Marital status discrimination at work?

[scottmandue]

No, no, no, I'm not saying we need yet another people group to come up with protective laws for...

But being a middle age bachelor I sense a little bias toward me when it comes to working holidays, weekends, business travel. I have had co-workers say "I have a family so I don't want to work weekends" or "Scott doesn't have a family, send him to the east coast"

We all signed on to the same job with the same job description and I don't mind carrying my fair share but I have my brother and his kids are part of my life and my parents are still alive (in their 80's - all the more important I spend time with them) so I do have a social life.

Is there any legal precedent for marital status discrimination?

[TerryBPP]

Marriage and kids are a anchor. When you are hired for a job companies like to think you will stay around for a while.

Just say you have a long time girlfriend and you parents live there. You'll be in good shape.

[craigster59]

Time to put on the facade...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I always thought it'd be great to pretend I had kids, just so I could say "I have to leave early today to pick up my kid" or "I can't work this weekend because I've got to watch the kids". It'd be kind of liberating.

[stomachmonkey]

Had a girl who worked for me that used to watch her niece in the evenings. I cut her the same slack as those with "thier own" kids.

Family obligations are family obligations.

Yours are just as valid as anyone elses.

And yes, you are correct. Everyone signed up for the same job.


Scott

[scottmandue]

So far it hasn't been a problem... management is so hyper paranoid of anything that whiffs of special treatment we all work equal shifts covering holidays and weekends.

It just irks me when I co worker pipes up with "Hey Scott you don't have a family why don't you cover the weekends for the rest of us?"

Its the whole "I have kids so I am more important than you" mentality, not that there is anything wrong with family and kids, heck if our parents didn't have kids none of us would be here.

I guess everyone is looking for an angle... like how come I don't get a hourly break like the smokers I work with?

[GDSOB]

Take up smoking, you'll get a lot more breaks that way.

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

It just irks me when I co worker pipes up with "Hey Scott you don't have a family why don't you cover the weekends for the rest of us?"

easy answer,

"hey Tom, but you already have a family, i still have to get one, you wouldn't believe how time consuming it is to chase tail all the time, you got it easy, every day you come home, it's right there!"

[MRM]

It's more irking than it is a legal issue. There is no federal marital status protection. Marital status protection exists in some states, but it's usually designed to protect same sex couples.

Tell your management that it's a basic fairness issue that the management should deal with on a "team" basis. Everyone on the team gives and takes a little. No one should be asked to carry more than their share of the load. If you can pick up something for the team today and get cut some slack later it would work out. The trick is that management has to remember to give you the slack later that makes it work out.

[Aerkuld]

Originally Posted by GDSOB

Take up smoking, you'll get a lot more breaks that way.

I wondered about this. I was thinking about taking up pipe smoking and going and sitting outside in the smoking shed for three quarters of an hour at a time every so often.

[70SATMan]

Ask for a fat raise and remind them that you are more flexible! Otherwise, "Sorry my pet cat needs me at home this weekend."

[Red Baron]

As a long time manager of managers, I can tell you that I teach them to not get into reasons why people are late or why they can't travel, work a holiday, etc;

And here is the example I use with them to show them what I expect and how they need to handle their responsibility.

You have two employees, A and B.

A has kids/married or single, doesn't matter.

Employee B is single/young/has freedom.

You have a situation where on the same day that they both show up very late to work and it really causes some problems for the daily operations of the business.

Employee A had an issue with one of her kids getting sick and her babysitter showed up late, cat ran out the door and had to be chased and found yadda-yadda-yadda.

Employee B, went and hit the 3 for 1 Happy Hour at Cat's Meow down on Bourbon St. and showed up way late after sleeping off the hangover. He's no longer intoxicated but you know he's a party animal and even stated he was heading to the Quarter after work.

In almost every case people answer that they would probably be more easy on the parent because they understand things like that can happen but that drinking all night and showing up late is unacceptable.

So then I hit them with another twist. Employee B is your superstar salesperson that tends to tank if you start ragging on him or try to apply punishment. All of his co-workers love him and he has created numerous strong client relationships.

Employee A performs at average at best and has been on Improvment Plans and has also struggled to make their numbers the past two months. Some of the co-workors find her abrasive and you sometimes can tell she is just not focused on work.

So then I ask how they would handle it?

At this point most managers say "Well" I'd probably refer to our HR policy and get you involved.

And my reply is usually to the affect of; Why wouldn't you just follow policy in the first place? And that anytime you start looking at reasons for giving people breaks your not EVER going to be fair. And lack of fairness creates a moral issue for the entire group.

That's just attendance issues however it covers holidays's, weekends, dress codes etc.

It's a tough lesson for managers to learn because of the tension it will create within the work group. Obviously it's and a miserable situation for a group of employees if their manager does this and has a negative effect on productivity as well as moral.

I'd advise you to at the least speak with your manager. If you get no response you may consider the HR route.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Red Baron

As a long time manager of managers, I can tell you that I teach them to not get into reasons why people are late or why they can't travel, work a holiday, etc;

And here is the example I use with them to show them what I expect and how they need to handle their responsibility.

You have two employees, A and B. < snipped for brevity >

Wow, great lesson. I try to stay away from management as much as possible, but I'm semi-management now. Our company and specifically my group is relatively small, so they try to be flexible and easy with us. We have lots of folks that are married and/or with kids or trying to buy a house or whatever. 99% of the time, allowing the employees some flexibility doesn't really affect us adversely, but I suspect that at some point in the future your lesson will be useful. Thanks for posting.

[TerryBPP]

Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

I tend to be easiest on the people who make me the most money. This is a business, after all.

-Wayne

In my experience the people who make the most money are the most reliable. The more excuses the less they make.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Is there any legal precedent for marital status discrimination?

Good lord, it's not like your boss is caressing your a$s every time he walks past. I think threats of legal action might be getting ahead of yourself. Talk to your manager, express the lack of consideration for your time. Refuse to work weekends. If issues persist, get a new job.

Do remember though, many times the guy who is willing to work late, weekends, etc is seen as the committed employee who will sacrifice for the good of the company. If you are trying to climb the ladder, it may be a plus.

[Jims5543]

When I have had out of town projects I put it out to my crews and let them decide who is teaming up and going.

Some want to stay behind with family others want to get away from them. Usually the single guys want to travel more than the married ones. Although in a couple of cases the married ones would jump at a chance to escape.

I never chose based on marital status.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Good lord, it's not like your boss is caressing your a$s every time he walks past. I think threats of legal action might be getting ahead of yourself. Talk to your manager, express the lack of consideration for your time. Refuse to work weekends. If issues persist, get a new job.

Whoa there big guy... no one hates getting lawyered up more than me!

I'm just sayin IF there is a legal precedent nothing gets HRs attention faster than that.

I'm only venting that why is it we have discrimination categories as long as your arm but some people try to categorize you by your marital status.

Personally I have a great supervisor who works out all holidays on a spread sheet so everyone in the department does equal time. Weekends are done by seniority and among ourselves we have agree that half of us will work Tuesday - Saturday and half Sunday - Thursday... travel and overtime is based on volunteer first and if no one volunteers a rotating schedule.

The only reason this came up was because I have been in the same department for ten years (working for the state so I am pretty invested in my retirement here) and I was thinking of transferring to a different department because I have maxed out salary wise in my current position (long time ago). I was talking to one of the guys (not a manager or supervisor) to see what it is like working in that department... and he just asked me if I would be interested in working the weekends because I am not married.

[onewhippedpuppy]

From what I've seen, it can also get you labeled as a troublemaker by HR. Not the rep you want with the people in charge of pay.

So you might get transferred to a dept you would prefer and get a raise, because you could work weekends? How bad do you want that raise?

[Superman]

Bring in some union representation. They'll help sort it all out.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Superman

Bring in some union representation. They'll help sort it all out.

Ha ha!