In article , Aula says...


"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
I think the problem is that she's effectively salaried
part time, but doing something that is normally a part of her
normally full-time job. I think the most salient question is
whether there's some significant problem if she only works one
other morning that week. If they need her to work more
than one other morning, then can they figure out how to pay
her for the additional time?


A great deal depends on where in the world she is. For some reason I think
she's in England, but I could be having a serious brain strain on that. My
understanding of laws in the US, as a member of management, is that she
falls under different rules than when she is working full time. She is,
essentially, [if in the US] returning to work on what amounts to light duty
after an absence under what would probably be FMLA. In any company I've
worked for that would have included a period of sit down negotiation with
the employer, prior to first day back on the job, to discuss exact
expectations regarding hours, pay, and exceptions. Her company, for
example, knows that she is returning to work after the birth of a child and
is taking it in stages. But, they have chosen to assign her a task that
takes her away from her new baby and family for a period of virtually two
days. That suggests to me a blatant disregard of the reason for her return
as a p/t employee and a very good reason for her to immediately set a firm
foot down as to what she is willing to do, and what she is not willing to
do, as well as her expectations of them. It looks, from this pov with what
is granted less than the full picture, like she is being taken advantage of
by an employer who will continue to pull similar stunts unless shut down
fast and professionally. Surely there are other staff who are not so
recently returned to *light duty* who could cover this task? If I was her
boss and I valued her as an employee I would not be disregarding her needs
by sending her off like this before she is ready for f/t work. I'd be
helping her make as smooth a transition back into the work force as possible
so that she'd be most likely to successfully complete the transition into
full time work for me again. Something about this whole situation does not
feel right from here.

Ooo - no, that's a dangerous way for a corporation (or the employee for that
matter) to look at it.

Yes, she's known to be taking part time since she had a baby. But it's not up
to her *employer* (and she shouldn't let them look at it that way) to decide FOR
HER what it means and what she needs in this time. That trip could be something
important to her future ratings (keeping in touch with a critical client, for
example), and she may well have the wherewithall (family help, hired help) to
make the trip. Her manager, or some honcho in an office, should not be dealing
out *anything* according to how he or she perceives any family obligation to one
or other employee. It's up to the employee her or himself to bring it up and
change positions or negotiate terms as needed.

She didn't do that, she was able to make the trip; she's only asking about
compensation.

Banty