work vent/question (long, sorry)

PipSqueak0313 · January 2013

The question is how would you approach this situation? At what point do I speak to HR or the bosses' boss?

My dr put me on half days on 1/4/13 due to having frequent bh in the afternoons that only calm down with resting/laying down. I was having 10-15 strong bh per hour before we decided to try the half day schedule and now the few I have are neither strong nor frequent.

I called boss1 (female, never been pg) shortly after my dr appt to give her the heads up so her and boss2 (male, father of 3) could plan out how to handle me being on half days.

On Tuesday 1/8/13, after not hearing anything from the bosses regarding reducing my workload, I finally asked boss2. His response "We hadn't thought about that. I Guess you can't do in 4 hours what you normally do in 8." WTF!?!?!? So I discussed what I knew I had coming due and what I knew I couldn't do and asked if I should check with my backup person. He told me to wait until he had a chance to check with boss1. Two days later, still no instructions from either boss. My backup person for the tasks I knew I couldn't do, happened to ask me if I needed help with the tasks and otherwise volunteered to complete the parts that HAD to be done by Friday.

While working on getting my other tasks done, and while feeling a bit overwhelmed at the volume of work I had since the bosses still had not given me any feedback on what tasks to work on and which would be re-assigned, I made a few mistakes and boss1 jumped all over me for those mistakes. (I've only been doing this job since July 2012 so I am still learning too) I'm supposed to be leaving at noon but Friday it was 12:45 before I was able to leave and when I left I felt like a total failure at my job and was so depressed as a result (I know, not good for baby and I) I checked in with boss2 (with my coat on, after shutting down my computer) before I left on Friday. He instructed me to have my backup complete one task that he wanted done that day. So I gave the info to my backup.

I get to work today and there is an email from Friday afternoon telling me that I'm not to pass off my work -- that it has to come from one of the bosses. Confused the h out of me but I was in a bitchy mood already (carry over from Friday) so I chose to ignore the email and just concentrate as best as I could on my work.

Later today while talking to boss1, I found out: 1) that boss2 claims he told me I was to complete the task on Friday before I left (45 minutes late already mind you) and that 2) the bosses apparently think that they can wait until 11:45 or later to inform me that I'm not allowed to leave until a task is completed. FWIW, I still have received no feedback from the bosses regarding which tasks are being passed to my backups.

PipSqueak0313 · January 2013

Forgot to add, that as a result of not being told I had to have a task done before I left until 11:45 it was 12:30 when I left work today.

wright129 · January 2013

Wow! I couldn't imagine that! I work in the mortgage business so its pretty high demand wgen i have stuff that needs to get done. But my boss has told me many times to not over due it, even telling me I need to stop skipping lunches and working so much overtime.

I would start by emailing a meeting request to go over your duties and where to pass them, since they have ignored your verbal requests. When they dont respond which it sounds likethey wont then go to boss's boss or hr whichever u have the better relationship with

Is your work load something that could maybe help if instead of 812 you work 102? I dont know what you do but just a suggestion.

CinPitt · January 2013

I agree with emailing them about it so you know what's really happening. Also I would document everything just in case anything happens, it's better to be safe than sorry. If still nothing happens let the HR dep

PipSqueak0313 · January 2013

wright129:
Wow! I couldn't imagine that! I work in the mortgage business so its pretty high demand wgen i have stuff that needs to get done. But my boss has told me many times to not over due it, even telling me I need to stop skipping lunches and working so much overtime. I would start by emailing a meeting request to go over your duties and where to pass them, since they have ignored your verbal requests. When they dont respond which it sounds likethey wont then go to boss's boss or hr whichever u have the better relationship with Is your work load something that could maybe help if instead of 812 you work 102? I dont know what you do but just a suggestion.

Starting/ending work day later would not help because I have twice weekly deadlines at 9am -- I work in the accounting dept doing accounts payable.

happy_un-bride · January 2013

Sucks u are going thru that. I was struggling to keep my head above water at work too.... I was not physically able to work the hours required to do an adequate job of my work. As I was beginning to address this with my bosses, I similarly had each of them handling it differently. I ended up in the hospital and sick with the flu (among other issues); got little sympathy from one boss and the other was as supportive as he could be. It was at this point that my doctor ordered me NOT to go back to work for the duration of my pregnancy. My unsympathetic boss kept sending me emails trying to get me to do things; I just forwarded back to them as I was unable to complete his requests.

My advice, don't be a B about it, but make sure you are clear with bosses about the work yo can and can't get completed. Send them daily update emails; I will be working on A, B, and C today prior to leaving at noon, please advise if you wish my backup to work on these during my absence or if they can wait until tomorrow. (And thank them for their understanding and patience.

rm2013 · January 2013

As of immediately, I would not discuss anything with them verbally. Do everything though email so that there is a paper trail for if you need to go to HR. Also, I find people are less likely to screw you over or change their tune when they know there is a written record of what they said.

If you don't mind my asking, what are your plans for this job after LO comes? Are you quitting Or trying to go back? I think that would affect how you handle this. Don't know if you're in US or Canada... In US you don't get any job protection if you've been with the job for less than a year. And your company may not pay for short term disability.

cellomusic11 · January 2013

It's time to speak to HR.

PipSqueak0313 · January 2013

rm2013:
As of immediately, I would not discuss anything with them verbally. Do everything though email so that there is a paper trail for if you need to go to HR. Also, I find people are less likely to screw you over or change their tune when they know there is a written record of what they said. If you don't mind my asking, what are your plans for this job after LO comes? Are you quitting Or trying to go back? I think that would affect how you handle this. Don't know if you're in US or Canada... In US you don't get any job protection if you've been with the job for less than a year. And your company may not pay for short term disability.

I started with the company in a different department almost a year ago and then transfered to this position in July so luckily I do have STD and FMLA will be available next month.

I'm thinking about returning after baby long enough that the company can't charge me for covering medical benefits while on leave (company policy is that if you don't return from unpaid leave (i.e. FMLA) then they will charge you for paying the employer portion of medical benefits while one leave) and spending my "free time" updating my resume and considering job options until then. Also, hoping that before July 2013 is done, dh will have gotten far enough with getting his PhD that he will have a job offer and some idea of where we will be moving to or not moving as the case may be.

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work vent/question (long, sorry)

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