to feel annoyed that colleague gets better treatment

[user9208291]

I work in a job where we work 9-6 Monday to Friday and alternate Saturdays ( with another day off in the week). A colleague recently returned from sickness and did a phased return of 9-1 for the duration of the phased return (5 weeks).
She has been back nearly 3 months and decides on the day what time she will be working till some days 2pm some days 3pm. She never does a Saturday.
AIBU to think this is unfair for the rest of the team that she gets to pick and choose her rota?

@ConfusedBear

I think if it is unfair depends on what affect this is actually having on you. Have you had to work extra Saturdays and does it mean extra work for you if your colleague leaves at 2 not 3? Even if it is having a detrimental effect on you that would be your managers fault for not managing the situation properly and not at all your colleagues fault.

I can sympathize though. I've had a situation where support rightly offered to a colleague made my own workload impossible and was having a detrimental affect on my own health.

Yes we now work every other Saturdays where as before she went off sick we did one in three. The afternoon can be busy and the rest of the staff have been told we have to work till 6 because of how busy we are.

It's hugely affecting your working hours therefore imo, yanbu. I'd be resentful too.

This is mumsnet though where you can't possibly be anything but sympathetic.

@ThatChristinaAguileraSong

You're no worse off because someone else is getting support - this kind of attitude is why so many workplaces are toxic and completely unable to support their staff (because someone always thinks it's "unfair" when someone else gets the help they need).

This.

Especially since you have no idea why she was off.

But she is worse off!!

That's the whole point.

@1FootInTheRave

But she is worse off!!

That's the whole point.

Then she needs to look at her contract re the never of extra hours she's expected to work etc and speak to her manager. It isn't the I'll persons fault that that's how the manager has decided to reallocate the workload. I'm sure her colleague, who isn't getting better treatment but is instead getting appropriate treatment for their illness/recovery would rather not be I'll long term

Yes, it is unfair when it starts impacting your own shifts, rota and workload.

You can try making the same demand, to see if you get the same special treatment. You can't make management change her conditions, but you can request the same.

I would start looking for another job frankly. I hate when you have to pic the slack for someone else and get no reward for it.

Jesus! There are some really petty people on this thread who don't seem to realise that coming back with a phased return and still needing adjustments three months later suggests that the coworker has been - and continues to be - fairly seriously unwell.

The ill natured sniping about 'special treatment' is particularly unpleasant to read.

If your workload has changed and you don't like it - look for another job. But don't bitch about someone getting 'special treatment' for their sickness when you know nothing about it.

Would it be ok if she's had cancer treatment and is still suffering from chronic fatigue and on medication? Or should she make herself ill again doing full time work she's not fit for so that you don't think she's getting better treatment than you by your employer?

You can try making the same demand, to see if you get the same special treatment well presumably she'd need to have the same medical issues too. Is op happy to have a mental health condition or physical illness that impacts on her day to day life?

I hate when you have to pic the slack for someone else and get no reward for it yes @user9208291 why aren't you being paid for the extra time?

You don't know the nature of her illness, nor should you. Therefore you don't know why she has the working arrangements that she has.

Sounds like reasonable adjustments rather than preferential treatment.

If you are unhappy with your own hours speak to your manager but leave your colleague out of it.

Presumably she has a long or serious illness, I'd prefer to be in good health and work my hours personally.

100% this.

For all you know, she could even have a terminal illness and have decided that she wants to maintain some normality for as long as she can. In which case, things will return to normal for you and your existing/replacement colleague before too long; but she won't be quite as fortunate....

well presumably she'd need to have the same medical issues too. Is op happy to have a mental health condition or physical illness that impacts on her day to day life?

that's not the point.

If there need to be adjustment, it's up to management to recruit someone to make up for the reduced hours.

It's not acceptable for the workload to be shared among everyone else instead.

Yes we now work every other Saturdays where as before she went off sick we did one in three. The afternoon can be busy and the rest of the staff have been told we have to work till 6 because of how busy we are

Can’t your manager get a locum in temporarily?

If your colleague has a serious long term illness that substantially affects her day to day life, work are required to make adjustments to her hours or they may find themselves the wrong side of an employment tribunal. Especially if a GP or consultant has recommended flexible working or shorter shifts. I’m sure occupational health have assessed her too and suggested a plan to ease her back into full time work gradually.

The last thing they want is for her to go on long term sick again. If they refuse to make adjustments for her phased return and she gets worse she could file a complaint against them.

things will return to normal for you and your existing/replacement colleague before too long; but she won't be quite as fortunate....

completely irrelevant.

The employees are working for a business who need to respect their workload and hours, employing someone else if needed, they are not working to help out someone who might have health issues.

@misspattylacosta

well presumably she'd need to have the same medical issues too. Is op happy to have a mental health condition or physical illness that impacts on her day to day life?

that's not the point.

If there need to be adjustment, it's up to management to recruit someone to make up for the reduced hours.

It's not acceptable for the workload to be shared among everyone else instead.

And I've said if she's unhappy she should speak to her boss. But that should be to get her back to her contracted hours. Not to get out Saturdays and finish early when she wants. That's a reasonable adjustment sue to medical issues. If op wants to be special then presumably she's happy to have that alongside cancer, MS, long covid etx

@misspattylacosta

things will return to normal for you and your existing/replacement colleague before too long; but she won't be quite as fortunate....

completely irrelevant.

The employees are working for a business who need to respect their workload and hours, employing someone else if needed, they are not working to help out someone who might have health issues.

But this isn't a post about "work have made reasonable adjustment for sick colleague, were picking up the slack, aibu to think they need to hire someone part time?" is it? It's "my colleague is being treated like she's special. I want to be special. Ok she's sick and I'm not but it's not fair, I want to be special!!"

@user9208291 I expect if you had put that detail into your OP you might have got slightly different responses.

Can you speak with your manager to discuss ways to mitigate the affect of the change in your working pattern? For example, suggest that if you work Saturday you get to choose between having the Monday off (so you get Sunday and Monday off together) or having the following Friday off (so you get Friday, Saturday, Sunday off together)? Or ask what areas of work the manager would like you to prioritize because there isn't time to do it all. Keep it neutral -don't mention your colleague as it's not about the change in your colleague's hours, it's about the change in yours.

Your employer has a duty of care towards all employees. They can't decide to try to meet the needs of one employee by failing to meet the needs of all others.

@MadMadMadamMim

Jesus! There are some really petty people on this thread who don't seem to realise that coming back with a phased return and still needing adjustments three months later suggests that the coworker has been - and continues to be - fairly seriously unwell.

The ill natured sniping about 'special treatment' is particularly unpleasant to read.

If your workload has changed and you don't like it - look for another job. But don't bitch about someone getting 'special treatment' for their sickness when you know nothing about it.

Would it be ok if she's had cancer treatment and is still suffering from chronic fatigue and on medication? Or should she make herself ill again doing full time work she's not fit for so that you don't think she's getting better treatment than you by your employer?

Tbf, there's only the OP and one other talking like that.

How is working till 6 on Saturday because it's busy (shop?) her fault, OP? Are you all working the extra hour for free?

If F/T work isn't for you, why not apply to go P/T?

SleepingStandingUp

my colleague is being treated like she's special. I want to be special

Why don't you read the OP's posts instead of making stuff up?

we now work every other Saturdays where as before she went off sick we did one in three.
The afternoon can be busy and the rest of the staff have been told we have to work till 6 because of how busy we are

The OP IS picking up the slack - that she shouldn't have to pick - she is not demanding to be "special"?

The OP's job conditions have changed because another employee is not working full time anymore.

The OP is perfectly reasonable to want to have her normal job condition back, thats' what she is paid for!

If the business has to employ a cover because they are making adjustment for someone else, it's up to them. It's not the OP's problem or responsibility.

Yes it is annoying - and you are absolutely entitled to feel that way. This happens in my workplace all the time & staff are expected to cover for people on phased returns etc. IMO it is poor management which breeds resentment with these things, I have no issue with colleagues being supported to help them return but I do have issue with the rest of the staff having to cover their work when they can't come in or stay in, I think you should speak to management and say you are essentially doing the work of 2 people from say 1pm - 6pm and could they look into another member of staff to cover these hours, I would also ask this for the 3rd Saturday shift. I doubt it's that the OP dislikes her colleague or wants to be in their position but she also doesn't want to cover their work which is fair enough.

It's the way it's framed as the colleague being the problem though. If the OP has issues about her own work pattern/load she can raise that with her manager. She has no right to query someone else's.

I'm disabled and a colleague makes me feel like crap because, for example, one day every 6 weeks (maximum) he has to do something very reasonable but that I'm excused from as it would be too difficult for me. Don't be like him, he's an idiot.

It's not a problem with your colleague, it's a problem with your workload.

This scenario sounds very familiar! I'm sure I've seen this post but from your colleagues perspective 🤔

@misspattylacosta

SleepingStandingUp

my colleague is being treated like she's special. I want to be special

Why don't you read the OP's posts instead of making stuff up?

we now work every other Saturdays where as before she went off sick we did one in three.
The afternoon can be busy and the rest of the staff have been told we have to work till 6 because of how busy we are

The OP IS picking up the slack - that she shouldn't have to pick - she is not demanding to be "special"?

It's the whole "colleague gets better treatment, colleague just picks bad chooses if she can be bothered to work" tone. Like I said, if she's come on saying aibu to challenge the boss and demand no change to my work conditions, fine. But it's all about how it's not fair the colleague is getting "better treatment" when clearly there's some long term / significant medical stuff going on

You are entitled to be upset with poor planning from management resulting in your Saturday hours have increased to every second instead of every third but your attitude to your recovering colleague is downright nasty.

I don't think the OP is been particularly nasty. I think we're all reading a fairly neutral post and applying it to our own situation.

It's not unreasonable to feel annoyed at a situation and it's not unreasonable to feel a situation is unfair. It would be very unreasonable to take it out on the colleague but the op has not indicated any intention of doing that.

Really the OPs feelings are another indication that the whole situation is been badly managed.