AdviceLibrary

Dear Joan: 

My company has recently instituted a flexible schedule policy.  Any employee wishing to go to a flexible schedule must get the approval of his/her immediate supervisor, as well as the department head.

 

I have the approval of my immediate supervisor to begin working a compressed workweek (four 10-hour days), but our department head has denied the request.  His reasons are that it's "not a good time for employees to work less in the current economic climate," and by letting me change my schedule, it will "make other employees want to do it, too." 

 

This denial seems unfair to me because of the following:

 

 

 

 

Until now, in spite of what I feel is bad behavior on the part of the supervisor and co-worker, I’ve managed to have great relationships with both of them.  I have always had excellent reviews, work hard, and am very dependable.  I frequently do work for the department head, as well, and I am positive that there is no hidden reason for his denial of my schedule request that has anything to do with my work habits or personality.      

 

My supervisor has refused to intercede for me with the department head because she doesn’t want to “rock the boat.”  She is worried that if she helps push for what I want, everyone else will lose what they have.  She has, though, offered to let me “take a day off here and there, without telling anyone.”  That’s unacceptable to me, not only because it’s wrong but because I want a schedule that I can count on in order to do regular volunteer work, take enrichment classes, etc. 

 

I find myself caught between a clueless department head and a supervisor who is encouraging employees to lie/cheat. 

 

My questions:

 

 

 

 

Your supervisor’s “under the radar” actions are disingenuous—at best. There is no easy way out. By letting employees violate the policy-- that the department head clearly wants to enforce—it is putting everyone at risk. What’s worse, she is bending the rules in different ways for different people. I’m sure you are outraged that you have to pay the price so she and others won’t be “found out”. 

 

What’s worse, your supervisor is letting people cheat the company. She isn’t applying flexible scheduling appropriately. Your request is simply rearranging your 40 hours. In your co-worker’s case she is working half time for full pay and benefits, which sounds like stealing to me.

 

Your supervisor is trying to be the ‘nice guy’ but her actions are insubordinate and unethical—or worse. It’s clear she disagrees with the department head and feels he is being unfair and outdated in his views. (In fact, I agree that he is missing the boat on the benefits of flexible scheduling—when it is applied equitably.)   

 

Because she is cutting all these side deals under the radar, someone is going to blow the whistle eventually—whether it’s you or someone else.  This won’t end well, regardless.

 

Since you have already gone to the department head and been denied, there isn’t much you can do. If you do file a grievance, think through the ramifications and your end goal first. If you want to expose the injustice, a grievance will probably do that. So will a visit to the Human Resources Department. You could ask HR to keep your name out of it and ask them to do their own investigation, but there is never a guarantee that they will honor that. You could write an anonymous letter to HR, which would also trigger an investigation.

 

The department head will investigate and your supervisor will be in hot water. Heads may roll.

 

I think you are right in assuming your coworkers would be angry. Your supervisor would also be angry. In the end, would the policy be more fairly administered? Hopefully, but I suspect the department head would see to it that no one had flex time, so in the end you may not get what you want anyway.

 

Am I saying not to grieve it or write an anonymous letter, or go to HR? No. But in any case there will be ramifications. Even in the case of an anonymous letter your colleagues would probably assume you were the author.

 

I can’t make this decision for you, but one thing is clear. You are an honest employee who understands what is right and wrong. I applaud you for not being willing to cross the line.