Yesterday, you were supposed to cover reception because you were between assignments. You were due at 8; you arrived at 9:20. Unfortunately, someone arrived for a 9:00 job interview at 8:40, so I had to let them in and lost 20 minutes of my work. You said your car broke down and you had to take the bus, which I understand, but why didn’t you use that cell phone you carry to tell us?!! If you had, we could have been prepared, instead of scrambling to look like we knew what we were doing. You acted beautifully passive aggressive at lunch time, then, that afternoon, you took 20 minutes to go buy bus tickets. When I suggested that wasn’t something I would have done, you said “I’m entitled to a break.” Didn’t it occur to you that that 20 minute break, if it exists, might have been accounted for by your turning up an hour and 20 minutes late? You said you were sorry, but you didn’t offer to take a short lunch, and you insisted on your break. Sorry, your actions don’t back it up.
I’m old-fashioned. I was raised that you show up on time, or a bit early if you’re doing something new, and, if you can’t you call to let someone know what’s happening. You didn’t. If you’re paid for 8 hours, you work for 8 hours. (OK, I don’t know when she left.)
This is short because I need to get to work on time, but the whole reason you were asked to cover reception was so I could get some work done on 1 of the 5 databases I’m trying to design. As a result of your actions, I lost about 20 or 40 minutes myself, and no, I didn’t take a break.
One question for anyone who knows about Pennsylvania/US Federal employment law, does the law require employers to give professional employees a 20 minute break? I’ll ask in GQ this evening, if I may, but I am curious.
CJ