Workmate on maternity leave

amother

Mon, May 29 2023, 7:50 pm

My workmate just had a baby bh
The office manager is making me take over her accounts until she gets back
I have a huge book of my own and I work part time.
I literally dont have the time to do her full work plus my own without working night and overtime
I dont care for compensation or a bonus I just dont want the stress
How do I tell the OM that I am just not doing it?!

Eta, if this would be a short vacation I would ttly not say anything
But its 6-8 weeks!

amother

Celeste

Mon, May 29 2023, 7:53 pm

"I usually do x y and z accounts at this and this time and it takes me so and so long. When would you like me to do a, b and c accounts?" Throw it back on the office manager.

amother

Yarrow

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:05 pm

amother OP wrote:

Why wasn't this worked out before she was due? A baby is not exactly a surprise...
Were there any preparations put in place when she announced she was pregnant?

Sorry, but your office sounds poorly managed if you're just expected to take on her work with no prior notice.

amother

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:13 pm

I actually did tell them that I will not be doing it but seems like they could not find a replacement or did not want to "spend" one so they dumped it on me

amother

Celeste

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:16 pm

amother OP wrote:

I actually did tell them that I will not be doing it but seems like they could not find a replacement or did not want to "spend" one so they dumped it on me

So go to your boss with every little scheduling conflict that comes up. And I mean every one. She will get the idea.

ShishKabob

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:18 pm

Tell them in advance that you can’t do it and that it won’t be your responsibility if balls are dropped. And inevitably there will be some...

amother

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:20 pm

My question is how much of a fuss can I make of this.. its not part of my job and its not my business how they get other employees work done if they are out
Is it an unwritten rule that employees need to take over for each other when they are out?

amother

Celeste

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:23 pm

amother OP wrote:

Just do your job and zehu. Don't try to cram in everything around the seams, but do keep management updated.

amother

Gold

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:26 pm

amother OP wrote:

It’s part of being a team player- make sure that they understand that you will be covering the fires- so say 25-40% of what needs to be done on those accounts. They shouldn’t (and probably aren’t) expecting perfection

ShishKabob

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:28 pm

amother OP wrote:

its normal to fill in but not entirely. If they wouldn’t need two ppl for the job they wouldn’t have them. You can be nice and offer to take x amount of accounts over. Or you can say that you can do a few different accounts alternating. Whatever you feel that you could handle. But don’t let them dump it all on you.

amother

Daylily

Mon, May 29 2023, 8:53 pm

amother OP wrote:

It is not normal for an employee to be expected to do the work of another employee for two months.

It is normal for an employee to help out

You need to have an ongoing conversation - every day if need be - in which you ask your supervisor what the priorities are - and keep a record of it.

You don't say what you do but it seems to me that they could hire some kind of temp. You could supervise the temp and give them the tasks that don't require a knowledge of the company, That would be considered "normal".