Posted by denised in Last week we received a comment on the site in response to the post, Could a bad boss be worse than war? The commenter was at the end of her rope. Her frustration was evident in this simple statement – “There has to be some type of answer to this problem.” Here’s her story:
There has to be some type of answer to this problem. Someone needs to rewrite the law on what goes on in the workplace, whether it is harassment or bullying. Where I work, we encounter harassment and bullying by the office manager. This office manager is the savior of the world and we are nothing.
There are two sets of rules the office employees must follow one for her and the other for us. No personal phone calls only at lunch time and no cell phone use during the day. But it is ok for this office manager to receive personal phone calls during the course of the work day and her cell phone goes off (personal calls) and she leaves the office the speak to whoever and does not come back to work for 1/2 hr later.
In my review I was reminded that personal calls were not allowed and I told the office manager that when doctors calls I must speak to them, it’s when they are available for me to talk to them not when I’m available. My husband is very sick and I need to discuss things with them. You speak to doctors when they are available not when you are available. She told me that the doctors should call my husband and not me. But it is ok for the office managers doctors to call about her, her husband, sister-in-law, etc. I can go on and on but I won’t. I need some type of help regarding this situation. Can you help me?
While what her employer is doing seems heartless, it’s probably not illegal. If they’ve got policies that state there’s no cell phone use in the office, then employees are required to abide by those policies. Is it fair in this case where an employee has a true medical situation to deal with? No, but it’s probably legal. As for management having their own set of rules, we’ve dealt with this topic before. There are different rules for the rest of us. Managers, by virtue of their position, are allowed more “freedom” than employees, and some of it is justified. But when management adopts an “in your face” stance that seems to flaunt their freedom in the face of subordinates, it’s not only not cool, it’s debilitating to employee morale.
What are your thoughts on corporate rules and policies? Should there ever be exceptions? What advice would you give our reader who’s obviously between a rock and a hard place? Share your thoughts in our comment section.
