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Should Co-Workers with Kids be able to get away with more?


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bicyclejunk

I work in a small auto parts distribution center, constant orders and

phones ringing off the hook. Very small staff.

 

I place orders and answer phones and so does the other guy, Jim,

Only he's a little higher rank and Only places orders and answers phones,

more of the Bigger orders.

 

But since i'm the "young guy" in the company, the Bigger boss is always making me his Gopher, getting this,

Getting That, Loading/Unloading, Cleaning the warehouse, running parts out and STILL I have to answer

the Phones and place orders, order stuff, get dirty etc.

 

Anyway, Jim always comes in around 8:25-8:30am. We open at 8:00am. He's done this for the past 2 years

we've been here. (we hired in at the same time) And the Big Boss knows about it and let's it kind

of go un-noticed because, well, Jim has 3 young kids with his wife at home. No one else has kids here.

 

I just don't understand How he can't seem to get here on time. He once said the reason he's late is

because he likes to spend time with his kids in the morning, so he takes his time. The Boss let's it slide.

Today he was late an Entire Hour, Didn't call in, (the boss is out of town) because he claimed his his 3

year old, hurt his hand in the door and he had to comfort him and put a band-aid on, "You know, Father Stuff",

he says. "just wait til your a father, you'll see".

 

Anyway, it just Irks me that he gets all this free time away from work. What if I wanted to come in Late?

Why should having Kids change anything? His wife is the one who watches the kids during the day. And she's

a strong healthy woman. I just don't get it.

 

When he's not here and He's running late...It's ME who's doing all the work. I end up having to take up the

slack in the mornings, every morning. AND, he's praised as such a good caring worker

because he uses 20 minutes of his lunch break(we get an hour) to work and answer calls. BIG DEAL. I'm here at 8

every morning, working.

 

He always thinks it's "Un-cool" when me or one of the other guys wants to leave Right at

4, when we close... As if we don't care or we don't want to reflect with the big boss on the day, or whatever.

He's say in a sarcastic tone "Gee, soemone's in a hurry to get out of here" to me or whoever leaves right at 4.

But We've been here since 8. Hey, we actually got here on time and reported for duty.

 

Anyway, i think it's lame. I guess I just wanted to vent.

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dude, everyone has to pay their dues in the workplace and in life. deal with it. eventually you'll rise up and get older and get to shyt on the newbies.

 

what goes around comes around.

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HokeyReligions

He has kids and other responsibilities. Spending QUALITY time with the kids is important and has nothing to do with his wife's avalibility. You have youth on your side. He puts in his hours and does the work.

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I agree with you WHOLE HEARTEDLY!

 

Whenever the receptionist's kid has a doctor's appointment...she's gone. Whenever the Billing Department's son has a soccor game, she leaves early. Whenever any other MOM at this place wants to take of for the kids...she gets to leave.

 

And I'm stuck filling in. I don't HAVE kids.

 

Well, my sister's prom is next Friday. They live in another town from me. My mom asked me to come down early to help her get my sister ready, because my mom isn't feeling well. I had planned to leave early, but now, I think I'm just going to take the day off.

 

I told my boss, and she made a comment that I have to have all my work done before I go so they can close the month!

 

Ok...um...closing the month waits on YOUR KIDS, every time one of them has a ball game, but it can't wait for my sister's ONLY PROM?!

 

It pissed me off. It's like since I don't have kids, I have to sacrifice family and friends to be here. This job isn't important to me when it comes to my family. Apparently, that's how all the mom's in this place feel, so why is it when they want to go to a game, they are excused, but I want to go to see my family *whom I haven't seen since CHRISTMAS thanks to this place working me every other weekend* I have to prioritize this JOB?

 

I KNOW WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM!!! People who don't have kids, are expected to have their job be first priority :rolleyes:

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Originally posted by Monday

And I'm stuck filling in. I don't HAVE kids.

then squirt out a couple pups

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curiousnycgirl

I am also one of the few single, childless people at my company - and YES they get more/different types of "benefits."

 

In your case it sounds like he makes up the missed time during the lunch break, so no big deal. I'm not sure why you are stressing it - you get a whole hour break for lunch. Also you don't know if this is something he discussed with the boss before he accepted the job - he may have worked it out ahead of time.

 

Bottom line is we all make life choices, dictated by our age and circumstances. Your time will come.

 

Monday - your only mistake was telling your boss why you were taking off. It is none of their business - you needed the time, you are entitled to the time....you take the time. On the other hand - all vacation planning should include closing down work necessary to be done at the time.

 

Sorry folks but dems de facts of life.

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bicyclejunk

Thanks Monday.

 

It just Pisses me off. Because the same thing happens to me

just as it happens to Monday. He can ask for time off because

he wants to go see his kid's recital in school or be there for his kid's

1st dentist visit and it's okay, but I asked

once to go see if I could try and get a class that I wanted at the local

college here and the Boss' wife fgave me a hard time about it and well,

i didn't go...because she made me feel so much guilt for leaving the team here,

'high and dry' for a couple hours, i said screw it.

 

It's just funny because, we used to have a secretary here but she quit a year ago.

My boss and JIM always used to give her a hard time for missing work to tend

to her brother(who was very sick with Cancer at the time) or being on the phone

with her Mom or Dad, etc. and JIM told her "Don't Let Family and Personal affairs

affect you work and your job here".

 

And sometimes, I want to tell JIM the same thing and remind him of what he told her.

It's the same damn thing. He can't be here on time because he's playing with his

kids??

 

He has kids and other responsibilities. Spending QUALITY time with the kids is important and has nothing to do with his wife's avalibility. You have youth on your side. He puts in his hours and does the work.

 

I know what your saying here...But I have responsibilities too! I do my work and put in the hours too! Spending time

with my wife to be is important to me! Spending time with my family is important to me! I see what your saying,

But IT IS NOT FAIR, just because he has 3 young kids. He's taking advantage of the fact that no one else

has kids here. But we all have LIVES outside of work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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ThumbingMyWay
Originally posted by bicyclejunk

Anyway, Jim always comes in around 8:25-8:30am. We open at 8:00am.

 

he uses 20 minutes of his lunch break(we get an hour) to work and answer calls.

 

He always thinks it's "Un-cool" when me or one of the other guys wants to leave Right at

4, when we close... As if we don't care or we don't want to reflect with the big boss on the day, or whatever.

 

So in a sense....he is 1/2 hour late...but only uses 20 mins of an hour lunch. And assuming he stays till lets say 4:10.......he actually gave back 40 mins at lunch and 10 min after close....so if you do the math....he is working about 30 mins more than you. Not trying to be an ass....just thought I;d point that out. I think your biggest gripe is the coming in late thing. Ya know....I used to be the same way when I was young and had no kids. There was a guy that came in 1 hour late every day and the boss said nothing.....I came to find out later he helped with the kids in the morning....to which of course I didnt care nor understood.....

 

UNTIL....

 

 

 

 

"just wait til your a father, you'll see".

 

 

 

theres alot to be said with that statement. And now that I have kids.....I can see where WORK can be affected by home life. And if the boss is cool with it....then it helps out greatly.

 

At my old job....I would get to work by 7 am. and home by 5:30. Kids go to bed at 8:30....so I only saw them for about 3 hours a day.....and that is not fun.

 

At my new job...I can basically come and go as I please. Our company puts FAMILY first before all things. Which is rare is this world. I love that I can wakeup make the kids breakfest, take them to school, pick them up if needed....it makes my home life MUCH MUCH better and fulfilling...and i am truley greatfull.

 

so....wait till you have kids and see for yourself....

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blind_otter

Don't have kids.

 

But, I think you should get more consideration if you have kids. I think it's kind of insensitive and self-centered to NOT realize this. Haven't you been around or taken care of young children before? I've only just had to babysit and it was crazy. I can't imagine juggling young children AND a fulltime job.

 

My sympathies go to my co-workers with kids and I will gladly pick up the slack for them.

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Originally posted by blind_otter

My sympathies go to my co-workers with kids and I will gladly pick up the slack for them.

yes B_O, i agree. In addition, employees without kids are more valuable to the company cause they are more flexible and can be transferred and can put in longer hours.

 

If I ran a company i'd rather have most of my employees without kids than with kids.

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blind_otter

Yeah, in every interview I've ever had they ask me if I am going to have kids in the next few years. I always say no. But both times I've gotten pregnant they are always like, oh god you are such a burden. And hey, it sucks to be at work when you have constant morning sickness and you puke every day all day for 3 months straight.

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Originally posted by bicyclejunk

He always thinks it's "Un-cool" when me or one of the other guys wants to leave Right at

4, when we close... As if we don't care or we don't want to reflect with the big boss on the day, or whatever.

He's say in a sarcastic tone "Gee, soemone's in a hurry to get out of here" to me or whoever leaves right at 4.

But We've been here since 8. Hey, we actually got here on time and reported for duty.

 

When he says "Gee, soemone's in a hurry to get out of here" I would say to him, "We've been here since 8".

 

That should get the point across.

 

Atleast you don't have the damn rugrats crawling through the hallways, picking up the phones, crashing the computers and begging for your attention. Sometimes I think this place is a daycare.

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Originally posted by blind_otter

Yeah, in every interview I've ever had they ask me if I am going to have kids in the next few years.

i dont' know where you are interviewing, B_0, but that is not a legal question in an interview and you don't have to answer it.

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Maybe a different take here...

 

I do have Kids only one is in school the other doesn't start Kindergarten until next year...

BUT I'm also a Single Mom.

 

I am the only person to get both of My Kids up and good to go for the day.. I have to be up at 530 a.m every morning but not because I work that early.. but because I have to get one of my Kids to daycare by 730 a.m and the other one to school by 8 a.m and then myself to work by 830 a.m.

 

I don't take lunch when I'm at work.. I work through because I have to be at My Kiddo's school by 3 to pick her up.. IF My Daughter is sick at school or she hurts herself.. I have to pick her up.. there is no one else.

 

I don't use the excuse that I'm a parent to get special deals at work or otherwise..

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If I ran a company i'd rather have most of my employees without kids than with kids.

 

Not me - there are so many people who do not have kids who are incredibly self-centered - they make lousy teammates. No compassion, little loyalty except to themselves. No thanks.

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blind_otter
Originally posted by brashgal

If I ran a company i'd rather have most of my employees without kids than with kids.

 

Not me - there are so many people who do not have kids who are incredibly self-centered - they make lousy teammates. No compassion, little loyalty except to themselves. No thanks.

 

Having kids doesn't automatically make you that way.

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Originally posted by brashgal

If I ran a company i'd rather have most of my employees without kids than with kids.

 

Not me - there are so many people who do not have kids who are incredibly self-centered - they make lousy teammates. No compassion, little loyalty except to themselves. No thanks.

right BRASHGAL, whut about the other side of the coin? many parents are so centered around their kids that work life becomes secondary. and what about all the time off they get always carting the kids to the doc, or soccer practice, or school is closed due to bad weather and the parents stay home.

 

many parents are stressed out raising kids and can't give 100% at the office. maybe they can give 80%, but is that good enuf?

 

its all a tradeoff anyways.

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Originally posted by alphamale

right BRASHGAL, whut about the other side of the coin? many parents are so centered around their kids that work life becomes secondary. and what about all the time off they get always carting the kids to the doc, or soccer practice, or school is closed due to bad weather and the parents stay home.

 

:confused:R u serio? It ain't no fun takin care of a sick kid. My family (kids/husband) will always be PRIMARY. I can get other jobs.

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I don't think that because a person CHOSES to have children that they should get special treatment. I sympothise with single parents. They have a rough way to go, and if the boss wants to give them a break, then I don't mind one bit.

 

HOWEVER, when a parent lets their kid play football, when that parent KNOWS they are going to have to leave work early once in a while to TAKE THAT KID TO GAMES, that's a little out of line in my opinion. Tell your kid that they can't play football if you have to work...unless they can hitch a ride.

 

So...these mommies are leaving work early once a week for their kids' football games, but I get flack because I want to leave early once a YEAR to go see my family that I NEVER GET TO SEE BECAUSE THEY LIVE SO FAR AWAY!

 

I used to have weekends off. They hired a receptionist who has kids. I said I needed some extra hours, because I had a huge workload one month, and needed to come in to get some stuff done. I would've just come in and done it, but the boss made a HUGE deal about people getting over time here.

 

So I said, "I need to come in and get some work done, because I'm behind." The boss said, "how about coming in a couple of weekends and giving the receptionist a couple of days off.

 

That was fine...I could do my work on Saturday while I answer phones.

 

Suddenly, it turned into an every other weekend thing. It's summer. I want some time OFF! It's hard to work every other weekend. My house is a wreck, I never get to see my parents...now if I have a weekend off, I'm so exhausted from the previous lack of days off that all I want to do is SLEEP!

 

But they'd give her weekends off before me...why? She has KIDS! She wanted kids, and she had kids. I don't want kids, so I didn't have kids. Who gets top priority? SHE DOES.

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MWC_LifeBeginsAt40

I have kids, and I take time off for them if I need to. I'm hourly and the time I take off, I don't get paid. I am also involved in a sport at an elite level for which I also take alot of unpaid time off. Yet at the end of the year, I had .75 more than full time hours.

 

You have to pay your dues as another poster said. I am a very valuable employee to this company. I'm sure there are alot of younger employees who wonder wtf, but they don't know what was negotiated when I was hired and when I was asked to work full-time, as I originally was hired part-time.

 

One more question, this one is for MONDAY....they still have Proms???!! And, can't your sister get herself ready?

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Originally posted by tiki

:confused:R u serio? It ain't no fun takin care of a sick kid. My family (kids/husband) will always be PRIMARY. I can get other jobs.

 

That is fine. You CHOSE to have kids, so you CHOSE to have to stay home with them once in a while. Just because I CHOSE not to have kids doesn't mean that I should have to fight to get to go home, while these parents get to freely run home if their kid sneezes!

 

In my opinion. Maybe people who chose to have kids should be awarded extra benifits...I don't see how that's fair though :confused:

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Originally posted by MWC_LifeBeginsAt40

One more question, this one is for MONDAY....they still have Proms???!! And, can't your sister get herself ready?

 

:confused: Of course they still have proms :confused: They don't where you live?

 

And yes, she can get herself ready, but my mom is sick and may not be able to drive her to get her hair done, or pick up her flowers...

 

and my sister doesn't have a license so she can't do it herself.

 

And besides, thanks to my JOB I haven't seen my parents or my sister since Christmas :(

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AND ONE MORE THING!!! Whenever one of these mom's kids has a doctor's appointment, or gets sick and has to go home from school, or forgets their football uniform on picture day, who gets stuck filling in for them?

 

Kidless me, that's who :mad:

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Originally posted by Monday

That is fine. You CHOSE to have kids, so you CHOSE to have to stay home with them once in a while. Just because I CHOSE not to have kids doesn't mean that I should have to fight to get to go home, while these parents get to freely run home if their kid sneezes!

 

:confused:

 

I was just saying that my job will never be primary over a sick child. EVER.

 

You guys may feel differently when you have a little mini me vomiting with a 104 fever. That's no fun-filled vacation for me.

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