It’s wee answer Wednesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go…
1. My manager told me to get along with a coworker or quit
I’ve been butting heads with a guy at work. I asked my boss to separate us before the conflict escalated. He put me on something else for the rest of the day, but as I was leaving informed me i could “deal with it or quit.” When I arrived at work the next morning, I was given the same ultimatum. I went and spoke to HR about the issue, and though they were surprised to hear my manager’s response, it’s been almost a week without resolution. Management refuses to put me anywhere else, and I’m forced to work with this person. I even suggested a shift change but was told no. What are my options? You can cut the tension in my work place with a knife.
Without knowing more about why you’re not getting along with this coworker, it’s hard to give you a good answer — but generally speaking, there’s nothing inherently wrong with expecting employees to work together professionally and politely. In fact, it’s a pretty reasonable expectation, unless your coworker is harassing you or being openly hostile without provocation. The way you describe the conflict, it sounds two-sided — in which case it’s not unreasonable for your boss to tell you to find a way to get along if you want to stay in your job.
2. When should I bring up narcolepsy in a hiring process?
I’m facing a dilemma in regards to speaking out about my illness. I’m currently writing cover letters for several different jobs and I believe my experience with narcolepsy, especially the struggles before being diagnosed and medicated, have greatly shaped me into the hard worker I am today, and I believe this example would distinguish myself from other candidates.
However, there is quite a misconception of narcolepsy due to how little knowledge people have of it, other than how it has been portrayed by the entertainment industry. I’ve already dealt with friends and family who now think of me as handicapped and a burden, despite my excellent history of being a hard worker. So I’m worried even mentioning it all.
My friends have given me the advice to either briefly hint at it in my résumé or wait to mention in an interview. I am unsure of what I should do… Being completely open, my heart tells me to say something because it is who I am and I want to work in a team that accepts me for everything that I am. But my gut is telling me, they’ll be like the people who’ve already turned their backs on me and brush me off as someone incapable of the job at hand.
Don’t mention it until you have a job offer, at which point you can bring it up in the context of any accommodations that you might need. While I understand your desire to bring it up earlier, it’s likely to make employers uncomfortable (since the way they deal with disabilities is legally regulated, and having it injected into an interview conversation can be a land mine on their side). Wait until you have an offer, raise it then, and use that conversation to assess whether the employer’s reaction is one you’re comfortable with.
3. Should I not have disclosed in a temp work interview that I’ll be moving next year?
I am moving cross country in May 2014, but I have been looking for temporary work until then to keep my skills sharp and earn some additional money before the big move.
I saw a temporary position open in my field and I applied for it. I just got a call from the hiring manager asking me for an interview. During the phone call, he asked me why I picked a temporary position. I told him I was interested in continuing to work in my field and develop my skills before I decided to move. I won’t be moving for 10 months and the position is only 4 months long. He said that he appreciated me being honest because they were trying to be honest with their candidates when they revealed that there is no guarantee the position would last past 4 months.
I don’t believe there is anything wrong with being honest, but my dad shuddered and told me he would be concerned with hiring someone if they mentioned they were moving. I didn’t think it was a big deal but now I’m wondering if it will keep me from moving forward in their hiring process. Is there any way to fix it or should I even be concerned about it?
You’re fine. Your dad is right that when you’re hiring for most positions, hearing that the person is planning to move in the next year or two is often a deal-breaker, because most employers don’t want to invest in someone who isn’t planning to stick around. But this is a four-month position. Unless they’re secretly looking for someone who will be available if the position turns long-term, there’s nothing wrong with what you said — in fact, it helped explain your interest in the job.
4. Should I leave a job I hate for a short-term job in my hometown?
I’m in a bit of a pickle. I have been with my current company for going on 8 years, and am desperate to get out for a variety reasons: I’ve become bored with the work; it’s in a field I have no desire to continue in, and even more than that, I have a terrible, awful boss (in regards to both personality and management style), who pushes a job I would feel “meh” about into one that I actively loathe. To top it all off, after 8 years of living in a giant metropolis, I’m more than ready to pack up and move back to the small city where I’m from.
I’ve been interviewing for jobs in my home city, and was recently offered a job there. Everything about the position seems great — the work seems interesting, it’s in the field I want to move into, the pay is good, and the company has a great reputation as an employer. But there’s a catch: the job is filling in for someone who will be out for a year. It’s a short-term position with benefits, and I will be out of work in a year. So is it worth it? Not only am I giving up stable employment, but I’d also be packing up and moving my whole life, and the thought of being unemployed in a year terrifies me. I’m torn; I really want this job and to leave my current job/city — any advice?
I can’t answer that for you, but the factors that you want to pay attention to are how many jobs are in your field in the city you’d be moving to, how competitive you are as a candidate in general (and thus how hard or easy it might be for you to find a new job in a year), the likelihood of the job turning into something else more permanent with the same company, and how badly you want to get home.
Keep in mind, too, that if you stay where you are, there’s no guarantee that you’ll still have your job in a year (terrible, awful boss and a field you hate aren’t the greatest combination for longevity, even when you intend it). So either way, you might be job searching in a year. One question might be where you’d rather be living if that happens.
5. What to do at work when a family member is on trial
I had been debating sending this question in until I saw Monday’s post and decided to ask. My dad has been a church staff member for many years and was recently brought up on felony charges for sexual misconduct with a minor. The first day the charges were filed, the story was on the local news but for about since then he has been out on bail and there has been no more media attention. He is trying to reach a plea agreement with the prosecutor but it currently doesn’t look like that is going to happen. There is a high likelihood the case will go to trial and become a recurring story in the local media this summer.
I live about 30 minutes from my parents and work in the nearest big city. I am married so I have a different last name. Due to a medical condition, I had several emergency contacts, including my dad and the church that he was employed at, posted at my desk. These have been taken down but my management and several coworkers had that list. I am really concerned about how to handle my coworkers if this goes to trial. What do I say when the news story comes up over lunch? Do I officially notify my department that he is no longer an emergency contact? How do I handle any time off I might need during this? My husband had a coworker mention the story the only other time it was on the news and that made me even more concerned about it happening again.
Ugh, I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this.
You don’t need to discuss this at work, even if others bring it up. If anyone learns what’s going on and asks you about it, it’s fine to simply say, “This is a hard time for my family, and I’d rather not talk about it.” People will generally take their cues from you, and you shouldn’t be afraid to just make it clear that it’s not up for discussion. (And if someone brings up the story without realizing it’s your father, it’s fine to simply change the subject; you’re not obligated to share anything if you don’t want to.)
As for the emergency contacts, you can simply supply a new contact list to the coworkers who have the old list. There’s no reason to explain why — just “I updated my emergency contacts, so please replace the old list with this one.” And as for any time off you need during this, it’s fine to simply say that you have a family emergency or family issues that you need time to attend to. You don’t owe anyone a more detailed explanation that that.
6. Employer is reneging on a 3-year pay agreement
Our employer agreed to a 3-year pay deal last year. One year into it, he now decides he wants a pay freeze. Is this legal?
Unless you have a written contract that commits to paying you a certain amount of a certain period of time, with no escape clause for the employer, yes, it is legal. Employers can change your pay at any time unless you have that sort of contract (although they can’t change it retroactively).
7. Paid holidays when on maternity leave
I’m curious how most companies handle corporate holidays that fall during maternity leave. I work for a small company without a formal HR department. They are currently writing our maternity leave policy, as I’m the first person to need it. I’ve been told that they’re planning on 8 weeks at a portion of my salary, which I recognize is more generous than is required by law.
Based on my due date, I will almost certainly be on maternity leave during three corporate holidays (Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Would it be reasonable to ask that I receive my full salary on the holidays? Or do most companies consider you ineligible while on leave?
Generally you wouldn’t be eligible for holiday pay while on longer-term leave like that. (Which, if you think about it, makes sense — you’re still on long-term leave; the fact that a holiday happens to fall in there doesn’t really make a difference.) I’m sure you could find some employers who do pay it, but it’s not common, in my experience.