MRS HR BLOG

MRS HR,LLC provides useful and factual information for you and your business. This is not legal advice.

Dealing with a Difficult Boss - Tip #2

Communication

- Talk to your boss. Tell her what you need from her in terms of direction, feedback and support. Be polite and focus on your needs. Telling the boss she’s a bad boss is counterproductive and won’t help you meet your goals.

- Ask the manager how you can help her reach her goals. Make sure you listen well and provide the needed assistance.

Dealing with a Difficult Boss - Tip #1

Give your Boss the Benefit of Doubt

That is, your direct report may not realize that their failure to provide any direction or feedback makes them a "bad boss." They may even think that they are empowering the staff.

Or, maybe your boss lacks training and is so overwhelmed with their job requirements that they are unable to provide support for you.

Your first step is to determine if your boss knows they are bad?

Rights of a Whistleblower

Am I required to notify the employer before blowing the whistle?

Some whistleblower protections require that employees notify the employer before reporting certain issues to outside agencies. The Ohio Revised Code Section 4113.52[A][2] provides protection for direct reporting of certain environmental crimes, without prior disclosure to the employer.

The federal employee protections enforced through the Department of Labor do not require following any chain of command. In these cases, you can choose to whom you will make reports. If you want to stay anonymous, you may want to consult a lawyer familiar with the agency you chose to receive your report.

$2.13 an hour ?!?

Pop quiz: What was the federal minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers in the United States in 1992 (20 years ago)? Answer: $2.13 an hour.

Next question: Right now, in 2012, what's the federal minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers? Answer: Still only $2.13 an hour.

Sad, but true: The federal minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers hasn’t changed in the last 20 years. And while employers are supposed to make sure tips make up the difference between $2.13 and $7.25 (the federal minimum wage for non-tipped workers), the enforcement is difficult.

FMLA & Holiday Bonus

An employee is out on FMLA leave during the last four weeks of the year, which is when a holiday bonus is given to all employees. Under FMLA, is the employee entitled to the holiday bonus?

An employee out on FMLA leave will qualify for a holiday bonus, if they met all the requirements for payment before FMLA leave began. If an employee is on FMLA leave during any part of the period for which a discretionary or non-discretionary productivity-based bonus will be based, they are entitled to the same consideration as other employees on paid or unpaid leave. If the bonus is based on yearly earnings, for example, it may be prorated by the amount of lost productivity occasioned by the FMLA leave.