An informal poll - for those of you who work either full/part time

[kimisabella]

How many of your employers would call you on a Sunday morning to discuss what you have to do in the office on Monday?

I'm not talking about a business in which you have a financial interest in, I'm talking about just an hourly employee.

I work part time and my boss called me this morning while I was cooking/cleaning to discuss the various things I needed to do in the office tomorrow. (Nothing that he couldn't have discussed with me tomorrow morning when I got into the office.) I guess I was curt with him on the phone and now he wants to "talk to me" this evening. My boss is my brother in law, although that shouldn't have anything to do with it, and it is just my "fun" money, doesn't pay the bills or the mortgage.

My husbands job would never call him when he is home, unless it was an emergency, and he is the breadwinner.

This is not the first time, it happens all the time.

Am I being unreasonable? Let me have it....

 

[Cherinva]

I find that unacceptable under any circumstances. My boss won't call me unless it's an emergency....and even then she thinks twice about it. Good luck with your talk.

 

[iwynlea]

I work full time, I am the breadwinner for the family at this point, and I carry a cell phone provided and paid for by my company on which I can check email as well as take phone calls (and I am expected to check and answer emails on weekends if I can do so without documentation from files at work).

That said, my boss would NEVER call me on a Sunday, unless it were an emergency or pre-arranged for some work function that I knew about well in advance, and he certainly wouldn't want to "talk to me" about it later on a Sunday night!

Granted, I'm not related to my boss, but still, I don't think you're unreasonable! Depending what he says, I would let him know, politely and respectfully, that you consider Sunday to be your time, and unless arranged in advance or an emergency, you would appreciate if he would keep work topics to a time when you are on the clock in the office. Good luck!!

 

[kab407]

Never! As a supervisor, I would never call my staff over the weekend unless it was to tell them not to come to work on Monday.

Personally, I put in tremendous hours during Mon - Fri. I am essentially available 24hrs, Mon - Fri. Come 7PM on Friday my work Blackberry goes off and does not come back on till Monday morning. My Boss and a few co-workers have my personal cell number. They know the only reasons to call me for work related issues are the building burnt down or it's worthy of a CSI episode. I've established very clear boundaries to keep my work and personal life separate.

 

[karen l]

My boss never calls me on Sunday. I agree with you, it's unacceptable.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I have to think this is in part because he is your BIL. That doesn't excuse it, but does he call any of his other employees on Sunday? As a family member, he probably feels more comfortable calling you. Again, that doesn't excuse it though. I worked many hourly jobs and never got called on my days off. Unfortunately now my job sort of requires me to be available if needed on off days, but I get paid better to be available too.

 

[tardis1029]

How many of your employers would call you on a Sunday morning to discuss what you have to do in the office on Monday?

I'm not talking about a business in which you have a financial interest in, I'm talking about just an hourly employee.

I work part time and my boss called me this morning while I was cooking/cleaning to discuss the various things I needed to do in the office tomorrow. (Nothing that he couldn't have discussed with me tomorrow morning when I got into the office.) I guess I was curt with him on the phone and now he wants to "talk to me" this evening. My boss is my brother in law, although that shouldn't have anything to do with it, and it is just my "fun" money, doesn't pay the bills or the mortgage.

My husbands job would never call him when he is home, unless it was an emergency, and he is the breadwinner.

This is not the first time, it happens all the time.

Am I being unreasonable? Let me have it....

My first rule is NEVER work for family. That being said no your not being unreasonable. Use your called ID on the phone it works for me.

 

[kimisabella]

I find that unacceptable under any circumstances. My boss won't call me unless it's an emergency....and even then she thinks twice about it. Good luck with your talk.

Thanks, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being unreasonable.

Depending what he says, I would let him know, politely and respectfully, that you consider Sunday to be your time, and unless arranged in advance or an emergency, you would appreciate if he would keep work topics to a time when you are on the clock in the office. Good luck!!

Very nicely said, thanks for the advice.

Never! As a supervisor, I would never call my staff over the weekend unless it was to tell them not to come to work on Monday.

Personally, I put in tremendous hours during Mon - Fri. I am essentially available 24hrs, Mon - Fri. Come 7PM on Friday my work Blackberry goes off and does not come back on till Monday morning. My Boss and a few co-workers have my personal cell number. They know the only reasons to call me for work related issues are the building burnt down or it's worthy of a CSI episode. I've established very clear boundaries to keep my work and personal life separate.

I think that is the problem. Because he is my BIL, and they live around the corner from me, and I see them every day in one way or another, it has become too close and the lines are very blurred.

This has only been a couple of hours a day, while the kids are in school job. It's not my career, and I think he doesn't understand why I don't share the same passion or commitment for his company that he does...

 

[DVCsince02]

I agree with the others. He is calling you because he feels more comfortable calling a family member to talk about work, though it's still wrong.

Ask him if he calls other members of his staff on weekends. I bet his answer is no.

 

[jewels1916]

My boss would do something like that also, but he's my dad. I completely empathize with you on that, it sounds like that because it's family, they feel like it is acceptable. At least, that's how I think my boss/Dad views it. I don't think that you are out of line for wanting your professional life to stay out of your personal life.

 

[Kae]

My boss would do something like that also, but he's my dad. I completely empathize with you on that, it sounds like that because it's family, they feel like it is acceptable. At least, that's how I think my boss/Dad views it. I don't think that you are out of line for wanting your professional life to stay out of your personal life.

Mine too. When I worked at other places if my boss was not going to be in the office on the next they called somestimes to ask for something or to remind me. not a big deal to me.

Kae

 

[kimisabella]

I have to think this is in part because he is your BIL. That doesn't excuse it, but does he call any of his other employees on Sunday? As a family member, he probably feels more comfortable calling you. Again, that doesn't excuse it though. I worked many hourly jobs and never got called on my days off. Unfortunately now my job sort of requires me to be available if needed on off days, but I get paid better to be available too.

You're right, that is probably the biggest part of it. He employs his brother & father, but they have different, full-time positions and make much, much more money than I do, and he probably does call them on the weekends. I do not think he calls the others that are not related to him.

My boss never calls me on Sunday. I agree with you, it's unacceptable.

Thanks for agreeing with me - seriously, if I was unreasonable I wanted to know partly because I want to know what to say to him later.

My first rule is NEVER work for family. That being said no your not being unreasonable. Use your called ID on the phone it works for me.

Thank you for making me chuckle about the caller ID....One thing about them is they are persistant... If I don't answer my home or cell phone, either my BIL or his wife (my sister) will call every 10 minutes until I answer. No joke, I wish I could show you my caller ID at home and on my cell....

 

[kimisabella]

I agree with the others. He is calling you because he feels more comfortable calling a family member to talk about work, though it's still wrong.

Ask him if he calls other members of his staff on weekends. I bet his answer is no.

My boss would do something like that also, but he's my dad. I completely empathize with you on that, it sounds like that because it's family, they feel like it is acceptable. At least, that's how I think my boss/Dad views it. I don't think that you are out of line for wanting your professional life to stay out of your personal life.

Mine too. When I worked at other places if my boss was not going to be in the office on the next they called somestimes to ask for something or to remind me. not a big deal to me.

Kae

I do understand that he feels that he can talk to me about work on the weekends because we are family, but I just don't want to HEAR what he has to say when I'm not at work, and it comes across as me being annoyed and disinterested. I do feel bad that I came across that way, but, I feel that if I keep letting things like this go, where will the line be drawn?

If he wasn't going to be in the office, or going away, I understand him calling me and letting me know what has to be done - I would rather him call me to tell me what has to be done instead of having to track him down and ask him all sorts of questions - but that's not the case here.

 

[AnneR]

My situation is very different -

so I will give you my opinion first and then share what happens with me.

I would never call any of my staff on the weekend about work for Monday. There are circumstances when an incident has occured at one of our programs when I need to call the supervisor of that program but that happens very rarely - like once every five years. Usually the supervisor on-call (paid) can handle most situations.

Now, my situation is very different - I have a very close working relationship with my supervisor and my executive director - there are times they call me about work on the weekends, generally we have some sort of a deadline. I carry a cellphone paid for by work and my position does require some level of availability.


I also get as many phone calls from my boss/executive director providing me support whether it is work or personal issues. In fact, I have gotten calls from my executive director just to check in to make sure I am okay as I have gone through my separation.

I do have to share the call from yesterday though -

Driving in the rain - running usual Saturday errand, it is about 10:00am. Cellphone rings - it is my executive director -

"your daughter now thinks I have lost my mind"

"I asked her if she knew when daylight savings time started"

Yes, he called me to find out when daylight savings time started - he was on his way to a hearing for a state bond bill and saw a sign about setting clocks back and got concerned that he was an hour late. He called me because he knows my phone number.

I laughed all day!

 

[Launchpad11B]

Andrea, I'm not sure I'd mess with "the family". You Italians have different rules for family matters. You don't want Vinny to end up sleeping with the fishes!

OK, enough crude, inappropriate ethnic humor. I'm on call 24/7 and I normally don't get bothered at home on the weekend. Your BIL is wrong to do it. He probably counts on you very much. Consider it an annoying compliment.

 

[jewels1916]

I do understand that he feels that he can talk to me about work on the weekends because we are family, but I just don't want to HEAR what he has to say when I'm not at work, and it comes across as me being annoyed and disinterested. I do feel bad that I came across that way, but, I feel that if I keep letting things like this go, where will the line be drawn?

If he wasn't going to be in the office, or going away, I understand him calling me and letting me know what has to be done - I would rather him call me to tell me what has to be done instead of having to track him down and ask him all sorts of questions - but that's not the case here.

I hear ya, girl! I have screened many a call from my father. Well...ok, not many, but there have been times where I just. don't. want. to. hear. it. Plus, with him being my dad, he gets angry and it brings back those days of being 17 and rebellious again. Hopefully, since he is family, you can talk to him that way. Tell him that there needs to be a clear distinction when it comes to work. He needs to decide to treat you either as an employee when "work things" arise, or family. When he vacillates between the two, things get messy. I hope things get better for ya!

 

[kimisabella]

My situation is very different -

so I will give you my opinion first and then share what happens with me.

I would never call any of my staff on the weekend about work for Monday. There are circumstances when an incident has occured at one of our programs when I need to call the supervisor of that program but that happens very rarely - like once every five years. Usually the supervisor on-call (paid) can handle most situations.

Now, my situation is very different - I have a very close working relationship with my supervisor and my executive director - there are times they call me about work on the weekends, generally we have some sort of a deadline. I carry a cellphone paid for by work and my position does require some level of availability.


I also get as many phone calls from my boss/executive director providing me support whether it is work or personal issues. In fact, I have gotten calls from my executive director just to check in to make sure I am okay as I have gone through my separation.

I do have to share the call from yesterday though -

Driving in the rain - running usual Saturday errand, it is about 10:00am. Cellphone rings - it is my executive director -

"your daughter now thinks I have lost my mind"

"I asked her if she knew when daylight savings time started"

Yes, he called me to find out when daylight savings time started - he was on his way to a hearing for a state bond bill and saw a sign about setting clocks back and got concerned that he was an hour late. He called me because he knows my phone number.

I laughed all day!

Anne, it sounds like you have a great work enviornment and relationship with your co workers, it's nice to have people look out for you beyond wanting the job done.

Andrea, I'm not sure I'd mess with "the family". You Italians have different rules for family matters. You don't want Vinny to end up sleeping with the fishes!

OK, enough crude, inappropriate ethnic humor. I'm on call 24/7 and I normally don't get bothered at home on the weekend. Your BIL is wrong to do it. He probably counts on you very much. Consider it an annoying compliment.

You're right, I should look at it as him counting on me to do certain things, but in my mind I just can't make myself feel it. I realize I do play a part in it, and I haven't vocally addressed the situation and how it annoys me, but I assume that is what I will be doing tonight.

Italians do have "different" rules, and not a lot of them make sense or are right, lol.....

I hear ya, girl! I have screened many a call from my father. Well...ok, not many, but there have been times where I just. don't. want. to. hear. it. Plus, with him being my dad, he gets angry and it brings back those days of being 17 and rebellious again. Hopefully, since he is family, you can talk to him that way. Tell him that there needs to be a clear distinction when it comes to work. He needs to decide to treat you either as an employee when "work things" arise, or family. When he vacillates between the two, things get messy. I hope things get better for ya!

I definatley will be telling him there needs to be a distinction of work & family, whether he wants to listen, that's another story, lol...

 

[ericafny]

Andrea I would be just as annoyed as you and probably would have reacted the exact same way. You know what I do for a living and if a parent calls me on a weekend I just let the voicemail pick up because I know those are my days off. Maybe he feels like he can call you on the weekends because he is your brother in law? Either way he should respect your days off!

Hope you, Vinny, and the girls are doing well. Would love to try to get together over spring break if you guys aren't busy!

 

[2Tiggies]

My first rule is NEVER work for family. That being said no your not being unreasonable. Use your called ID on the phone it works for me.

I couldn't have said it better!

My boss would never call me on the weekend, save for an emergency - and I mean a serious emergency which would demand contact between us prior to Monday morning. We have had each other's personal numbers for this reason for years and once, in an emergency regarding first thing Monday she sent me an sms. That was it.

 

[k5jm]

Bill him for an after-hours call-out at time and half. That is what federal law calls for unless you are exempt.

I do get called on the weekends but that is the expectation of my job.