectly believed they had to be fully unemployed before they’d be eligible for unemployment. While rules vary from state to state, that’s generally […] Read the full article →
how do I deal with a boss who “yells” in angry emails? by Alison Green on March 23, 2020 A reader writes: I was hoping to get your advice on how to approach my boss about the way we communicate when he gets … shall we say, “easily agitated.” I report to a single manager (Bob) but routinely pick up projects for a number of other managers (all of whom who sit between Bob […] Read the full article →
the person who had my job before me won’t go away by Alison Green on March 23, 2020 A reader writes: How involved should a former employee be in current work? My predecessor, Gaius, had a terrible run in the director position, did a nightmarish job for 20 years, and finally retired two years ago. He neglected his duties, never finished projects, and left a disaster zone (literally, the fire marshall cited the […] Read the full article →
I think my coworker is lying about having a sick kid by Alison Green on March 23, 2020 A reader writes: If you were our boss, would you want to know this or I should I ignore it? I have a coworker who has a sick kid. He frequently needs to take time off. My other coworkers and my boss and I are always understanding. We have done his work when he is […] Read the full article →
my company is doing drive-bys to check that I’m in isolation, my awful old coworker is joining my new company, and more by Alison Green on March 23, 2020 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My company is doing drive-bys to check that I’m in isolation I live in a country where they’ve requested that all persons returning from an international trip self-isolate for two weeks. I returned home from a trip abroad a few days ago and went into […] Read the full article →
how do you turn off a crisis management mindset after finishing work each day? by Alison Green on March 22, 2020 A reader writes: I am a manager deemed an “essential personnel” and have a lot of responsibility for other people. With crushingly short notice, I put together office sanitization routines, created and mandated a teleworking system for my entire group, created workflows that accommodate flexible schedules due to school closings and the like, solved logistic […] Read the full article →
weekend free-for-all – March 21-22, 2020 by Alison Green on March 21, 2020 This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. (This one is truly no work and no school.) Book recommendation of the week: Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles. In 1930s New York, a typist gets drawn into the city’s social elite. An enjoyable distraction. * I make […] Read the full article →
Ask a Manager in the media by Alison Green on March 20, 2020 Here’s some coverage of Ask a Manager in the media recently: I’m in the New York Times talking about job worries in the age of coronavirus, including advice for college students and freelancers. I’m also in the New York Times talking about the etiquette around DMs (direct messages). I talked to PBS about helicopter parents […] Read the full article →
open thread – March 20-21, 2020 by Alison Green on March 20, 2020 It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. A special note: For […] Read the full article →
gross webcam behavior, leaning on coworkers for emotional support, and more by Alison Green on March 20, 2020 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Gross webcam behavior My team is having daily video catch-ups, but one colleague (senior to me but not my boss) constantly picks at his face throughout the meeting. On one unfortunately memorable occasion, not realizing the rest of the team were already on the call, […] Read the full article →