Q–I am paid by the hour, but recently my boss said I needed to work on my own time to finish a project. It needs anywhere from one day to a week’s worth of work. Isn’t this immoral and illegal?
A–Just say no. Slave labor violates a person’s human rights and is illegal. Your boss’ request is outrageous and he or she clearly has no right to ask an hourly employee to put in a day’s work, much less a week’s worth of time without pay. You need another job now, regardless of whether he or she punishes you for refusing. You might also want to discuss the situation with your state’s labor department so they can investigate this company’s practices.
Q–I am always well received upon hiring, but it is short lived. I either have an anti-charismatic or arrogant air, lack political savvy or may be too blunt. Maybe being retired military is part of it? Can you recommend any books on workplace politics?
A–Your military experience is an excellent background for learning about the dos and don’ts of office politics. “How To Talk So People Listen” by Sonya Hamlin (Harper & Row, 1989) may help you learn about various communication styles, but you may also want to look into group counseling to work on improving the way you communicate.
Q–I injured my back while trying to lift a heavy palate of computers. This was not part of my job but the company tried to save money by not hiring movers to do the work. The extent of the injury was not apparent to me at the time, but within a week I had severe pain and could hardly move. Because I didn’t scream out and complain at the time I was hurt, the company denied my worker’s compensation claim. My doctor placed me on bed rest, and when my manager heard, he fired me. He made up an excuse that he was firing me because of customer complaints and would consider rehiring me when things “settle down.” I live in an “employment-at-will” state, but can’t this company be held accountable?
A–Companies are accountable for on-the-job injuries. Since your company denied your claim, you need to hire a lawyer specializing in worker’s compensation to pursue it. Your boss may think “employment-at-will” allows him to fire you regardless of the situation, but he is wrong. He will need documentation on all those customer complaints that coincidentally culminated in firing you right after your injury.
Q–I have more than 30 years’ experience with a major IT company and have kept up on all the newest technologies. I have scrutinized and rewritten my resume because I am looking for a new job, only to discover that the people interviewing for technological jobs either don’t understand my experience or don’t stop talking through an interview, leaving me no chance to see if I want the job. I have had it with their dumb questions and wish someone would train these young people how to conduct a proper interview.
A–When you recognize an interviewer’s lack of knowledge and experience, head off the dumb questions by taking charge of the interview. This way you can explain your background and knowledge and ask questions about the position so you will know if it’s a job you want. If you find that many interviewers are confused by your experience, omit detailed descriptions of obsolete systems and highlight your past accomplishments and usable knowledge.
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Write to Lindsey Novak, Jobs, Room 400, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, 60611. E-mail her at AtWorkbyLN@aol.com.
