Author: Bill Gorden

Ask the Workplace Doctors about dissatisfied with work interrupted by an adjoining department that has employees who lack knowledge and are paid better:

I would like to ask what a wise approach would be in this situation. I am working in a department with certain interdependencies with another department. People in the other department are inexperienced and do not take responsibility for their mistakes or ownership of tasks. They constantly come to me and my boss to review their work and ask questions that they should know how to answer at their level or repeated questions that were previously explained. There are Glassdoor reviews attesting to the lack of knowledge persistent in that department.

Is it possible to act in a position without signing a contract for more than a year and not be given the position permanently?  —Want To Know

Dear Want To Know:

For advice to your question, I invited Danica Rice, a Human Resource manager. Danica replied:  it’s hard to answer because I do not know what type of what this is referring to. In order to provide an accurate response more information is needed.  Ohio is an at-will state which means employment with almost all employers is at-will. The employer can terminate for or without cause as well as the employee can leave the employee with or without any reason. If a contract is in place then the contract has to be upheld or either party could be held liable for breach of the contract. Again, without more information this is all I can say about this question. 

Question to Ask the Workplace Doctors about comparing duties and pay with a co-worker:

Work at a Inn/hotel. I work the night shift and do the Night Audit from 11pm-7am 4 nights a week, and there is a second person who works the other three nights a week. When he does his job, he does the night audit only! When I do my shifts, there are notes left for me to clean rooms, do laundry, etc. Not to mention he is paid more than I am. I do not feel that this is fair. They asked me to be housekeeping supervisor and I declined. It is as if they are getting two for the price of one! Please advise. –Signed, No Fair

“One specific thing that I feel great about is being a hostage negotiator with our regional SWAT team.   The men and women I work with on the negotiators team are incredible and I am truly honored to work with them.  The work we do and serving with the SWAT team definitely makes me feel good.”

A brief story I can recall and offer for Ask the Workplace Doctors comes from more of a neighborhood context rather than the workplace, but it comes from our work providing community mediation. It took place when a senior citizen who lived alone with her two dogs felt very vulnerable when a group of teens were hanging out around her property and she imagined the worst and thought they were a gang.
She felt especially threatened one day when her garage window was broken with a baseball. She called the police but eventually our non-profit agency and mediation program was made aware of the situation and we were able to bring together (this is years ago pre-covid) the senior citizen and the teen and his father for a mediation.

A very long time ago when the comptroller (at the office where I worked) was fired, the VP of the company asked me if I thought he was having an affair, because of what was found in the comptroller’s desk drawer, and if he was, with whom.

Because I didn’t think he would believe the person I suspected, I named another person. Due to being confined to my home during this pandemic, it has weighed on my mind and I would like to send a letter to the VP, who is now the president, not revealing the person, but to relieve me of being tormented and the anxiety I am experiencing.

Currently working in a warehouse, with 20 workforce working for 2 years. This question is related to safety of the people, management and communication. All I need is an idea or sample of the threats and opportunity of being the supervisor of the warehouse for 2 years in relation to safety, communication and management. Despite being there with the team, still some problems were encountered. Thank you in advance.
Signed–Threats and Opportunities 

Dear Threats and Opportunities: Apparently, you are a supervisor of a few words. You allude in a general way to problems pertaining to safety, management and communication, but have not taken time to describe specific instances in which safety has put at risk anyone or harmed products. Because your response is general to my request to say what prompts your question, our response might not be as helpful as it could be. 

A question to Ask the Workplace Doctors about a supervisor and an abrupt firing:

I was accused of sleeping at my desk. I had laid my head on the desk for 5 minutes before my manager came behind me and kicked my chair, startling me. I had worked through my 1 hr lunch and had developed a horrible headache and nausea. I was also having sharp pains in my left ear. When I tried to explain to her that I was not asleep but that I was having a medical situation, she simply fired me.

I had set a reminder on my phone for 15 min just prior to laying my head down. The reminder was to take my medicine for my bladder condition. I only mention the reminder because from the time I set the 15 minute reminder to the time I was cleaning out my desk after being terminated, the alarm went off. Meaning that I was accused of sleeping, terminated and cleaning out my desk in less than 15 min. She humiliated me in front of coworkers, accused me of sleeping when I was in fact sick (my eardrum has ruptured) because of a coworker who later bragged about telling my boss I was asleep, causing her to come to my desk. I don’t believe it can be legal for her to do any of that. Signed–Fired For Sleeping

I’ve been in Biology for three years now, and I’m really loving it.  The department is so large that they have multiple support staff, and I get to do my absolute favorite thing, which is personnel.  Everything from placing ads for new hires (they have a LOT of grants, huge amounts, and are always hiring research techs and postdocs), through RTP and eventually retirement.  It’s a very kind, grateful, fun, appreciative department with lots of laughter.  I love it.

Question submitted to Ask the Workplace Doctors about reporting time:

Is it legal for my office coordinator to ask me to fill out a timesheet every two weeks on a spreadsheet, when I’m already doing my time sheet online through Human Resource. And she doesn’t want it as a pdf which cannot be changed. I’ve been working at my company for over twenty years and have never had to fill out two time cards. I work for a very large mutual insurance company and I looked up this new office coordinator’s background and she is supposed to be some sort of stress relief or motivator of sorts. Every Friday, we have to come up with a game to play at 4:30 which is a pain in the you know what when a bunch of people are trying to complete their work. So why is she asking us to give her a two week timesheet? I don’t know of any company that fills out two time sheets. To top that, she’s an email spammer! Could it be that she is just looking for something to do? I don’t get it. Signed Time for a Change