A couple of my employees want to join the protest...

[lawrocket 3]

May 1, 2006 - next Monday - has been proposed as a national day of protest, wherein people are planning to walk out from work to show how important immigrants are to the national economy.

It turns out that a couple of my employees want to do the same thing. One of them is a paralegal. The other one is her daughter, 18, a receptionist.

Needless to say, I'm a little pissed off about this. No, they won't get fired for it. They won't get paid, either.

Sure, it's a three day weekend for them. Of course, we have a deadline that day, and two more on Tuesday. And considering that we have five of us total in the office, that's two people gone.

I think my main issue is, "Why the hell do they want to take it out on us?" Yes, they want to help send a message to the population, but is seems that they would prefer that I, as their employer, face the brunt of this.

The receptionist is a different story. She's on thinning ice with me right now due to some personal choices she made having an impact on her health, and thus her availability for work. Might I add, she also asked our office manager (a Latina who will be at work on May 1) whether she thought that she could get me to loan her the money to pay for her procedure. She's gotten time off for it, with a couple more appointments to go, which has been an issue. Now she wants to take the day off to show the country how needed she is.

Am I wrong for being pretty damned mad about this? Sure, they are trying to make a point. The problem is that it is I who is bearing the brunt. Do they think those wonks over in DC are gonna feel it?

They are aware of my objections and my concerns. I do NOT think that they are remotely aware of how pissed off I am.

In fact, I can't think of protests that haven't pissed me off. The "Take Back the Night" rallies in college, where womyn would march by the hundreds at eleven at night shouting "however we dress, wherever we go, 'yes' means 'yes' and 'no' means 'no.'" A noble goal, but when I am supposed to be awake at 4:00 a.m., it did not make me a happy camper. Or the people who would protest on an LA Freeway, tying up traffic to make their point.

I'm just venting now about being on the paying end of people's protests. What the hell did I do to make them want to take it out on me?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Zipp0 1]

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The receptionist is a different story. She's on thinning ice with me right now due to some personal choices she made having an impact on her health, and thus her availability for work.

Skydiving?

Z

--------------------------
Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[justinb138 0]

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May 1, 2006 - next Monday - has been proposed as a national day of protest, wherein people are planning to walk out from work to show how important immigrants are to the national economy.

Can employers fire immigrants for a day to show them how important the national economy is to them?

[wmw999 2,600]

Can you work with the paralegal so that as much work as possible is done up front, so that her absence won't impact you any more than it has to (particularly the Tuesday work)? Maybe some overtime before then would do it.

You're absolutely right that you don't have to pay either of them. Does the receptionist know that she is on thin ice?

But they are talking to you, instead of just calling in sick. Something to consider.

Wendy W.
Editing just to see if I get a fatal error when I edit too
Nope. Goes through no problem at all.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[quade 4]

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What the hell did I do to make them want to take it out on me?

Looks like somebody needs to read The Four Agreements.

Let me assure you that whatever is going on in their lives probably has nothing to do with you. In other words, "they" not only do not have something against you, "they" probably aren't even thinking about you.

People are just trying to cope as best as they can.

Don't take it personally.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Darius11 12]

If they know you need them to work that day, and you are sure that you would have the same objection to any protest not just this cause then fire there ass. You pay employees to work, yes I can see being understanding when shit goes wrong if they are worth it but if you have one that is just a fuck up then she needs to go.

You also mentioned how she has made some personal choices that you don’t approve of. Her personal choices are hers and part of her personal life it simply doesn’t matter what you think. If as you said it is effecting her work then I am sure like most employers you have a set amount of days she can take of. You can't tell her what she can use them for but you know how many she is entitled to.

If she has used them all then that’s her tough luck.

One other thing that I am not sure if it applies to you or not but

Let people know how you feel, if you keep the fact that you are upset hidden then it will build and explode.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[warpedskydiver 0]

Get ALL your employees in a room for a discussion and try the role reversal thing...maybe it will open their eyes.

And wtf is she doing, hoping to buy tits on a loan from you?

If you were a doctor maybe but a Lawyer?

I could understand if she needed legal help.

besides asking for a loan publicly in your employ sets a bad precedent.

[livendive 8]

The first I heard of this protest was just last week, and I didn't know which day it was supposed to be on. In any case, it seems to me that the backfire potential is much greater than the chance of it facilitating meaningful, positive change.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[ExAFO 0]

1. Correct--don't pay them.
2. Charge them a vacation day.

Other than that, it's a free country.

Illinois needs a CCW Law. NOW.

[rehmwa 2]

You are an evil right wing fascist corporate exploiter insensitive to the needs of the 'little' man that you are exploiting with mere money, yet with inadequate health care and inadequate housing and no free pack jobs at the DZ.

Other than that, see any of my latest tirades on what free speech is all about today - non-courteous, non-productive, noise making with no intent other than annoying people and hurting the economy.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

"they" not only do not have something against you, "they" probably aren't even thinking about you.

People are just trying to cope as best as they can.

That's right. They don't have something against me. They just aren't thinking about what they are doing.

There are ways to get a message across without pissing off allies. If my neighbor has a loud and barking dog, I deal with the neighbor. What I dont' do it send a message to the neighbor that pisses off the whole neighborhood, i.e, playing a tape of a barking dog at 130 decibels towards the neighbor in the middle of the night. Focus os lost on my legitimate gripe against the neighbor by the rest of the neighborhood being pissed off at me.

I hired them both. They do a good job. But, they haven't thought about the impact to us in sending their message. We've rewarded both of them with bonuses, time off to deal with family issues. Considering the nature of some past requests, we've obviously been cool and gracious with them.

No, I don't think they wish to spite us. I don't think they want us to suffer. But, they are now both acutely aware that the one who will get the biggest message from them is me.

We'll see how it turns out.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[rehmwa 2]

One thing about being the boss. 2-way courtesy and accommodation is completely unheard or, unexpected. Any accommodation must come from you and only you. Never the other way. It's a tough price to pay. No one really appreciates the small businessman in today's world.

Keep plugging away though. Eventually, you'll have a 'team' of people that will work together to deliver your product, balancing personal and work life as best as they can cope.

Then California or the Feds will change the law and you'll have to fire one or two to make ends met, or be forced to hire someone for some arbitrary non-performance based reason that might not fit in and upset the whole team dynamic. Or it'll just happen anyway because that's how it works.....

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[kelpdiver 2]

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Am I wrong for being pretty damned mad about this? Sure, they are trying to make a point. The problem is that it is I who is bearing the brunt. Do they think those wonks over in DC are gonna feel it?

I'm sure the hope is that life will be disrupted and the general population along with employers like you will clamor to DC and that will get their attention.

IMO, this is almost as dumb/naive as the one day gas boycotts. And going by those willing to go on record, it seems more race based than on INS status.

See if your employees are willing to work that Sunday instead. Still disruptive, but at least it shows some consideration towards the company.

Maybe the anti immigration folks are right - these folks have fully adopted the American notion of demanding services and rights they haven't earned.

[rehmwa 2]

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IMO, this is almost as dumb/naive as the one day gas boycotts. And going by those willing to go on record, it seems more race based than on INS status.

See if your employees are willing to work that Sunday instead. Still disruptive, but at least it shows some consideration towards the company.

Maybe the anti immigration folks are right - these folks have fully adopted the American notion of demanding services and rights they haven't earned.

Three excellent points all in a row.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Zep 0]

Err. May 1st labour day, public holiday, as in paid day off.

Gone fishing

[rehmwa 2]

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Err. May 1st labour day, public holiday, as in paid day off.

err Sept 4, 2006, Labor Day - Public Holiday.


May 1st, Mayday - kids give each other candy and try to kiss each other. We still work.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[wmw999 2,600]

It's another one of those rest-of-the-world-vs.-US things.
Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Zep 0]

Quote

Quote

Err. May 1st labour day, public holiday, as in paid day off.

err Sept 4, 2006, Labor Day - Public Holiday.


May 1st, Mayday We still work.

Jeez that sucks, Sept 4, I'll have a vacation too.

Gone fishing

[Samurai136 0]

I'll be at CouchFreaks.


I would let the team know that being absent from work when they are not on approved vacation time or literally sick is an abuse of a benefit. The abuse of employee benefits will be noted in their annual review under "attendance".

In short, "I hired you to perform a job, I expect you to show up."

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[ViperPilot 0]

Make them pull a few all-nighters to get the work done that would have been done on 1 May. If it's so damn important to them then they can sacrfice a night or two of sleep. See how they like that one.

[cloudseeker2001 0]

What the hell kind of lawyer are you? Fire their ass!

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[Lucky... 0]

Quote

May 1, 2006 - next Monday - has been proposed as a national day of protest, wherein people are planning to walk out from work to show how important immigrants are to the national economy.

It turns out that a couple of my employees want to do the same thing. One of them is a paralegal. The other one is her daughter, 18, a receptionist.

Needless to say, I'm a little pissed off about this. No, they won't get fired for it. They won't get paid, either.

Sure, it's a three day weekend for them. Of course, we have a deadline that day, and two more on Tuesday. And considering that we have five of us total in the office, that's two people gone.

I think my main issue is, "Why the hell do they want to take it out on us?" Yes, they want to help send a message to the population, but is seems that they would prefer that I, as their employer, face the brunt of this.

The receptionist is a different story. She's on thinning ice with me right now due to some personal choices she made having an impact on her health, and thus her availability for work. Might I add, she also asked our office manager (a Latina who will be at work on May 1) whether she thought that she could get me to loan her the money to pay for her procedure. She's gotten time off for it, with a couple more appointments to go, which has been an issue. Now she wants to take the day off to show the country how needed she is.

Am I wrong for being pretty damned mad about this? Sure, they are trying to make a point. The problem is that it is I who is bearing the brunt. Do they think those wonks over in DC are gonna feel it?

They are aware of my objections and my concerns. I do NOT think that they are remotely aware of how pissed off I am.

In fact, I can't think of protests that haven't pissed me off. The "Take Back the Night" rallies in college, where womyn would march by the hundreds at eleven at night shouting "however we dress, wherever we go, 'yes' means 'yes' and 'no' means 'no.'" A noble goal, but when I am supposed to be awake at 4:00 a.m., it did not make me a happy camper. Or the people who would protest on an LA Freeway, tying up traffic to make their point.

I'm just venting now about being on the paying end of people's protests. What the hell did I do to make them want to take it out on me?

Quote

I'm just venting now about being on the paying end of people's protests. What the hell did I do to make them want to take it out on me?

You're a lawyer, you fck people all the time - carma....



Naw, I hear ya and altho I'm for the immigrants, they're trying to say how they're an imntegral part of the community and by hurting their employer they're actually opposing that message.

[Lindsey 0]

I think I'd have to let these employees choose between working and not working. If they want a job, they come to work. If they don't want a job, they protest while people with jobs work....(what are they protesting???? working????)

linz

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[Andy9o8 3]

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I think I'd have to let these employees choose between working and not working. If they want a job, they come to work. If they don't want a job, they protest while people with jobs work....(what are they protesting???? working????)

Good point in concept, but as a practical reality there are 2 difficulties with this approach:
1. He's in California, so those employees might have the ability to muster up quite a picket line of like-minded protestors against his office if they were really up to doing it.
2. Defending against not 1 but 2 race-based employment discrimination lawsuits, even if he wins both of them, would be incredibly expensive if he hires outside counsel (say in the range of about $30,000 per pop). Oh, and since alleged discrimination, generally being a willful act, and not mere negligence, is what's known in the insurance industry as an "intentional act", most insurance policies don't cover it, so he'd have to pay all those fees and expenses (as well as any settlement or judgment) out of his own pocket.
Food for thought.

[misaltas 0]

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to show how important immigrants are to the national economy.

Immigrants? Or illegal immigrants?

Tell them this. Anyone who's for illegal immigration is a sucker. They're someone who's for people working their ass off for below-market wages, and no protections nor benefits, and they're also for business owners who profit from paying said wages.

If someone really cares about the importance of immigrants in the US will work toward pressuring Congress to bump up the quota of Mexican citizens granted entry/work visas through the controlled process. That way, they can come here and compete for market-wage jobs, and work here with dignity.

If you're here illegally, go back and apply for a work visa. Until then, you deserve to get screwed over by american society.

Rant uh-finished...

Ohne Liebe sind wir nichts