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 →
when your teenager dates your boss’s son and it goes bad by Alison Green on August 28, 2024 A reader writes: I know that you’ve repeatedly discussed how romantic relationships at work can be problematic, but how do you navigate it when it’s your child? I was catching up with a friend (Sara) who told me that her teenage daughter had started dating Sara’s boss’s teenage son. Sara didn’t want to forbid the […] Read the full article →
can I secretly book time off for my partner to take her on a surprise trip? by Alison Green on August 27, 2024 A reader writes: I’m looking to book a birthday getaway for myself and my partner in the next few months. It is nothing extreme, just a long weekend away that might require a Friday and a Monday off. I’d like to keep it a surprise until the week of the getaway. Would it be inappropriate […] Read the full article →
my friend is in trouble for attendance issues caused by her dad being sick by Alison Green on May 23, 2024 A reader writes: I’m wondering if you have any advice on encouraging a coworker (or former coworker) to stand up for themselves. I have a feeling there’s not a lot I can do, but I feel so helpless watching this situation. My former coworker and friend, Jane, is still at the job where we met. […] Read the full article →
I’m supposed to fire my husband’s ex-wife by Alison Green on May 21, 2024 A reader writes: I have recently accepted a job I am excited about. I have been working a long time to get to this level of position. I am taking a week off before starting my new position. While I was interviewing for the new position, they mentioned that one of my potential direct reports, […] Read the full article →
friend drama may collide with job hunt by Alison Green on April 25, 2024 A reader writes: I have a friend, Jane, who I used to be close to, but in the past few years she’s been very hot and cold, going through periods of being almost clingy and then turning on a dime to become unresponsive or even kind of annoyed that I’m talking to her. This has […] Read the full article →
I manage my sister, and she overshares about her breaks and sick time by Alison Green on April 10, 2024 A reader writes: I’m hoping you can help me with this conundrum. This situation is complicated by the fact that this is a family business, and all employees are my relatives and/or their romantic partners, but we have virtual assistant team members (independent contractors or third party services) who are party to these conversations. Background: […] Read the full article →
my friends are entitled contractors who are overstepping work boundaries by Alison Green on March 11, 2024 A reader writes: I have two friends, Drake and Josh, who I know from a retail job I had years ago. Drake and Josh work as contractors for Company A, which holds a big event at the end of every quarter. Company A holds the event across multiple cities at various venues and hires contractors […] Read the full article →
I might run into the person whose life I ruined at a work event by Alison Green on March 5, 2024 A reader writes: Almost a decade ago, I found out my fiancé (who I had been with for many years) was still with Sarah, the woman he had been dating for years before we got together — the one he told me he had broken up with to date me. It broke my heart and […] Read the full article →