how to live with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) at work by Alison Green on January 24, 2024 What if you had a medical condition that caused you to have monthly fits of rage and sorrow? How would you deal with it at work? PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, is a mood condition that impacts 5-8% of menstruators. It can mean wild mood swings, rage, anxiety, depression, and lethargy during the second half […] Read the full article →
a hoarder at work is causing a mouse problem by Alison Green on January 9, 2024 A reader writes: I work in a lab at a university. Back in August, we starting noticing mice. One of the employees in a leadership position, Julie, has a hoarding problem. Her office is full of so many piles of stuff you can’t walk through it, and there are closets full of her stuff as […] Read the full article →
HR says I have a moral obligation to tell everyone I’m autistic by Alison Green on November 6, 2023 A reader writes: I’m a senior manager in a medium-sized organization. We have, in the past, had some issues with the way that neurodivergent employees have been treated — not on my team, but due to the way that they have been managed by other members of the senior management team. We’ve twice had to […] Read the full article →
my employer says we can’t stop patrons from filming us by Alison Green on October 3, 2023 A reader writes: I work at a library in a two-party consent state for recording people. Recently people have been coming in and harassing the staff and filming their reactions. Some of these videos have ended up on social media websites, giving our library a minor amount of fame (much to the staff’s dismay). In […] Read the full article →
how do you find a lawyer for workplace issues? by Alison Green on September 28, 2023 A reader writes: You’ve written before about the scenarios where it might be wise to speak to a lawyer regarding issues at work. Could you talk a little bit about how to find a lawyer for that kind of thing? Is there a speciality or title folks should be looking for? Is it just a […] Read the full article →
the federal government has proposed new overtime rules that could boost your paycheck by Alison Green on September 7, 2023 Last week, the federal government announced a big proposed change to the rules that govern who must receive overtime pay. If it becomes law, your employer would be required to pay you overtime (time and a half for all hours over 40 that you work in a week) unless you earn at least $55,068 annually – […] Read the full article →
is this HR process for accommodations as bananas as it feels? by Alison Green on August 29, 2023 A reader writes: Like many companies, mine recently announced a tightening of hybrid/WFH scheduling. During the pandemic, I started an ongoing series of weekly healthcare appointments via telehealth, which have made a massive improvement in my life. Until now, company policy was that people who are not client-facing could work from the office or from […] Read the full article →
after I resigned, my employer accessed my personal email to find out details about my new job by Alison Green on April 3, 2023 A reader writes: I recently resigned from a job I have been at for nearly 15 years. The workplace became more and more uncomfortable throughout my tenure, with the boss yelling, the staff miserable, and deadlines being constantly changed. My job, which was more creative in nature, expanded to me doing pretty much everything. Eventually, […] Read the full article →
employee says his religion prevents him from using the correct pronouns for trans or non-binary coworkers by Alison Green on March 29, 2023 A reader writes: I’ve got an older employee who has been very forthright with me about his opinion of LGTBQAI2+ people based on his conservative religious beliefs. He says he doesn’t have a problem working with them, but problems started when I explained that if we ever hired someone in our department who identified as […] Read the full article →
when should I tell an interviewer I need disability accommodations? by Alison Green on March 21, 2023 A reader writes: I have a question regarding asking for disability accommodations when getting a new job. I have a circadian rhythm disorder that basically makes me a clinically diagnosed night owl and causes me great pain when getting up at what would be a normal time for most people. When I’m able to sleep […] Read the full article →