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I am very puzzled.  Maybe you can help me figure this one out?

Here's the situation:

Our representatives take turns helping the walk-in customers.  I am in charge of making the rotation schedule.  I make it a month at a time at least a week in advance of the month it is to begin.  I look at the master vacation/meeting calendar to make sure it doesn't conflict with anyone's prexisting plans.

Jerry wrote down that he was going to take vacation this month AFTER I had made this month's schedule so this is not a case of me not seeing that he was taking vacation and scheduling him anyway.  This is a case of he did not have it written down so that I could avoid scheduling him that day.

Anyway, his day up front was to be Friday and he knew this a month in advance.  Thursday rolls around and I get an email from Jerry stating that he will be taking vacation on Friday.  So I email him back and ask him to find someone to switch days with.  I never heard back from him about it.

Friday rolls around and still no word from Jerry as to who is doing Friday walk-ins in his place.  So I have to email everyone and beg for a volunteer.

Here is the text of that email:

"Jerry took vacation today without finding someone to switch with.

Cathy said she would cover the morning walk-ins but that we need to find someone to cover the afternoon as she needs to leave at 12:30 p.m

So...Can I get a volunteer to cover walk-ins from 12:30 - 4:00 today?"

Leann replied and said she would cover the afternoon.

Here is the email I received from Jerry this morning: (with cc: our boss)

"You changed the schedule without looking at the vacation schedule. As for your wording, you better watch what you say - discrimination"

I am stumped!  Discrimination???  What discrimination?  What do you make of his comments?

What a way to come back to work after a long rested weekend!

I'd reply all and say someting along the lines of I check the vacation calendar and you name was not on it.  Also state that you emailed him asking him to find a switch.  If you can attach that email it'd be even better (did you do a read receipt).  Then I'd go to your boss with a print out of the email.  I'd ask him to read the email and help you figure out what part of it was offensive and discrimatory.  I'd say something like "I don't want to offend anybody, but I'm not sure what part of this is offensive.  Will you help me determine what I wrote wrong on this so it will not happen again."  This should help make that blanket extra big to cover your butt ond the bossies.  


Ellen (sounds like he's just trying to duck under the blame radar) in TX.

I agree with Blufire on this one.  Obviously Jerry's typing fingers engaged without taking his brain along for the ride.  Present a concerned face to your employer, approaching this one from the "I'm confused as to what I could have done that might warrant a charge of discrimination Mr. Bossie.  I could really use your input on how to handle a situation like this in the future, since you KNOW how I feel about discrimination....."

In this case, I think it's absolutely right to convey your puzzlement to your boss.  Discrimination is NOT a word that should be used lightly in todays business environment.  Perhaps bossie will pick up on that as well, certainly, Im betting he'll appreciate your concern for your faux pas (not that you made one, but a bit of contriition here will take you farther than an agressive stand ).

Let us know would ya? We like hearing how these things turn out!

Andrea

Discrimination - only against the "I can't be bothered to find someone to take my place, I'll leave someone else with the hassle of it" group of people.

I would seriously take this up with bossie immediately - he really needs to be taken to task over leaving you with the job of finding someone else and he also needs to undertake equal opportunities training - 'threatening' someone (which he is) about being discriminatory when they're quite obviously not shows his ignorance when it comes to equal opps.

Here is the text of the email I sent my boss (emailed because I had an errand to run at 9 a.m. this morning but wanted to address this immediately):

"Wayne:

I did nothing wrong.  I made that schedule nearly a month ago and he did not have vacation written on the calendar then or I would not have scheduled him for that day.

He emailed me on Thursday and told me he would be taking Friday off.  I politely asked him to find someone to switch days with.  Which he did not.  Cathy needed to leave at 12:30.  What does he expect me to do - not have coverage from 12:30 - 4:00?

Discrimination??  I don't see anything discriminatory about my asking for a volunteer because he did not find a replacement. Do you?

What a rude way to start the day!"

So far I have not heard back from my boss on this.

Watch your back with this snake.  He used the term "discrimination" as a threat because he knows it's a hot button and that people have lost jobs over the mere appearance of it -- even if it didn't really happen.  

Sometimes that are people you really hack you off.  this Guy is one of them!  There nothing you can do he's just him.  Take cheer in the fact that there other peole who have to deal with guys like this everyday and all day!!
Keep your chin  up!


Geo

What really puzzles me most is that I usually get along good with this guy.  This came way out of left field.

Well my boss has left for the day without replying to my email.  I'm starting to wonder if he thought I was just venting frustration and didn't want a reply.

I have printed all my emails off Outlook as proof that I did nothing to deserve the accusation in case it ever comes to that.

Not to second guess you, because no one knows bossie like you, but to me this is the type of thing I would handle personally with bossie.  I'd go to him and talk to him, person to person, so that I can get a feel for his response/reaction and so that he knows how seriously I am taking it.  Maybe you can address it with bossie tomorrow when he comes in, let him know that it does bother you and you need some guidance from him on this one.

In the meantime, be sure to at least keep a copy of those e-mails somewhere other than work, just in case.



CountriGal
Deskdemon Editorial Board Member

Just had a thought.  Was Friday a religious holiday of any sort?  I know that Friday, May 17 was a Jewish holiday but I think you are talking about Friday, May 24.  Maybe this is where the "discrimination" comes in.

Even so, Jerry would have know about this holiday in advance and should have let you know.

I don't think that there was a holiday Friday, but I've put in a call to my friend just to make sure.  Regardless, that still couldn't justify the discrimiation comment.  It's not like she put "Due to a religious holiday, John Doe is out, and I need someone to cover his shift."  

This reminds me of my days as a hostess at a popular restraunt.  I was working the door, and taking names on the list.  A gentleman apparently walked up to me and I skipped him and went to the next person.  Well, he didn't walk up to me.  He walked up to the door and stood behind it (like I can see through wood).  

The next thing I know he's literally in my face accusing me of discrimination.  He said, and I quote, "You skipped me because I'm Hispanic didn't you!", and then asked to see my manager.  Thankfully the other guests saw what happened and spoke up for me.  

As he walked out the door he called me a "White B#(&*$".  At that point I lost it.  In front of my boss but not  customers (we had taken the issue outside as to not disturb our guests), I told him he was a poser.  First of all, the guy did not look anything but white.  He had blond hair, blue eyes and a skin tone fair than mine (I use the lightest shade of foundation).  That is of course not saying he wasn't.  

I said "I'm half Spanish.  Look at me.  Do I look Spanish to you?  No.  I have fair skin, freckles, and hazel eyes, but that doesn't make me any less ethnic.  I'm proud of my heritage.  I volunteer in Hispanic organizations.  I volunteer at a lawyer's office helping people with these types of lawsuites.  And as a matter of fact my Brother is 3/4 Mexican.  How dare you call me that.  What's your name!  I want your address and the name and phone number of your lawyer.  I'm going to sue you for emotional distress and reverse discrimination.  How do you like them apples!!!!"

I then pulled out my membership cards to several organizations I belong to.  The guy turned paler and appologized to me.  I told the guy to think twice before he decides to pull a fast one like that.  While he technically had a case because I skipped him, I had about 50 witnesses who saw the guy deliberatly hide behind the door just to pull that stunt.  It scared me wittless.  I was 17 at the time.  

I think it upset me because I don't see color.  EVER.  I've never been good at figuring out nationality because I wasn't raised that way.

Ellen (and incase you're wondering why my brother and I have different nationalities, we're adopted) in TX

Just to be the devil's advocate.....  is it possible this guy is just trying to spark an office controversy? Is it possible that you are just adding fuel to the fire by even responding to him at ALL?

Personally... I'd not email ANYthing back to Jerry. I'd go marching into bossie and talk about it. Emails don't cut it, because you can't "hear" the tone. I think any further communication with Jerry on this topic should be strictly and directly from your boss Wayne, not you.

On a side note... and in no way do I want to be critical of you personally.... but your email to the office staff and to bossie was a bit out of line. The staff email had no reason to include that Jerry had neglected to find a replacement (maybe saying instead, "Jerry is on vacation tomorrow and I'm looking for someone to cover the walk-ins for him"). And email to bossie appeared to be extremely defensive, perhaps a little too defensive for the situation. If you did nothing wrong, there's no need to be defensive and wounded about it. :)  

IMHO, leave it to Bossie to handle. And, keep out of it once he takes over. :)

Jadegrniiz
Deskdemon Forum Board Staff

Well still no response from boss so I think unless anything else is said about it (from Jerry, bossie or human resources) I will let the matter drop but still keep good documentation to cover my butt.

Regardless of whether I should have stated in my email the fact that Jerry failed to find a replacement, that is a far cry from discrimination.

Discrimination is a serious charge.  That is why I took offense.  I do not like being accused of something I did not do.  People have been fired for discrimination.  I take offense to someone trying to get me fired over something I did not do just because he doesn't like being "outed" for failure to find a sub.

Sounds like a complete breakdown in communication to me.  

I think (drawing from my own personal experience) that best intentions can become misconstrued in dialog between e-mail notes.  That's what I believe occured in your situation...  

If I were you, rather than get any more feathers ruffled by trying to interpret his "threats" and stirring the issue into a bigger mess, just go up to the guy and tell him that people mistakenly jumped the gun, assumed things that were not intended - tell him sorry if he misunderstood, and hopefully you all can get the issue calmed back down.  

Looks like people let their dramatics override reality and -- hey -- we're all human (we're all dramatic at times) and we all make mistakes in assuming things.  

Another thing to think about is:  Is this issue really worth everyone getting all upset over?  (To me, he probably is trying to save face and got caught).  OK, so he screwed up... You be the better person - Take the high road and rise above the issue by allowing him to save face this one time.  It's probably the easiest thing to do to fix the stupid situation...  Really.  

I am sure that once he settles down, things will be OK

GOOD LUCK!!!    Let us know how this soap opera resolves itself.  

SNA

Like I said in my previous post, I am just going to let it drop unless one of them (Jerry or Wayne) brings it up again.

Oh... OK.  I guess I didn't read that post where you said that - (I must have missed reading it).  Sorry!  

Have a nice day, Laundryhater.  

SNA