Evil Director of HR

HRQ

I know in another post I was perceived by several to be insensitive. Let's see how this one goes over...

Acct clerk has been out on FML for three weeks. She's used up all her PTO and hasn't filed her STD claim yet.

Several exempt employees in the office worked a saturday for the open house of our new school and rather than take a weekday off later, they wanted to "donate" their comp time to this employee.

We don't have a formal comp time policy. If you happen to work an extra day nobody minds if you take a weekday off later as long as your position is covered. Right or wrong, I don't know but it was an accepted practice for years.

Anyway, when the "comp time donation" idea was brought up, I said something like "That's a great idea! I need to think it through to see if we can actually do this. I don't want to say 'yes' until I think it through."

After thinking it through, I decided that the donation doesn't make financial sense. Essentially, the "donating" employees would still get paid for a full two-week paycheck - giving up nothing but a few hours on a saturday - and our company would end up "donating" the dollar value of the comp time to the sick employee.

We already provide STD coverage at no cost to all full time employees. Most of you know this isn't cheap.

I explained this to the folks who offered to donate, and the reaction was extremely sour. My assistant repeatedly said "that's just wrong" and under her breath said "this just sucks".

As it turns out, she had already told the sick employee that people were donating their comp time to her, even though I'd made it clear that it wasn't yet approved. She was just trying to share some good news, but it wasn't her position to do so and it hadn't been approved yet. She's a very generous person and doesn't always understand or agree with decisions made on a financial basis.

So now I'm the bad guy (gal) for confirming we can't/won't do something that was never promised in the first place. My controller and I each explained the situation to the FML employee, and she was not upset. She appreciated the thought behind the idea, but now my assistant and one other are giving me looks.

I guess when the idea was first suggested, I should have said "I don't think we can but maybe we can find a way. Don't talk until I tell you to."

If I had promised something then reneged (sp?) on the promise, I could understand the sour reaction. Now i'm just irritated.

I really just wanted to vent, but if any of you think I'm off my rocker (or just plain mean) please let me know. x:-8

ray a

We had a similar situation a couple of years ago and we came to the same conclusion you did. Must be we are both evil.

System

Welcome to the club, HRQ and Ray a. If that doesn't make you "Catbert," something else will. I'm very very nice and I am the employee advocate. But I learned a long time ago that some employees are very very nice to me (bring me coffee, etc.) because I'm HR.

I believe I'm liked here, but if you're in the top HR position you're still "one of them."

"Sam"

ray a

Probably the same when there is a hierarchy in HR. I have a Specialist working for me and she seems to be universally loved, but she is never involved with the messy tasks like termination, discipline, etc. I am for the most part, liked, but not loved. But, I am the one who does the terminations, gets involved in discipline investigates complaints and all those other necessary evils. But, my boss from corporate, is pretty much feared and not trusted. Most people realize that the truly unpopular decisions come from corporate, so I am usually spared their ire.

Don D

I agree with the others. You analyzed it and made what you decided was a good business decision. Your assistant is NOT forward thinking. She's mired in the moment like children passing a coffee can to collect coat money for another child. There's nothing wrong with that unless that is where their thought process begins and ends.

Your assistant has not thought what it might cost the company now or, in terms of precedence, later on. Company rules aren't typically made by committee (except in Oregon). I used to work with an HR Assistant/Generalist who always took this same road, thinking only of the good will of the moment and the smiley/fuzzy feelings people get from such generosity, giving no thought to the larger issues and 'moving forward' type of things. I was forever telling her that one day the tint on her rose colored glasses would change. I wore those same rose colored glasses through my first three years of being an employment counselor.

Nat

We are always the "meanies".xx( I have been in similar situations. Unfortunately people hear what they want to hear and rearrange the truth to their benefit. The thing is, that if we could say some of the things we really wanted to say to people sometimes...but no, we have to stay cool, be objective, and smile and still end up being the "meanie". Don't beat yourself up. Just keep saying to yourself, I love my job; I love my job....x:7

Whatever

The fact of the matter is that you are paid to do job that sometimes casts you as the meanie. Anyone who needs to be loved by everyone cannot do the job. But, overall this can be a great job. I have said it before on a thread, the good I do far outweighs the bad. The feeling I get from helping someone is wonderful. It easily makes me forget the times I feel down because of what I have had to do.
Talk about being a meanie, have you had a heart to heart with your assistant yet?

HRGirl

Have you told your Assistant that she needs to find another job yet? WOW...Most people would be on the outside looking in after something like that. Your bigger picture is to fix your assistant problem first. Insubordination and termination are the buzz words I would use when talking to her.

I'm still amazed at the cajoles this person had.

Don D

Those would be cojones.

HRGirl

I know my spanish Don. I meant cajoles, my family has it's own language, I slipped into it for a momemnt. Sorry for the confusion.

gillian2

Cajones are drawers like in furniture.

Don D

However, cOjones is something quite different. Try O, not A.

System

I thought it was a spicy style of cooking food.

scottorr

Back when I was a Generalist, I used to wear the same rosey colored glasses as your assistant but learned early on that any unfinished business should not be discussed until a final decision was made. I think you have made a sound decision. However, I would talk to your assistant and let her know that we can not always make the decisions that make people smile. I would also talk to her about not letting emotions get in the way of making sound business decisions. She should also know that giving attitude is not appropriate, HR needs to function as a team whether we agree with all of the decision or not.

bamahr

They love you when it works to their advantage. They HATE you when it doesn't. What really ticks me off is when they make it personal. You don't understand - you don't have to work for a living. EXCUSE ME... Why do you think I am here everyday - becuase I like the abuse. Part of the job.

marc

The fact that you considered the idea, means you were trying to find a way. Now go back and challenge everyone to give up time that they would otherwise get paid for. Then adopt a catastrophic leave policy allowing ees to apply for donated vacation time. Have top management review the time-off requests in confidence and then correspond with ees explaining time has been granted to an ee. Anyone willing to donate vacation time may do so. We have a policy like this and it works. The company does not get hurt financially and ees have a safety valve.

It was easy for the ees to donate the time that cost them nothing, now see if they really want to help out by giving up something of real value.

Good luck.

Leslie

I totally agree with Marc. When it's their own time, somehow the altruism falters. We also have a vacation donation program. Now my only problem is that because I earn five weeks a year - everyone always expects Employee Relations to donate. How'd that happen?!?!

ritaanz

HRQ: One of HR's responsibilities is to look forward and determine the repercussions of a well intended offer. You did your job, exercised good judgement and communicated the results to the employee involved. However, there is something still left to be done. Your assistant is completely out of line. Anyone who works in HR, be it a clerk, assistant or coordinator, knows that what goes on in the background is confidential. If your assistant has the gall to "give you looks", says, this sucks, AND divulged the situation to another person is NOT HR material. Time to sit her down and read her the riot act. If you are lucky, she may tell you that this job sucks and go on her merry way.

Don D

Ritaanz, sometimes you and I think alike. Moon phase or something I guess.

ritaanz

x:P I don't think its the moon phase. Although I do check to see when there is going to be a full moon.(Just another tool we use in HR.) The answer is easy, great minds think alike.