Quandry at Work - What do you think?

[Biscuitsmom31]

As I've posted before, I'm a paralegal at a small law firm. I work primarily for the managing partner.

Here's the problem. One of the associates keeps asking me to do work for her that is not related to the firm. Not small little things - things that take hours. She (the associate) and my main boss (the partner) are very close friends. So, I'm not sure if I will help or hurt myself by saying something. However, I don't think my boss wants to pay me twenty bucks an hour to do non-firm business half the day.

What do you think?

btw - I'm on lunch at the moment, so I'm not technically DISing on company time...I would never do that.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Does she want you to do legal work outside of the firm....or is it personal stuff?

 

[Sandy V.]

I would start saying to the associate, "No, I'm sorry. I just don't have the time to do that along with all of the work I have to get done today."

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

Does she want you to do legal work outside of the firm....or is it personal stuff?

Personal stuff. I've done her taxes and paid her bills. She also owns some businesses of her own that she has me do work for.

 

[happygirl]

I'd would problary just do it, as long as it not getting you behind in your regular job, I bet the assoicated asked your boss if you could help her out

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

I would start saying to the associate, "No, I'm sorry. I just don't have the time to do that along with all of the work I have to get done today."

I've tried that. She is not an easy person to say no to. She can be pushy and difficult. If I give her a hard time, she goes to my boss (her close friend of 25+ years) and talks about me.

 

[Thats_for_Shore]

Hmmm, this is a very tricky little problem.

If I were you, here's what I would do. I would continue to do the "extras" for her, but I would photocopy everything.

She hands you a phone bill she wants you to pay, copy it, and on the copy, write the date, and how much time you spent handling that.

She gives you her taxes? Again, make a copy, write the date, and how much time you spent on it.

She gives you stuff to do for her business? Copy it!! Write on the copy how much time that took you.

After a while, you'll have a big folder full of her personal stuff.

I would then go to a DIFFERENT partner, or HR or someone, show them the file, add up all the time it took you to do that stuff, tell them that you can't keep up with your job and her personal business, and please, could they find you another associate to work under?

And even if you don't feel like going to someone with all the copies, at least you'll have it, just in case you should ever need it for anything....like blackmail...or a raise.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

And even if you don't feel like going to someone with all the copies, at least you'll have it, just in case you should ever need it for anything....like blackmail...or a raise.

I like the way you think.

 

[Handbag Lady]

Just go to your boss and ask them if they want you to do this stuff. Try not to give an opinion either way, but say that it does take a lot of your time and if it hinders your regular work, your boss needs to know.

Maybe you are supposed to do this stuff. Maybe not.

 

[Darcy03231]

I had this happen to me in another firm I worked in. What I did was to go to my boss (a parter) and told him that I had too much work to complete in a day. I gave him a list of everything I had to do at the moment, including the associates personal work and asked in what order he would like all this work done. Trust me, he took care of the associate very quickly. I never complained about the work or said I wouldn't do it, just let him decide what was going to be done and in what order.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

I'd would problary just do it, as long as it not getting you behind in your regular job, I bet the assoicated asked your boss if you could help her out

We're short staffed right now and I really don't have the time. I believe that she has told my boss that she asks me to do a few things for her but I don't believe my boss knows the full extent of it.

IMO, the associate is taking advantage of their friendship.

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

I had this happen to me in another firm I worked in. What I did was to go to my boss (a parter) and told him that I had too much work to complete in a day. I gave him a list of everything I had to do at the moment, including the associates personal work and asked in what order he would like all this work done. Trust me, he took care of the associate very quickly. I never complained about the work or said I wouldn't do it, just let him decide what was going to be done and in what order.

Ahhh! Good plan. I think I'll use this.

 

[minniecarousel]

I had this happen to me in another firm I worked in. What I did was to go to my boss (a parter) and told him that I had too much work to complete in a day. I gave him a list of everything I had to do at the moment, including the associates personal work and asked in what order he would like all this work done. Trust me, he took care of the associate very quickly. I never complained about the work or said I wouldn't do it, just let him decide what was going to be done and in what order.

I like this suggestion.

 

[mla973]

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Ask your boss what gets priority: work-related tasks or this person's personal stuff. That way, you can inform him without complaining or appearing as if your "telling" on the person. Just that you need some direction from your boss on the priority of your tasks. (Especially, since what happens if you can't get your regular work done b/c of these other things....)

I had this happen to me in another firm I worked in. What I did was to go to my boss (a parter) and told him that I had too much work to complete in a day. I gave him a list of everything I had to do at the moment, including the associates personal work and asked in what order he would like all this work done. Trust me, he took care of the associate very quickly. I never complained about the work or said I wouldn't do it, just let him decide what was going to be done and in what order.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I had this happen to me in another firm I worked in. What I did was to go to my boss (a parter) and told him that I had too much work to complete in a day. I gave him a list of everything I had to do at the moment, including the associates personal work and asked in what order he would like all this work done. Trust me, he took care of the associate very quickly. I never complained about the work or said I wouldn't do it, just let him decide what was going to be done and in what order.

BINGO!

 

[Nancyg56]

I had this happen to me in another firm I worked in. What I did was to go to my boss (a parter) and told him that I had too much work to complete in a day. I gave him a list of everything I had to do at the moment, including the associates personal work and asked in what order he would like all this work done. Trust me, he took care of the associate very quickly. I never complained about the work or said I wouldn't do it, just let him decide what was going to be done and in what order.

That is what I would do.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Can I ask what the nature of your employment is? Do you have a job description? Because it is possible that she's asking you to do things that you are supposed to be doing.

 

[momof1princess]

darcy03231 hit the nail on the head. i'm a former legal secretary, and this is what i would do in this situation. my former boss's wife used to ask me to type things for her totally unrelated to my job (paperwork for the local service guild, of which she was president at the time) and my boss made it clear to me (in his wife's presence) that his legal documents and correspondence came first. best of luck to you office politics are NEVER fun.

 

[barkley]

given that legal fees are often computed figuring in the operating costs associated with running an office i would be very peaved if i had a lawyer billing me rates that were inflated based on inappropriate use of staff for non buisness activities.

btw-this reminds me of the episode of the show 'yes dear' where the dh finds out the reason he's lost so many assistants is'nt because he's some kind of terrible person to work for-it's because his wife has been utilizing them as HER personal assistant.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

given that legal fees are often computed figuring in the operating costs associated with running an office i would be very peaved if i had a lawyer billing me rates that were inflated based on inappropriate use of staff for non buisness activities.

I don't think that's how it works though. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the hours worked calculated by keeping track of the time a specific case was worked on?