HR question -- was she in the WRONG?

[Robinrs]

Wow,

One of the girls in my office is pregnant and YES, she is the only pregnant woman who EVER LIVED....

We have to sit thru every single symptom, go to her child's website and post, get to watch her dvd of the child's sonograms every other week, she had a party to annouce his sex, she wears a heart monitor due to her murmur, she's planning the shower... you know the type.. It's a daily drama.

Well she got her doctor to cut her hours (she HATES her boss and her job and we hear THAT everyday, too) and now she feels vindicated, only because she's sure it'll ruin her boss's deadlines.

Well, we have a monthly dept meeting and in the meeting her boss's boss, who is also my boss, announced that they are bringing in someone to help out due to her cut hours. She sighed, sighed and harummphed... then was asked if she had to leave... and she did.

She went straight to HR and announced that the boss announced to the company PRIVATE information and now she'll be harrassed by her co workers.... ... WHAT???

My boss, who was CLUELESS, came into my office almost in tears. She was not told the details, she was just asked what was the incident that caused the complaint. She had NO IDEA. My boss, who just had TWO children both under the age of 4, is very sensitive to the girl's plight but the girl is determined to undermine her.

Now I don't know if it's hormones, mood swings or WHAT, but his is the third complaint she reported to HR due to her "pregnancy". Now my boss is afraid to say ANYTHING to her....

Your thoughts???

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I'll bet your boss tried to buy her baby (Sorry, I have a Friends reference for everything...!)

My best guess is that she feels that your boss mentioning her reduced hours/medical requirements was a violation of her privacy from a medical POV?

 

[MinnieMe87]

I'll bet your boss tried to buy her baby (Sorry, I have a Friends reference for everything...!)

That was the first thing that came to my mind! LOL

 

[WestCOT]

i feel bad for the kid

it'd suck to have a lady like that for a mom

 

[Kika]

... you know the type.. It's a daily drama.

Yes, I do!

...Well, we have a monthly dept meeting and in the meeting her boss's boss, who is also my boss, announced that they are bringing in someone to help out due to her cut hours...

If all the boss referenced was her cut hours, I don't see an issue. I mean it won't exactly be a secret that she is working less hours; people will see that she won't be there for her full hours.

 

[Robinrs]

I'll bet your boss tried to buy her baby (Sorry, I have a Friends reference for everything...!)

My best guess is that she feels that your boss mentioning her reduced hours/medical requirements was a violation of her privacy from a medical POV?

Wow, I guess I'm the only person on earth who has NEVER watched Friends so that went clear over my head..

I could see if it was something no one knew but she sent the email to almost everyone in the office! There are only 13 of us and I think she told ten of us... what was the "privacy" violation?

 

[luvmy3]

If her hours are being cut people in the office will notice so just how is that private info

 

[Robinrs]

Yes, I do!



If all the boss referenced was her cut hours, I don't see an issue. I mean it won't exactly be a secret that she is working less hours; people will see that she won't be there for her full hours.

Yep, she leaves at two and then texts people in the office on her way to wherever she's going, which is NEVER home to bedrest. If we ask her to a lunch she announces "you know I leave at TWO!"

 

[kathie859]

Was she as self absorbed and irritating Before Pregnancy? Let's face it, sometimes hormones can go wild but even giving her the benefit of the doubt--she sounds like a real PIA. No doubt she'll be giving birth to a snowflake

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Wow, I guess I'm the only person on earth who has NEVER watched Friends so that went clear over my head..

I could see if it was something no one knew but she sent the email to almost everyone in the office! There are only 13 of us and I think she told ten of us... what was the "privacy" violation?

Ahhhhh man. Friends rocks.

I'm not saying I agree with her... I'm just guessing that might be her train of thought? And maybe she DID watch Friends and knows that HR departments dealing with a pregnant woman might tread lightly... (which would be a lot funnier if you knew what I was talking about!)

 

[DawnCt1]

The fact that her hours are being cut is public information. The reason for her hours being cut would be private, medical information. Your boss did nothing wrong. As an occupational health nurse, I would read the private, medical information and send notification to the department head/supervisor/manager that stated; "Sally Smith has a work restriction that requires her to work no more than 4 hours per day. Supporting medical documentation is on file." Of course the supervisor/HR would not be allowed to see the medical documentation but part of my job was the verify that it did exist and was legitimate. If it were a questionable work restriction, such as "Sally Smith cannot report to Jim Jones because he causes her undo stress", than I would call the physician and work out something else or have it lifted if the employee wished to remain at work. That type of work restriction cannot be accommodated because Jim Jones is Sally Smith's boss. Other work restrictions that cannot be accommodated are work restrictions for security guards; they need to respond physically to emergencies, assist with CPR, evacuation, etc.

 

[Robinrs]

Was she as self absorbed and irritating Before Pregnancy? Let's face it, sometimes hormones can go wild but even giving her the benefit of the doubt--she sounds like a real PIA. No doubt she'll be giving birth to a snowflake

Somewhat. She just turned 24 so that explains a lot. Her Mom sort of dropped the ball with her and she's always looking for someone to pay attention to her. I did it for awhile but she's literally getting on my nerves.

I kind of feel sorry for the child, also. It's all about her. Selfishness is a horrid trait for a parent.

 

[Robinrs]

The fact that her hours are being cut is public information. The reason for her hours being cut would be private, medical information. Your boss did nothing wrong. As an occupational health nurse, I would read the private, medical information and send notification to the department head/supervisor/manager that stated; "Sally Smith has a work restriction that requires her to work no more than 4 hours per day. Supporting medical documentation is on file." Of course the supervisor/HR would not be allowed to see the medical documentation but part of my job was the verify that it did exist and was legitimate. If it were a questionable work restriction, such as "Sally Smith cannot report to Jim Jones because he causes her undo stress", than I would call the physician and work out something else or have it lifted. That type of work restriction cannot be accommodated because Jim Jones is Sally Smith's boss.

The paperwork (which she showed around the office) suggested that she have a work restriction and she had the gall to be pissed because she wanted "bedrest" so she could stay home.

I didn't think my boss did anything wrong either. She just mentioned the hours, not another thing. It was the girl who told us all about the details and if the "co workers" would harrass her it would only becasue of her own confessions.

 

[Robinrs]

Ahhhhh man. Friends rocks.

I'm not saying I agree with her... I'm just guessing that might be her train of thought? And maybe she DID watch Friends and knows that HR departments dealing with a pregnant woman might tread lightly... (which would be a lot funnier if you knew what I was talking about!)

I wouldn't be surprised if she had... she lives her life thru TV shows!

 

[*JoGo*]

Your boss didn't say WHY her hours were cut. Just that they were.


I'd forward the email she sent to everyone to HR... so they are more aware of the situation/relationship the pregnant lady has/causes. Especially since your boss was not in the wrong and it's awful that HR may start thinking SHE (and others the pg lady complains about) is the problem.

 

[Robinrs]

Your boss didn't say WHY her hours were cut. Just that they were.


I'd forward the email she sent to everyone to HR... so they are more aware of the situation/relationship the pregnant lady has/causes. Especially since your boss was not in the wrong and it's awful that HR may start thinking SHE (and others the pg lady complains about) is the problem.

If my boss is in any danger I will definitely find a way to prove her wrong. We all have the evidence and my boss doesn't deserve this.

 

[bballmom56]

It doesn't sound like your boss said anything wrong. I hope HR dismisses that complaint right away, but after having a relative with some HR issues, I have no confidence that they will dismiss it - they will claim "we have to be fair". Your boss could be in for a challenge.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I think HR probably has to get everyone's side of the story... so it's not necessarily that she did anything wrong. They probably have to check out any complaint, ridiculous as it may be.

 

[TerriP]

Her Mom sort of dropped the ball with her and she's always looking for someone to pay attention to her.

Sounds more like her mom dropped HER...on her head.

Dealing with PITA co-workers is...well...a big PITA! I deal with it in two ways: a lot of help from heaven, and lot of chardonnay!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Several years ago I had a boss who screwed something up badly and tried to blame several people both in my workgoup as well as outside of his jurisdiction. I led a group of about six people to go over his head and we voiced our complaint.

In this situation I would suggest you take the lead and go, with seveal co-workers, to HR and let them know that she is being a drama queen and that the problem is not the boss.