Backstory:
Two days in November/December, I took myself and my two children to my husband's work. One time I sat in the back with them and stuffed envelopes. They helped me stuff the envelopes. The other time? The three of us carried in a ton of Christmas things which we had purchased for the office. We got there 20 minutes before the office closed. After the office closed, we decorated the office.
Both of these incidents were on a Saturday. I was not paid in any way for this work. I did these things as favors for my husband because his office is understaffed.
One of his employees brought a complaint against him to his supervisor because he told her she could not bring her less than six month old infant to work with her. This person's job is as a customer service representative. She is the person who would greet the customers when they come in, answer the phone when someone calls, and take payments. Basically she must deal with customers all day long.
Her argument is that since Jason's children were there one day, then it should be acceptable for her to bring her infant in to work.
What do you think? Is she right or wrong? I seriously need opinions and be honest, please, because I'm about to become unglued by this whole situation and my ulcer feels like it's eating my insides.
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39 comments:
She is very wrong and completely unprofessional. Jason's supervisor will laugh at her behind her back and send you warm thoughts for being so giving of your time. Hopefully, he will reprimand her for being such a douchette. Perhaps, if she cannot afford adequate daycare,she should be reminded that the government offers welfare assistance for such things...
She is oh so wrong. Yes, his children were there. However, you were there supervising them. Also given the age, you can assume they can reasonably entertain themselves. Basically, I think it is perfectly okay for her to bring her baby, as long as her husband/boyfriend/significant other (trying to be politically correct here!) comes along to supervise. Oh, and the baby needs to entertain itself. Or stuff envelopes. Either way.
Seriously, the woman is ridiculous. The two situations are completely different. You shouldn't even waste your time worrying about that! Want me to come kick her in the shins?
Well this is my first visit to your blog and this womans argument made me laugh....first of all by the picture in the corner your children look like they are no longer dependent on you for EVERYTHING and seeing as they were acompanied by an adult(other then your husband, seeing as he WAS AT WORK) the two situation in no way resemble each other. Unless how ever she is bring her 6mth old to say hi on her day off. Because seriously when my kids were 6mths old I was proud to get in a shower little own get any work done with them around. What is she thinking? Well thats just my two cents. I hope it all works out OK for him.
Oh puh-leeze. Fine.
Anytime she wants to bring her child in on a Saturday or when the office is closed, to do something she is not getting paid for, feel free.
There. Nice and fair for everyone.
This is comparing apples and oranges. Her infant requires constant attention. This child will be distracting to a work environment and in no way and asset to the function of the office.
Your children contributed to the productivity of the office. Had no interaction with customers and were self-sufficient.
Let it go or you will implode. Pick your battles and this is not one of them, my dear.
great week
This is a perfect example of how the few ruin it for the many. Because of this woman's whining, no doubt the office will have to make a rule where no children allowed in the office for any reason -- period. And all your philanthropic efforts will be for naught.
I HATE it when the few ruin it for the many. It also proves the statistic that as a supervisor, you spend 80 percent of your time on 20 percent of your people.
She is out of line, but on the other hand, she can claim discrimination and favoritism and wreck all kinds of havoc. Geesh. That is so WRONG!!
humph.
Oh - if only common sense were more - well - common!
Unbelievable!!! Your kids were there when the office CLOSED with someone besides your husband to supervise them. AND you were not being PAID, so it wasn't on company time. AND it was a Saturday. This woman needs to buy a clue.
I agree, your situations with the kids were completely uncomparable to what she would be doing with her infant.
People are nuts, but you already know that!
I don't agree with her. You were there on a saturday in the back and there after closing. She is out of order. Bloody bitch.. she is just trying to get a free ride. Screw her, your better than that babe.
Hugs xx
What they said. I'm sorry that Jason works with crazy people. Hey, I guess you two have that in common, unfortunately.
Wow. 6 months is really early to start working. I can't believe she's going to bring her kid in to help stuff and lick envelopes. Aren't there labor laws that protect kids from doing that?
In all seriousness, she's comparing apples to oranges. It was not a bring your child into work day, it was you bringing your kids in to help out in the office. If she brought her 6 month into work, she won't really be spending time working at all, she'll be looking after her child. Plus it does not look professional as a customer service representative.
It's a shame that she has to compare herself to your situation, in the end she's creating a situation where you will not be able to bring your kids into the office because you'll have to come up with a stupid rule that says no kids in the office to appease 1 stupid person.
I would be lying if I said I knew where she was coming from...because I obviously have something she's lacking...common sense.
Oh puhlease... This is just ridiculous...
Apparently this individual must have gone to work with her mother when she was less than 6 months old and was promptly dropped on her head when they got there.
Definitely let it go...she's an idiot.
And I agree with everyone else...
I agree with everyone. . . .and I'll be anxious to hear the outcome.
Don't let it get to you--she's wrong. There's a HUGE difference in an infant and your children and really? Your kids weren't there with JUST Jason while he was WORKING. She's a moron.
Some people are just ridiculously foolish. What you did was completely different from what she's asking to do. Your children were there, in the back, and they were actually working. The other time, they were there after business hours. YOU were with them both times - it's not like they were there because Jason had to work and you didn't have a sitter.
Not only that, but your kids are, well, kids. They're not a needy infant.
The whole thing is just ridiculous.
Oh man, the crap you have to deal with! I agree with everyone else, she is crazy and wrong...I hope hearing this from everyone eases your ulcer. Gah! People are stupid!
OK, PERSONALLY, she is completely wrong. An infant and children require two different levels of care. And she (an employee) would be caring for the infant while you (a non-employee) cared for the children.
PROFESSIONALLY, as an HR person in another life, WHAT DOES THE EMPLOYMENT MANUAL SAY?
And why is this bothering you? It's Jason's place of employment, not yours. What I mean to say is let it go. You have enough angst at your own job.
Jason didn't bring your kids, you did, you were watching them and unless she was talking about bringing a babysitter as well the two situations have nothing to do with each other...and she's an idiot!
Umm...it doesn't even seem like it should be a question. I'm seriously wondering if she has some sort of mental deficiency to think the situations are even remotely similar...or that she could do her job with an infant around. If I were Jason I'd be trying to replace someone who is that unhinged. Oi.
Is she bringing in her husband to take care of the six month old while she works?
Yeah, I didn't think so.
She's in the wrong. Jason is not. You are not. It's ridiculous.
That's insane, anyone with half a brain knows that taking care of an infant is a full time job all on its own. Is this woman thinking about how her CHILD will fare being in an office all day? How and where will it sleep? Will it be entertained watching her talking to other people all day and making photocopies? Does she have any idea how many germs are running loose in an office building?
Yeah, she's a headcase, don't worry about it.
You know, everyone keeps talking about her being crazy, and unhinged, and all that. But you know, having been in HR for many years, I would guess that she is crazy -- crazy like a fox! This kind of person is a perennial troublemaker and she probably has no desire to bring her infant to work; she just saw her boss with children at work and thought she'd make an issue out of it.
These people like to stir the shit, and they like to see if perhaps it will result in a little money coming their way if she files some sort of discrimination or favoritism lawsuit. Like I said before, now the office will have to make a rule saying "no children at work" because she's making such a stink.
Lawsuit? What lawsuit? You're thinking. I can think of no employment law that forbids children at work; this is a policy issue and needs to be addressed in the employee handbook. Well, here's the deal. She is probably a borderline employee, and fears losing her job. By making a stink out of this, she has just made herself teflon coated. If they fire her ass for being a troublemaker, she will slap them with a whistleblower type lawsuit, or a discrimination lawsuit so fast their heads will spin. She is essentially making it nearly impossible to fire her; even with all the documentation in the world, she can file some trumped-up thing saying that they fired her because she stood up for her rights as a parent.
Unfortunately, when you do something at work it sets a presednece, and if you allow it for one, you have to allow it for all, or you're being discriminatory, blah blah blah.
Like I said, this woman is crazy like a fox, and looking for some kind of employment immunity, or perhaps with her eye on a lawsuit and some settlement money.
Urgh I hate these kind of employees.
On the other hand, Chick? Not your battle. Not your issue. Frustrating? Yes. But take a chill pill (i.e. big frosty margarita) and relax.
presedence, not presednece. Y'all know what I mean. heh
presedence, not presednece. Y'all know what I mean. heh
I would think that they would like to see the manager's family come and help add to office. Decorating for christmas and stuffing a few envelopes didn't require and all day stay, I'm sure. She's nuts, crazy, psycho and delusional. Hope this gets solved soon, with them telling her to not make such an insane argument again.
In the past, a few employees have brought their child to work. Management made it clear that it is a no-no. However, there are several VPs who bring their children to work - and, what makes it worse - is that while staff keep their children with them, the VPs have left their kids in the care staff who were asked NOT to bring their children to work (because it decreased productivity and appeared unprofessional). Go figure.
I do not hardly think your situation is the same. #1 YOU were there. You are not an employee, and you had the kids with you. #2, your children are not infants. And, #3, you came to do a good thing for the office. So personally, I think that the employee is trying to milk this particular situation and exaggerate it to her advantage.
she is wrong. and trying to take advantage of the situation.
Jason did not bring his kids to work, YOU brought them to his office and YOU are not an employee of the company. Simple as that. It's not even about the age difference of the kids. She was wrong. And crazy.
He should tell her that if her baby can stuff envelopes that she's welcome! :P
I think this person is being out of line - comparing her situation to your situation is just assinine.
i agree that this is a dangerous thing. i agree women need more equality in the workplace, but the situation is completely different. visiting on a closed office day is not the same thing as full time child care in the office during working hours. i can't believe there isn't policy in place already. if they're understaffed, losing her to caring for her baby all day is not going to help any, but she would have basis for a suit, even scantily. dont take your kids back and tell your hubby to drop it unless she actually brings her baby in every day. i smell a lawsuit.
My opinion is that she should be allowed to bring her infant in if it's an absolute emergency. However, this should be a VERY RARE occurance. You can not compare children who are capable of helping out with work to a child that can't even sit up straight. Her logic is unreasonable.
My workplace is very kid friendly. We have a daycare onsite. We are allowed to go visit our children during the day and take them to our cafeterias with us at lunch. We are, however, expected to leave them at the daycare so we can accomplish our jobs. There's no way you can take care of an infant AND do a customer service job at the same time.
What a (*#$&#(!!
She is 150% WRONG! There is a huge difference between the two. First your children are perfectly capable of busying themselves for a while if they are at Jason't office, even though they were actually with you and not him. Second, at one time, you came after hours, so how does this add up to her being able to bring her infant to work!!!
I have and will continue to bring Kaylie to work with me if I have to. But, I would never bring Alyssa, she is just too young and I would not be able to do my job!
Is she really playing with a full deck????
Holy cow. What a joke.
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