Comments on: I’m a Single Parent Who Can’t Find an Overnight Babysitter. Help!

By: Spencer

Spencer — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 15:58:13 +0000

Another word of advice: Document interactions as much as possible. Communicate about this difficulty in email rather than in person, if possible. If it’s not possible, take notes during your meeting and have your manager sign and date those notes as an accurate reflection of the conversation. If you do get let go, do NOT sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

Even if you lack a legal case, these emails and notes can be taken to your local press. Naming and shaming employers for this type of action can be effective in encouraging them to be more flexible. It will also protect you if you chose to warn prospective employees on websites like Yelp or Glassdoor; some corporate lawyer might send you a nasty letter about defamation or libel. If you have documents, you’ll be in a much better position.

By: Evil HR Lady

Evil HR Lady — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 11:20:51 +0000

In reply to Dorothy.

Of course not everything is legally actionable–I said as much. But, this sounds like a random training and not a regular part of his job. If you take a job that is billed as no travel and suddenly you have to travel, it’s a big deal. And it’s not fair to say someone isn’t a good employee because they can’t travel when they didn’t know they’d have to.

By: SWF

SWF — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 01:33:49 +0000

Dorothy and Miller, I think you’re both being a bit harsh. It sounds like he did try solving the problem by “exhausting many resources for availability for childcare…I asked what the alternate methods of training or dates were so that I could prepare.” I’m a childless female, and even I understand someone’s hesitancy in leaving their 2 children with someone, they’re not familiar with. I find it difficult to leave my pets (and no, I don’t request reimbursement). I think EHRL’s advice is good.

By: Miller

Miller — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 21:16:32 +0000

Dorothy!
Well stated, especially “I’d be more impressed if you solve this problem than if you threaten to sue the company.”

By: DC

DC — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 18:24:32 +0000

I travel periodically for work and generally have to pay a pet sitter, and it never occurred to me to ask for reimbursement. The only thing I do ask my employer is reasonable notice to arrange pet sitting for overnight travel, and more notice around the holidays.

By: Dorothy

Dorothy — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:30:40 +0000

Was this man aware when he took the job that occasional out of town travel was a requirement? Why is the onus on the company to accommodate the employee’s situation rather than on the employee to fulfill the requirements of the job.

One thing the company should consider is addressing this issue in their HR manual: that occasional overnight travel is a requirement of some positions and that the company won’t reimburse employees for child, elder and pet care. My company did that after a couple employees sought pet care reimbursement as a travel expense.

I counsel the employee to decide how much he likes this job. If he wants to keep it, he needs to solve his overnight childcare problem. A couple suggestions:

1) Does the company have an EAP? If so, call them for referrals. This is the sort of situation their poised to assist you with.

2) Find other single parents in your workplace or elsewhere and trade overnight childcare with them.

3) Talk to the parents of your school aged children’s friends: Will they take one of your youngsters in exchange for you taking theirs on a weekend night?

I know this is an HR blog, but every work situation isn’t legally actionable. In frankness, if I were your boss, I’d be more impressed if you solve this problem than if you threaten to sue the company. And, legally, I’d be surprised if you have a case. I don’t think “unprepared for overnight childcare” is a protected class of activities.

By: grannybunny

grannybunny — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 14:40:02 +0000

Yeah, the “cruise” comment raises all kinds of questions. What happens if an employee has a disability making it difficult-to-impossible for them to travel to the training? What if an employee get sick and is prevented from participating? Is this employee a non-exempt employee and would that make a difference, since his presence is being required away from home and his family for 24 hours (or more)? Many organizations — for financial and logistic reasons — are conducting more and more meetings through teleconferencing, Skype, FaceTime or whatever. Obviously, you lose some of the “human touch” with those virtual meetings, but if the main focus is the actual training, that could be accomplished through such alternate means.