It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…
1. Do I have to share my extra shifts with coworkers who want some?
One department at my job is currently understaffed. In order to help, we have been offered overtime shifts that are premium over usual overtime. Several employees across several departments were asked if they were interested, and a few weeks later we were all offered these shifts at the same time (in the same group email). I was the second person to respond and I signed up for as many as fit into my schedule.
Now people who signed up late are complaining and are asking those of us with more to give them shifts to “share the wealth.” I think since we were sent first-come first-served with no stated limits, it wasn’t wrong of me to take more shifts and I don’t want to give any up. If it matters, none of the people asking for a switch are in my direct department and I have never (and probably will never) interact with them, so I’m not worried about it directly affecting my social-job situation. What do you think?
It would be both polite and kind to share some of the shifts. It’s pretty unfair that the first person who happened to see the email was able to take a disproportionate share of something many others would clearly like too. It’s sort of like taking all the brownies someone left for people in the kitchen because you just happened to get there first — but with more weight, because this involves pay.
It doesn’t sound like your employer plans to get involved, so you can hold on to all those shifts if you want to. But I’d be wary of assuming it will never come back to hinder you in some way. People get transferred, people get promoted, people show up in ways that you don’t anticipate. If you’re seen as the person who took way more than your share of something and refused to give any up, that can linger and make people less likely to help you out when they have an opportunity to make your life either easier or harder.
2. Is it OK to play a video of my boss while I work?
Recently I googled my boss to find a academic citation and the search results included a YouTube video. I clicked out of fascination and found a smartly edited talk he’d given. Since then, when I need to focus on a project I’ve been putting this video on. Back before we all started working from home, his voice was the office background, he’s a very chatty person, and hearing him talk helps put me in a work frame of mind. I certainly don’t plan on telling him or any coworkers about the video even though I doubt he’d mind his employees watching it (he’s been very open about his social media presence). It feels strange to keep looping it but it’s helping me get way more work done. Should I go back to trying other focus aids or is this a bit strange but ultimately harmless?
This is kind of sweet! You’re just recreating a bit of your office environment at home, and it’s actually really nice that your boss’s voice helps you focus rather than setting you on edge, as it would be with some managers.
I agree that I wouldn’t mention to people that you’re using it that way (it’s one of those things that’s harmless but could come across strangely in the telling), but there’s nothing wrong with continuing to do it if it helps you.
3. My company wants a resignation letter because I’m being promoted
I am writing because I was recently promoted within my current team after being in my position for about a year. I will have the same manager, same coworkers, slightly more responsibility, and more importantly, a higher salary. However, the essential functions of my job are staying the same — this is essentially just a raise! In the promotion process, I had to complete an online application and two interviews, even though I was verbally offered the position beforehand. It seemed a little bureaucratic, but I understood due to rules on internal promotions. I’ve now received an official offer letter.
However, now, my manager has asked me to submit a resignation letter from my former position. This seems so weird to me and everyone that I have brought it up with looks skeptical. Is this strange? What do I even begin to write in this letter? I asked my manager for guidance and she did not have any, except to say that they need it on file to process the promotion.
That’s extremely odd. You don’t typically formally resign from a position when you’re being promoted, and I’d be uneasy having a resignation letter on file. It’s probably fine (unless your company is really shady), but my worry would be that something goes wrong and you end up needing to collect unemployment and the company uses the letter to block that (since you generally can’t get unemployment if you resign). That would require them to be truly awful, of course, so unless you have reason to think they are, this is probably just a weird bureaucratic oddity … but I’d still be uneasy.
If I were you, I’d write it in a way that’s crystal clear about the situation. For example: “Thank you for promoting me to the X role with (company)! This letter is to confirm that upon beginning the new role, I will be moving from my position as Y into a position as X, while remaining in the Z department.” So it’s clear you’re not quitting the company and it can’t be spun that way.
And if they push, say, “I’m not comfortable saying I’m resigning when I’m not, but I’m happy to confirm that I’m accepting the promotion and leaving the old role for the new one.” If that’s not enough, check in with HR; it’s possible your manager has misunderstood the requirement in some way.
4. Can employer restrict what kinds of masks we wear when we’re off-duty but still on the premises?
I work at a world-famous medical center in the U.S. that is known for its strict and conservative dress code (for example, all outpatient providers must wear business formal suits but no brown suits because brown is unprofessional, and there are several pages of guidance in the dress code as to what constitutes an appropriate tie).
Since Covid hit, we are required to wear a personally-provided cloth mask (not a medical-grade mask, even if we bought it ourself elsewhere, to avoid the appearance that we are using hospital-provided masks for our own personal use) from the moment we exit our car until we arrive at our work area, at which time we switch to a medical-grade mask provided by the hospital. Makes sense, and I’m not questioning the fact that we have to wear masks for this time.
Initially, the rule was that, due to lack of supply of cloth masks, any mask would be acceptable, but now that masks are more available, the dress code has been updated to regulate the appearance of our personal masks. Some of the rules are reasonable: no offensive or obscene patterns or words. Others are not: only subtle patterns and muted colors, no sports teams. This is an employer that routinely takes disciplinary action for dress code violations and has taken action against employees for conduct outside of work.
For a non-exempt employee, can the employer dictate the appearance of a personally-provided mask while the employee is off the clock walking to and from their vehicle (technically company property)? Does this change if the employee is exempt? A lot of us have spent a decent amount of time and/or money on cloth masks and are not looking forward to having to make or buy more.
Yes, they can indeed mandate those restrictions while you’re on their property. It’s awfully heavy-handed but they can do it (at least in most states; it’s possible there’s some state exception I don’t know about — although if they’re legally disciplining you for off-duty conduct, your state probably isn’t an exception). That doesn’t change whether you’re exempt or non-exempt.
The thinking behind rules that govern what you do when you’re off-duty but on your company’s premises is that you’re still representing the company; customers (or in this case patients) may recognize you as an employee and not necessarily know you’re off-duty. But it’s unlikely that anyone is going to be scandalized by a bright color or a Patriots mask. My guess is that they don’t feel like arguing the fine points of what is and isn’t okay so they’re choosing instead to just lay down really broad rules and in the process being too heavy-handed.
5. Is Covid a good reason for explaining why I want to change roles?
I have been in customer service positions at a bank for around 25 years. For several years I have been kicking around applying for a back office position that I believe I would be well suited. A position was posted today.
Most days I love my current position, but Covid has really changed things. My husband is very high-risk and, although my state has had a mask mandate for months and we are expected to enforce it, at least half the customers come in with their noses exposed. Others try to enter without masks or take them off inside. I am totally worn out from trying to enforce the mandate, both because I desperately want to avoid the virus and because my employer can be fined for not enforcing it.
Is it acceptable to use that as a reason to apply to a back office job? Or should I come up with another reason? I truly have considered it for years. It just seems this is the kick in the butt I need to actually do it.
It’s a great reason to apply for the job, but it’s not the reason you should give them when you do. They want to hire someone who’s excited about the work itself, not someone who mostly wants to get away from something else.
You said you’ve been thinking about applying for this role for several years. If you’d applied a year ago, what would have been the draw? That’s what you should talk about now too.
do I have to share my extra shifts, playing a video of my boss while I work, and more was originally published by Alison Green on Ask a Manager.
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