update: I have an awful summer intern, and I can’t fire him by Alison Green on October 31, 2016 Remember the letter-writer in June who had a terrible summer intern who she couldn’t fire? Here’s the update. First of all, thank you so much for your advice. I honestly had no idea how to handle the situation because it was the first time I have ever dealt with anything like that, and I was […] Read the full article →
are you ready for the new overtime law? by Alison Green on October 31, 2016 Note: The new law discussed in this post was blocked the day before it was set to go into effect. One month from tomorrow, on December 1, a major change to U.S. overtime laws will go into effect – and might result in changes in your paycheck and your work schedule. Here are answers to […] Read the full article →
employee is trying to force his way into a job that I don’t want to hire him for by Alison Green on October 31, 2016 A reader writes: I’m the manager of a teapot sales tracking program at my company and I have three system administrators reporting to me: Alvin, Simone, and Theodora. Simone was pregnant and planned her four-month maternity leave starting in May. Ernest (who I do not manage but who uses the software my team administers) came […] Read the full article →
we’re not allowed to bring coffee to work, my coworker is faking his expertise, and more by Alison Green on October 31, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker is faking his expertise for the promotion he’s applying for Our director of IT gave notice this week. Two internal people have expressed interest in the job. We are a small company, and the director of IT is the only IT professional on […] Read the full article →
weekend free-for-all – October 29-30, 2016 by Alison Green on October 29, 2016 This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. (This one is truly no work and no school. If you have a work question, you can email it to me or post it in the work-related open thread on Fridays.) Book recommendation of the week: The […] Read the full article →
4 updates from letter-writers by Alison Green on October 28, 2016 Here are updates from four people who had their letters answered here earlier this year. 1. Employee wants her husband to hang out in our office for hours every day Speaking privately to the employee in question, I basically explained that while I sympathized with her and her husband’s situation, her workplace was not going […] Read the full article →
a salary negotiation success story, with lessons by Alison Green on October 28, 2016 Here’s a great letter from a reader: I wanted to share a happy ending to an unusual salary negotiation, because I think it shows how you can apply good principles even in a situation that’s an exception to the rule. Back in June, I was offered a job doing exactly the kind of work I […] Read the full article →
open thread – October 28-29, 2016 by Alison Green on October 28, 2016 It’s the Friday open thread — and DAY EIGHT of my complete laryngitis! I am rather demoralized. Despite that, the comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, […] Read the full article →
can I be friends with candidates who I reject for jobs, telling an employee to talk more normally to foreign colleagues, and more by Alison Green on October 28, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Can I be friends with candidates who I reject for jobs? I am a hiring manager and I meet A LOT of candidates that I do grow to like. I have had some applicants ask if we can be friends after I send them a […] Read the full article →
my coworker has become needy and wants a closer friendship than I want by Alison Green on October 27, 2016 A reader writes: Over the past year, I have developed a casual friendship with a coworker. Think: occasional happy hours, venting to each other about rough days, etc. She’s about a decade older than me and has very different personal interests so we’re not really friends outside of work. The problem began two months ago […] Read the full article →