November 10, 2009 – The Olympian – Olympia, WA, US
Question: My husband is very angry with my supervisor. I work the late shift in a hospital laboratory and usually sleep for a while before going in. The other night, my supervisor called and asked if I was available. When my husband said I was sleeping, my boss explained that he needed me to come in early because of a “medical crisis.” My husband refused to wake me and suggested calling someone else, then hung up rather abruptly.
When I arrived at work, my supervisor called me into his office. After ranting for 10 minutes about my husband’s behavior, he said, “You are a wonderful employee, but if this ever happens again, you will not have a job.”
Now my husband is furious. He is protective of my sleeping time and insists that management can’t make me come in early because there is no “on call” policy. He also says my supervisor had no right to threaten me. I have considered taking this issue to my supervisor’s boss, but I’m not sure whether further discussion is indicated. Does my supervisor have the right to make me go in early? And how should we handle any future calls?
Answer: “Further discussion” is definitely indicated, but with your husband, not management. Hanging up on your boss may have been rude and politically stupid, but refusing to inform you of a medical crisis was appallingly irresponsible.
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