Charity job - boss I don't like

[Yorkshiremummy2023]

Hi ya

I work for a charity as a freelancer and I don't get on with my boss. She's always very stressed, complains about her numerous health problems, does everything last minute and expects us to work in a way that means everythung is done last minute because that way of working is all she can cope with, shares personnel information with others in the team, I only work a 7.5 hr week but she's constantly on my case to do more hours because she can't cope with the work load she has. Iam one of two students interns and she plays us off against each other. For instance the other student intern disappeared for 10 days when we were in the thick of a ton of actions, I questioned where she was. My manager didn't know but said she would speak to her but not mention I had raised it. She contacted her asking what was happening, but blamed me for raising it why she had to call.the other intern then texted asking why I said anything and has just created bad feeling between us since then because that's how my manager has continued to operate. I have tried reaching out to the chair of trustees to ask for a 121 and get his advice about the situation I said it was confidential at this stage. He said yes sure I will let you know my availability next week I haven't heard from him, he's quite obviously told her. she's emailing me in a way which would give me to believe she's BCCING him in and she's now asking for a phone call this morning to discuss things (I'm pretty certain she will record it) because she normally always zoom calls. I just don't know if I can continue working for them. It's only another two months I keep telling myself but it will be a long two months. If anyone can give me any advice I would appreciate it

Are you freelance or a student intern? Does it count towards your degree or something? Why can't you leave?

She sounds disorganised, but going to the head of trustees seems like an extreme response tbh

I've tried to leave but she talks me out of going. I went to head of trustees because in our contract thats who it says to escalate to if there's any issues. There is only two members of staff (one being my boss the other a admin person) at the charity beyond that its trustees.

In that case, stop letting her convince you and just leave.

Just leave

I'm already doing more hours then the 7.5 hrs they said it would be but that's not enough for her. I think the thing is I feel trapped because it's a field that's related to my degree, so keep thinking I will try and stick it out, but feels even worse now because there's literally no one there that I can go to to get advice but they are happy to see me working all hours for them. I've done other student internships before in this sector and worked full time in a different sector but this is in the area I want to work. So just wondered if anyone has any advice if I were to try and stay. Thanks

Stick to your hours and find a grey rock response: “I can’t stay, I have other commitments” etc.

Like many charities, it seems you are overworked and understaffed. But if another intern took off for 10 days and wasn’t sacked, you aren’t likely to face any action for doing your hours and nothing more.

Before you went to the chair, did you try and resolve with your boss at all? Often an escalation can only happen in the procedures if other routes have tried and failed.

You mention that you are a freelancer ; going to the trustee may be a route only open to employees.

Yes I've tried that as well Sheila but made to feel that that's not acceptable. I have to do it.

Yes I've spoken to my boss face to face, over zoom, emailed her whatsapped her but she doesn't care as long as the work is getting done and doesn't care who's doing it. It's supposed to be a job share, but the other intern is in the office with her I've been given the job of being offside doing workshops etc running round places but cos she can't see me she just keeps giving me more and more to do and then have like admin duties and marketing to do every week on top and meetings to attend. No they told us when we started we could go to him and it's written in our contracts as freelancers. There's literally no one else anyway other then her.

If you are doing 7.5h a week, is that one day, a couple of hours a day..?

For 2 months I'd stick it out, but be more assertive with her. Say you have other commitments and can only do your contracted hours. If she pushes you be formal, email with "please do not try to force me to do more than my hours, this is making me feel very uncomfortable, I will give my full commitment to the time I am contracted" etc, she will probably back off as realises it would look bad on her. If she tries verbal off record , reply back on email "as per out conversation yesterday I did state I cannot work extra this month" etc she will then wonder if you are bcc people
Hardball it and see out your commitment, it's not many hours and will look better on cv

But it's really not just that about the work it's like how she is, you can't share anything with her without her repeating it and she just bad mouths me on the time because she doesn't like her job. The other intern is sat in the office getting the coffees and my managers got someone to have a chat with for a few months. Think outside of the intern being there she would be working alone a lot of the week. I'm running round like a dick. It's just like the worst kind of internship and feels even worse now cos I literally have no one I can go to. That was all a load of b.s. as well.

Then leave.

Hours vary each day it's barely ever 7.5 hrs

Sorry - you said above you work a 7,5hr week but did you mean you work fulltime 7.5h a day?

I will have a think what to do. I feel like Im the epitome of cheap labour.

Use the fact she’s recording to your advantage & calmly run through all the factual issues.

The fact you don’t like her is irrelevant but the lack of planning isn’t getting the best from you. Go down that route.

It's supposed to be a 7.5 hr week so should be spread over a week but hours vary each day so barely ever totals 7.5hrs a week always over that.

This is good advice.

Honestly, it sounds like you need to grow a backbone and start asserting your boundaries if you don't want to leave. You'll probably find it uncomfortable, but no one else can fix this for you.

That and count down to the internship finishing.

Yes that's a good idea thanks @HelloJillll she doesn't want me to go she's said already let's start again. It's alright for a couple of days but then she has another drama cos she's built up another load of work that she forgot about and it's all crazy again. I do everything the same week/day it's given but the other intern is like my boss doing everything last minute so then I end up getting her share of the work given back to me to help her on top of me facilitating workshops workshops doing marketing. So she's loving the job!

I agree with @Quitelikeacatslife. Tick each week off as one week closer to the end of the contract.

And when you're next in a job interview and they ask you how you've handled a tricky situation in previous roles, you have a perfect answer which shows reliance and professionalism.

Absolutely when you have worked your 7.5 hours stop. And tell her you have done your contracted hours and will not be available until the following week.

“I’m not available to do that, Katie will need to pick it back up”

You aren’t going to change her being a last minute person, and nor is the chair of trustees. The only thing you can control is your response.

You aren’t permanent, you don’t have a stake in the charity/company, if some admin isnt done, it isn’t your responsibility.

By the way, as you are freelance, do you charge by the hour and can you bill the extra hours?

I'll be blunt but you'll meet a lot of people like that in the workplace. Need to change your expectations a bit.

This sounds very much like my boss- you adapt, get into their pace, do the work and practice good boundaries.

A day a week for two months sounds very manageable. You may have made it more difficult for yourself by trying escalate things rather than either preserving or just leaving.
I stuck out with my boss for ten years, we became a great efficient team, and she ended up a very reliable support in my life.