Situation at work...need advice

[the_experience3006]

I'm not sure if these rants about workplace issues get old and repetitive or if people just honestly enjoy discussing them, but I'm going to put out a plea for some advice.


Here's a little background information. I work at a small store with 4 other guys. It's a great place to work and all my coworkers are friends in addition. It's not abnormal for all of us to go out to the bar for a few after work. We are also flexible and cover for each other as needed (i.e. long weekend with family, one guy is an assistant coach for a D3 basketball team, etc).

At the end of May one of the well tenured employees (6...7 years?) put in his resignation as he had graduated from schoolage and got a real job. It wasn't unexpected and everyone wished him well. It did, however, put us in a bit of a crunch for the month of June as others had vacations, weddings, blah blah blah. Like I said, small group of good guys...we made it work.

Fast forward to the last week of July and we hired a new guy to replace the one that had left. New guys suck a little since there is a lot to learn, but you just take what you can get. That meant we were still all working a little extra because someone always had to be watching out for newbie.

After two weeks he started to catch on and things were going well. Then he tells us he needs two weeks off in July for National Guard duty. We knew he was in the guards when he was hired, but didn't know he was going to be doing his service. No, he didn't go through the proper channels to request the time off before the schedule was made or even at the time he was hired, but he's doing service for our country (he's been to the sandbox already) so we made accommodations. By we I mean I. I have now worked 20 days in a row covering both my own shifts and his. I also voluntarily decided to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday so as to give him some R & R time.

Well dude called today to touch bases with our manager and find out when he works. He is going to come in on Wednesday to cover for me because I get to go home and put a 23 year old friend in the ground after he shot himself following two particularly nasty tours of Iraq. I was then to have Th-M off because I was going to go to We Fest. I had requested this time off long before we had even hired this guy and had done so the proper way.

On the phone today dude asks our manager if he can have this weekend off for a family reunion. I listened to the conversation a little, but made my self busy when our manager started dropping f-bombs at him. I DO know that finally the boss said something about how he's going to have to call me and work it out with me if he wants it off.

My plans to go to We Fest fell through. Instead I was going to spend some time with my family, including meeting two new nephews that my sister and brother in law are adopting on Wednesday. I also wanted to maybe get out on the lake or my ATV a bit and get the motor pulled out of my truck. Basically I had substituted my original plans with something else, but nothing formal.

Dude hasn't asked me to work for him yet. Heck, he might even be too scared to now after his ass chewing from the bossman. But I think he will and herein lies my issue.

Arguments why I should work for him:

1. He didn't just have the last two weeks off...he was serving for our country

2. He has formal plans (family reunion)

3. It's only 3 more days of working and I'm sure karm will come back to help me

4. I'm just plain a nice guy

Arguments why I shouldn't work for him:

1. I properly asked for the time off whereas he is calling a week beforehand

2. His Guard duty IS still a second part-time job. We made some big accommodations to that already that he wouldn't get if it were another job.

3. I've worked 20 days in a row as it is and had to cancel plans I had so that I could work for him

4. While my plans aren't formal, they are plans nevertheless. I've missed a lot of the summer already and a long weekend off sure would be nice.

So...where do I go from here if he does ask me to work for him?

[Sixty-Ninth Airborne]

Originally Posted by the_experience3006

2. His Guard duty IS still a second part-time job. We made some big accommodations to that already that he wouldn't get if it were another job.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure not showing up for Duty would make him AWOL. He may work more hours for your company, but the gov't owns him when they want to, and that's his primary job.

I don't know what to tell you about the rest of it. It sounds like you're getting walked on, and it sounds like you're 'too nice' about it...

I know when I worked for smaller companies like this, we always bribed each other with beer to cover shifts. I pulled a double on Christmas one year, and aside from the regular OT, I have a very full fridge. Tell your buddy it's time to kick down if he wants to go to his reunion.

[the_experience3006]

Originally Posted by Sixty-Ninth Airborne

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure not showing up for Duty would make him AWOL. He may work more hours for your company, but the gov't owns him when they want to, and that's his primary job.

You're perfectly right about this. I think I just have a sour taste in my mouth because out of the 45 or so days he's been with us (not even that long?) he has had 16 days off specifically for duty and he wasn't exactly upfront about it. It would have just been easier to deal with if we had known before the schedule was made that he was going to be gone. I probably wouldn't have gotten fucked as bad.

At the same time he is missing work for duty with the National Guard. If ever there were a good reason to need time off....

Beer in the fridge is nice, but it doesn't do me much good when I don't have the time off to drink it. A truck with a blown up motor doesn't do me much good either and with school starting again soon....

[nissancrawler]

If you need the time to get things done, take it. He's the one that signed up for the guard and accepted the two weeks, not you. You already worked to cover that, you did your part. You covered 2 weeks for him, he's covered one day for you, he doesn't have much right to ask, in my mind.

[deke]

Its give and take. Honestly, I wouldnt count the 2 weeks off as time off in my mind. Yea you busted your ass but think of the bigger picture in it all... boys overseas blah blah hot blah blah camel blah blah IDE's. Thats my justication for saying those 2 weeks dont count.
that aside, does the situation change for you? If the bossman chewed him out sure it leaves a bad sting in his ass and the foul smelling oder on him. If he doesnt approach you then approach him as the more senior employee and see his thoughts on it, see what he thinks you should do given his knowledge then inform him of how ya see and then work it out like adults at work.

[soilantgreen]

Aren't any of the others helping take up the slack? Or are you the "single" guy without a wife and kids and therefore the easy target every time someone needs time off for doctor's appointments, soccer practice, parent-teacher conferences...?

Sounds to me like you've already stepped up and supported a trooper by working twenty days in a row. Did the other guys do it as well while he was out?

Since he's been to the sandbox, you may end up having to think about how his whole family would feel having him there. Think of their worry for him while he was out of the country. For the sake of getting along and your own feelings (you're the nice guy and from talking to you I believe you'd probably like to stay that way), if he asks, you may have to say that this one time, under these special circumstances, you'll help out. But then you're going to need some help pulling that blown engine and he's bringing the beer.

[5spd]

There are times that you have to take for yourself and your sanity, this sounds like one of those times. You have to do whats right for you and not worry about the others.

[TEX]

Is his reunion local? Can you let him have ONE day & you get the other?

[SHERPA]

if you "need" the time off, take it. if you're only willing to cover for him because he asked bossman already, then you could become the local doormat
for the next time someone wants time off....

that is unless you like the OT, then it's a win-win for everyone.......

--Sherpa

and if you're not getting OT for the work you're doing, you already are the doormat.

[GRIDWNC]

Family reunions don't just pop up at the last minute. They require a lot of planning in advance if it's a true family "reunion" rather than a family "get-together". He should have known (probably did know) it was coming up before he took the job and mentioned it along with the other things that he needed time off for. He may well be showing you guys a pattern of his behavior and last minute requests are going to be the way it rolls when it comes to him taking time off.

There were many time, and still are occasions, where I have had to say that I have work and can't make it or compromised and said I'll be there when I get off from work. It's part of life and being a responsible employee.

x2 on the question about you being the only one picking up the slack. What are your other beer drinking employee buddies doing to help out?

[MT4Runner]

Originally Posted by TEX

Is his reunion local? Can you let him have ONE day & you get the other?

Maybe he's got some cute cousins!!!

Originally Posted by soilantgreen

Since he's been to the sandbox, you may end up having to think about how his whole family would feel having him there. Think of their worry for him while he was out of the country. For the sake of getting along and your own feelings (you're the nice guy and from talking to you I believe you'd probably like to stay that way), if he asks, you may have to say that this one time, under these special circumstances, you'll help out. But then you're going to need some help pulling that blown engine and he's bringing the beer.

x2. Draw the line, and stick to it. He owes you some big favors--like covering a holiday for you (for pulling the family reunion). The rest of the crew owes you some days, too, especially if you covered his entire two weeks.

Originally Posted by nissancrawler

You covered 2 weeks for him, he's covered one day for you, he doesn't have much right to ask, in my mind.

x2

[Kyron]

No "real "offence" ment but ...........

it sounds to me that you need to get some more "schoolage" under your belt so you can get a better job.



**but as to your question, take YOUR time off.

[deke]

Originally Posted by GRIDWNC

Family reunions don't just pop up at the last minute. They require a lot of planning in advance if it's a true family "reunion" rather than a family "get-together". He should have known (probably did know) it was coming up before he took the job and mentioned it along with the other things that he needed time off for. He may well be showing you guys a pattern of his behavior and last minute requests are going to be the way it rolls when it comes to him taking time off.

There were many time, and still are occasions, where I have had to say that I have work and can't make it or compromised and said I'll be there when I get off from work. It's part of life and being a responsible employee.

x2 on the question about you being the only one picking up the slack. What are your other beer drinking employee buddies doing to help out?

But if the company knew of all these previous engagements would they of hired him? who knows, just putting it out there. sure they are previous engagements prior to hire...

[GRIDWNC]

Originally Posted by deke

But if the company knew of all these previous engagements would they of hired him? who knows, just putting it out there. sure they are previous engagements prior to hire...

If he withheld the info in order to get hired than he has validated his deceptive nature and continues to do so by his last minute requests.

[the_experience3006]

Originally Posted by GRIDWNC

x2 on the question about you being the only one picking up the slack. What are your other beer drinking employee buddies doing to help out?

I am cheaper to pay overtime than the others are. Also, they are all already working extra hours. Since newbie and I have basically opposite or overlapping schedules normally I get to take it. Had a 9-5 shift? Now it's a 9-7. Had a day off? Not anymore. It's not a big deal and it makes perfect sense for me to be the one to pick up the extra work. Towards the end of last week when things quieted down later at night the other guys would let me go home early and they would cover closing things down instead of making me stay with them. No, they weren't really going out of their way, but they knew I was ready for a break.

Originally Posted by Kyron

No "real "offence" ment but ...........

it sounds to me that you need to get some more "schoolage" under your belt so you can get a better job.



**but as to your question, take YOUR time off.

Don't worry about the schoolage...I'm working on that this year just like I have every fall since I was 5. It's just a lot more expensive now.

[chimmike]

You made accomodations for his 2 weeks in the guard, even though he didn't report it in advance to give you all notice.

Then you have him a few days off for R&R, then he calls and wants to go to a family reunion?

He's taking advantage at this point. You've been there a while, you deserve your time off. He needs to come in and get back to work. He doesn't get any special treatment.......or from now on he'll expect it.

Trust me, I've seen it work like this hundreds of times.

[the_experience3006]

I think we'll just have to see. Often times I go in and the boss just tells me to look at the schedule because it has changed. In his defense I do get a comment period. I think I'm just not going to bring it up. I shouldn't have to see newbie because our schedules are opposite this week and I left my cellphone up north so I won't have that again until the funeral so maybe I can just sneak in under the wire. If he never asks me I don't need to feel guilty. I'm not about to call him and offer to take his shift and if the boss doesn't force it upon me then the ball is in his court to contact me and ask me to take it for him.

[Schly]

Due to three simple facts, I'd say take your own time off and too bad for him:

1. You've worked 20 days in a row. That's too much. Take a break and enjoy it. You deserve it.

2. He's new. He needs to put in some time before he starts asking for this kind of time off. Yeah, I get the Guard thing, and you all did great working around that for him, but that's enough for now.

3. Most important: He REALLY needs to learn how to schedule time off and plan it WAY further out in the future than this. How could he possibly have had a big (I'm assuming) family reunion coming up that wasn't planned months in advance? He knew about this for a while and didn't bother to do anything about getting time off till now? Fuck that. His loss.

If it were me, I'd have scheduled those two activities before I even accepted the job.

[Entropy]

Blah blah blah - I'm not reading all of that, I scanned it for sultry office drama with hot secretaries and there was none...

[the_experience3006]

The paint store next door has some hotties working there. I will try and snap some pictures next time they're outside.

[nissancrawler]

I see new guy using you as a doormat, sorry. When I started the job before this, they knew when I was quitting 14 months later, and all my vacations, before I even started. He abused the system by not giving them all his time off needed, because he knew it would hurt his being hired. I'm sure he knew he was being hired because the company was already shorthanded, too.

[ABQ-TJ]

Not a chance in hell should you work for him for that family reunion...

[the_experience3006]

Well good news...sorta. I got in invitation from a buddy to come fishing with him up on Rainy Lake on the weekend of the 11th and 12th. I already have the 9th and the 10th off, but would need the Saturday which I am scheduled for. I called newbie and left a message on his cell phone saying if he would call me we can work it out. It MUST be a straight trade, this Saturday and Sunday for the following Saturday and Sunday. This Friday and next Monday are NOT negotiable. If he is unwilling to take that compromise (which I am only giving because of said fishing invitation) then it's his loss. I'm not going to just pick up the shifts for him.

The shitty thing is he has Guards again this month and no one knows what weekend it is. I'm taking bets on it being one he is scheduled to work. Unfortunately for him the weekends I have off were requested and worked into the schedule properly.

We spent a good portion of the day today talking about how we could make the store work with 4 guys instead of 5. I don't think anyone is particularly impressed with the new guy. I mean I was a new guy too at one point and didn't know shit, but atleast I caught on fairly quickly, learned, and was willing to work when asked. The best quote I heard from a coworker was, "Yeah, you were a newbie once too, but atleast you weren't a douchebag. I could handle you."

[BumpyDodge]

Read up on USERRA . If he needed 2 weeks for annual training, you can't hold it against him - the law is very clear. However, if you suspect he's lying about when he has duty, typing "fake" orders, or taking advantage of the law, contact ESGR and request mediation. ESGR will act as a go-between between the employer and his Natl. Guard unit and will gladly verify the dates when he was/is required to be on duty.

[soilantgreen]

Originally Posted by the_experience3006

The paint store next door has some hotties working there.

Hold on. I'll come work for that paint store and trade you pics and paint for batteries and battery advice.

Car paint or house paint?