Is there a solution?

LegacyUser

Have a bit of a problem with work colleague. To begin with I gave him a start with me when his old job finished up, it was only something part time and enough to keep him occupied while looking for something else. As it turned out the hours wouldn't have been enough on their own to sustain him over a five day period so I talked with my boss and she agreed to jiggle the hours so that he could work three days and sign for other three.
Off the bat it was clear that he wasn't physically able for the job, he has slight physical disability and while it doesn't prevent him from doing the stuff we do (industrial cleaning, using buffing machines etc) it does make him a lot slower at it. (actually he's a hazard when using them) Which means I have to pick up the slack. My boss again asked me after three month probation period if I still felt it was worth it but I didn't want to make him feel bad and we kept him on. Boss warned me a year ago it was a bad idea.

It's now at the stage where I am unable to work with him anymore, not just because of his work ethic but personal differences are making it unbearable.
I feel he despises me because he feels obligated to be grateful for finding him work and I wish if he felt that way he would just leave. I can't ask him to do anything as he takes it as a personal attack and gets offended and gets defensive.
On another point, since the change in the amount of signing days took effect, he would pretty much be coming home with 30 euro less than what he would get full on the dole, so he seems kind of desperate to keep the job.

Spoke to my boss today and told her how I felt and asked if I could have a transfer. She said if something comes up it was mine but that there wasn't any immediate openings. She then reminded me what she said a year ago and told me she hoped I had learned from the experience. She told me that I could have worked the job soley which would increase my weekly earnings but that I insisted on keeping him on and if he did decide to leave I could have those hours back.
Unfortunately he has no intention of going anywhere.

So later today I explained all this to him ad asked him would he consider leaving. I did it by text as we no longer verbally communicate and got no response. I feel now that I have to leave my job because it's unworkable and it's just so unfair as he would never have got the position had I not fought for it for him.

I know he can't be made to leave but am I wrong to ask him for those hours back, consider I have a child to support too and I could really do with the extra few quid.

LegacyUser

I'm going to be honest with you:

(a) it's over a year since you got him a start. He can't be grateful forever, let it go.

(b) you can't expect someone else to give up their job because you could do with extra hours, cop on!

(c) I hope you worded your text very nicely. If my colleague sent me a text asking me to leave I'd have them up for bullying! Why would you do such a thing in writing???

(d) if you both have personal differences you're bringing into work then you're both acting like children. These need to be left at the door. We only have one side of the story here, I'd like to hear his. Do you expect him to treat you like a boss and take orders from you because you helped him find work I wonder!!!

You gave away your extra hours to a mate who needed the work, he's not going to leave because you've changed your mind. Bully him and he'll be the one with extra hours. Be a man and get on with the job you have!

LegacyUser

No, I don't want him treating me like a boss, this is one of the things that has caused friction already. He has no sense of autonomy and can't do anything unless he's told what to do. I asked him to start taking more responsibility, to stop expecting me to sort out things for him. In the same way I regret sorting this job out for him, he would not have qualified under any other circumstance. He has a physical disability and would have a hard time finding work otherwise. I stepped in because I felt sorry for him and that's what come back to bite me. But his physical disability is what is making this all not work.
Even my Boss does not want him there, she can see he is a liability and knows no one wants to work with someone who is that slack. It's nine hours, that's his shift, nine hours, no one in their right mind would chose to work it instead of the dole but he does because he knows I would get those hours back and he is not willing to give me anything.

I did word the message nicely, in fact so much so that I knew to save it in case it was required at a later date.
I text later after writing this and told him I would just leave. I am actually physically ill from having to deal with him at this point. Thanks for your advice.

LegacyUser

Btw, I'm female.

Spunk84

betweenarock wrote: »

Btw, I'm female.

I can honestly say you have just screwed yourself ! You text him about leaving ,you went to your boss to get him out, I'm not sure but I'd say he is being talked about in the company as I type. If this individual decides to take the company to court for harassing and bullying he's in the money lol now here's the big kahona ! Your the one that will recieve the tail end of it if it got that far , as your manager pointed out it was you wanted them kept on, that was your managers way of saying if the sh#t hits the fan its on you . Best thing to do is put your head down and not say a thing,if there is as bad as you say then they will dig there own hole

LegacyUser

Spunk84 wrote: »

I can honestly say you have just screwed yourself ! You text him about leaving ,you went to your boss to get him out, I'm not sure but I'd say he is being talked about in the company as I type. If this individual decides to take the company to court for harassing and bullying he's in the money lol now here's the big kahona ! Your the one that will recieve the tail end of it if it got that far , as your manager pointed out it was you wanted them kept on, that was your managers way of saying if the sh#t hits the fan its on you . Best thing to do is put your head down and not say a thing,if there is as bad as you say then they will dig there own hole

I handed in my notice last week so it's no longer my problem. I didn't go to my boss to try get him out, I contacted her to say I was unable to work with him anymore and requested a transfer. He has known since the budget that he would be earning less than the dole once the changes are implemented and has thrown around the suggestion that it wouldn't be affordable for him to work. My boss recommended I wait and see if he was going to stay or go, as those hours would return to me if he did, I asked him was he going to leave. He didn't respond which I took as a no so I left.
As it happens when the changes come in he will more than likely have to give up the job anyway so gud luck to him.