when an interviewer wants to talk to the candidate’s wife by Alison Green on February 24, 2025 A reader writes: My father-in-law was visiting over the weekend. He started talking about how my brother-in-law is job-hunting to escape new company ownership. At one of my brother-in-law’s interviews, the employer asked to talk to his wife (my sister-in-law, who isn’t employed and cares for my three young nephews). I was so surprised that […] Read the full article →
did I help my mother embezzle money? by Alison Green on January 29, 2025 A reader writes: This is not a current issue, but it’s something that has been eating at me for a long time. I’m trying to figure out if I unwittingly helped someone embezzle money. I believe the statute of limitations has passed for this (potential) crime in the state that it took place in. It […] Read the full article →
I don’t want to babysit my brother in my office by Alison Green on January 22, 2025 A reader writes: This letter has a lot of personal issues attached to it, but I swear this is job-related. My mother is trying to strong-arm me into letting my 13-year-old brother stay in my office with me after school since his school is close to where I work. I’ve had an exhausting feud with […] Read the full article →
my friend has terrible judgment, and I’ve encouraged it by Alison Green on January 15, 2025 A reader writes: A few years ago, I got a promotion in a different country. The organization I had previously worked at went through a re-structure and my position was eliminated. My good friend Suzie was promoted into a position that was very similar to my former position, but higher on the org chart and […] Read the full article →
I’m angry at my coworkers — can I refuse their apology? by Alison Green on January 8, 2025 A reader writes: I was out for a few days recently for personal reasons and came back to discover that two of my colleagues have done something incredibly thoughtless that has completely screwed up a major work product for me and then lied about it to my supervisor, saying I was involved in the decision. […] Read the full article →
I just found out my BFF has been my employee’s therapist for years by Alison Green on November 25, 2024 A reader writes: I have been the direct supervisor of Bob since 2022, but I was also previously his supervisor in another position, I have worked with him in some capacity for almost 10 years. In many ways, he has been my closest friend at work: we work together on many projects and I often […] Read the full article →
is my girlfriend’s CEO hitting on her? by Alison Green on November 20, 2024 A reader writes: I previously have asked you a question about whether my girlfriend’s CEO was overstepping (#2 at the link). You very kindly answered my question and I followed your advice and happily let it go as I believed the CEO wasn’t overstepping his professional boundaries. At least not until recently when I read […] Read the full article →
my brother is my business partner and he keeps going MIA by Alison Green on November 11, 2024 A reader writes: I wrote you way back in 2021 when I was trying to decide whether or not to stay in the family business, and in 2024 I sent you my update. I’ve since stepped into the role of CEO, for better or worse, and am now facing an ongoing issue for the first […] Read the full article →
my abusive father is a beloved public figure — and we have to attend an event together by Alison Green on October 9, 2024 A reader writes: I’m estranged from my father, who was a truly terrible emotional abuser — maybe physical too, if you consider “kick child out of car for turning the volume down during a good song so now he has to walk home along the highway for an hour” child endangerment. We haven’t spoken in […] Read the full article →
I manage my partner and he doesn’t know his job is being cut by Alison Green on October 9, 2024 A reader writes: I’m the assistant manager of a workplace where my partner also works. In fact, we met there — when I started working here, we were both in the same customer-facing role, and about a year ago I got the assistant manager role. We’ve so far made this work, although it has been […] Read the full article →