we’re supposed to forfeit all our vacation days if we’ve worked from home by Alison Green on June 16, 2020 A reader writes: As an HR person for a small employer, I take to heart a lot of your advice and work hard to push the management here to do better. They had plenty of issues before all this, but I truly believed they were trying to change. But with COVID-19, things went downhill fast […] Read the full article →
my employee resigned but now wants to stay by Alison Green on June 16, 2020 A reader writes: We hired Jane four months ago to take over a management position, and I was to partially oversee her, along with my boss, Lucinda. There were some issues on both sides (she had issues with Lucinda and vice versa), and about a month ago Jane told me she was considering giving notice. […] Read the full article →
my abusive former boss is still contacting me to berate me, months after I left by Alison Green on June 16, 2020 A reader writes: A few months ago, I finally left a job where my boss was abusive, thanks in great part to the advice you shared on your website. My new job is incredible, with just the most amazing and supportive manager and team. I was with my old job for a decade in various […] Read the full article →
employee is vaping on video calls, my speaking style seems all wrong for the South, and more by Alison Green on June 16, 2020 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Employee is vaping during video calls I am in a supervisory position for a state government that has moved to work-from-home during the pandemic. We are now holding all of our meetings through virtual interfaces. Recently, another supervisor and I have noticed one of our […] Read the full article →
my boss is telling people I quit because of COVID, but I quit because of her by Alison Green on June 15, 2020 A reader writes: I resigned from my leadership role at a small nonprofit in early May. The other person at my level resigned the next day. We both resigned because the executive director is a narcissist who was not only lying to the community we serve, but also making it virtually impossible for us to […] Read the full article →
updates: banning trash cans unless we sign a pledge never to put food in them, and more by Alison Green on June 15, 2020 Here are four updates from people who had their letters answered here in the past. 1. Banning trash cans unless we sign a pledge never to put food in them Not long after I wrote to you, the director of teapot studies (“Bill”) scheduled a one-on-one meeting with me. The meeting was held in his […] Read the full article →
it’s now illegal to fire someone for being gay or trans by Alison Green on June 15, 2020 As of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this morning, it’s now illegal in the U.S. to fire someone for being gay or trans. Until today, some states protected gay and trans people from being fired simply for being gay or trans, but the majority of states did not. That protection now extends to the entire country. […] Read the full article →
is it disingenuous to call a situation with a pet a “family emergency”? by Alison Green on June 15, 2020 A reader writes: Is it disingenuous to refer to an incident regarding a foster dog as a “family emergency”? My spouse and I foster dogs, and our current foster has been with us for nearly three months now. Last Thursday, I had our current foster out for a potty break around noon (I’m currently working […] Read the full article →
should I bring my (expert) mom to work, we have to re-interview for our jobs, and more by Alison Green on June 15, 2020 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should I take my (expert) mom to work? I am a first-time duty manager in my mid 20s, one year into my job at a small museum, with everyone at my level at least 10 years my senior, and most of my staff 10-20 years […] Read the full article →
weekend open thread – June 13-14, 2020 by Alison Green on June 13, 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: The Improbability of Love, by Hannah Rothschild. A famous lost painting is found and spurs drama, mystery, romance, and dirty dealing. * I make a […] Read the full article →