Another co-worker vent

[Hillbeans]

Ok, I know this issue has probably come up way too much but today is the last straw. I work with someone who is very unreliable. We are on the same level at work, but we don't do the same job however we can fill in for each other on an as-needed basis.

A few weeks ago before my long planned 4 day weekend out of town, she calls out sick Mon-Wed and we were already down another associate. What got me is that she had "vacation" the week before and has a history of calling out after being away. I had to stay very late the day before my trip to do my work, her work, train her new associate, set up this associate's access on the computer, etc.

FF to today, same person calls out yesterday and today and left me a voice mail to do X that she left at her desk. Hmm - I should have known - it's a holiday weekend. Wouldn't you know it I just find out a few moments ago that a friend of mine just happened to run into this person at a spray tanning salon getting herself sprayed last night? Ugh, i'm so annoyed. Yes, I know that if she was sick she could drag herself out to get a spray tan, but it seems to me that this all but sealed the deal that she wasn't going to be in today because who would get a spray tan while they're out sick.

I'm sure if I go into our boss i'll be perceived as a tattle tale, but i'm just so annoyed. I know that there really is nothing I can do, but I just feel i'm totally being taken advantage of. Any thoughts?

 

[disykat]

I'd be resentful too. Her absences are affecting you. I wouldn't "tattle" either, but is there anyway you can talk to your boss about other ways to fill in for absent employees?

 

[budbeerlady]

How the heck does she get away with being "sick" so often? If it isnt vital to be done that day for the company I wouldnt do the work for them. Let them come back to a *@!# load of work on her desk.

And when she comes back I would either "Notice her tan in front of others and say how great she looks, has she been tanning?" Or say you hope she is "feeling better, it must be some nasty stuff going around if you were sick so often lately"!

I cannot stand people who do this to their co-workers, we had one once the boss didnt care but she did finally cut her own rope with her actions. All the leaving early, calling in sick, coming in 2 hours late, long long lunches had all the others in an uproar and they did finally have to fire her!

 

[mickeyboat]

Ask her what kind of sickness would turn your skin THAT color?

Have a great weekend!

Denae

 

[Hillbeans]

Thanks everyone - I guess it's just one of those things. I don't want it to ruin my holiday weekend - and it won't !

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I love coworkers.

My mom had a coworker that called in sick today because when she asked for the day off the manager said there was already too many people off and she would have to come in. My mom overheard her tell another coworker that she will have today off and she always (at her last job) got off holidays because she has kids. Because people without kids (or older kids)just LOVE coming to work and don't deserve the holidays off over people with kids. So she called in sick. My mom has to stay late now because her boss asked her too and she was supposed to get off early.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would discuss my boss' expectations of how much of another employee's work was supposed to be covered by the remaining employees. And I mean that honestly. Don't comment directly on the # of absences, like "My goodness "Mary" has been out a lot lately". But, it is in your best interest to get a handle on what amount of "Mary's" work your boss expects you all to do. I'd probably say something along the lines of "With Mary being out so much this past month between her vacation and her illnesses, I was just wondering how you would like the rest of us in the department to divide up her workload so that it is equally distributed among all of us? I am concerned because having to cover Mary's work these past has made it difficult to keep up with my own duties. I'd also like to know what you consider crucial and what can wait until her return, so we can focus on the crucial things."

This will serve a couple or purposes...it will sort of point out to the boss that Mary has been out a lot lately, because he/she may not have noticed. It will make you seem like a team player, willing to do the crucial parts of Mary's job.

Then I would make sure I commented on her tan and how well she looked when she got back, and I would do it with a sincere smile and make sure the boss was within earshot.