So I just need to VENT! And possibly get some advice.
My background I work for a solo attorney. I am his paralegal. I have been with him for 9 years (3 of those we were with another firm, the last 6 he has been on his own). The only other employee at the moment is the bookkeeper and thats his wife. On occasion his college aged children will work on breaks from school but they are not too helpful other than to answer phones and file. So basically I am it and do most all of the work. I am allowed 2 weeks paid vacation a year and one week sick pay. Thats 15 days. I get raises usually once a year or every other year and usually 2 bonuses a year (depending on how well we did that year, etc.). Last year I had my son (Jan. 2010) and he only offered me three weeks of paid maternity leave and I was out 6 weeks. Basically I used all my vacation and sick time those three weeks I was paid. The rest of last year if I was off or had to be out it was without pay. This year has been different. I have only used 10 days of time off. So I have 5 days left. I knew this going into November and was looking forward to taking the week off after Christmas through New Years. It adds up to 4 days of time off since we are closed one day for Christmas and one for NewYears. I talked about it with him last month and officially wrote up my memo 10 days ago. Just for the record that week is always the slowest week of the year, always!!! He came to my office last week and said he needed to chat about my vacation request. Basically hes freaking and thinking that emergencies are going to come up and he is going to need me. So he told me I could be off on the condition that if he calls and needs me to come in and work or handle something I will come in. I did not agree. In fact I said nothing and we sort of started talking about a client and that was it. Then the next day he signs off on the memo and puts okd as discussed. I was planning on going out of town Thursday and Friday that week. Yes we have a real estate closing that Friday but we are not handling it, in fact its closing in another part of the state, we are just preparing documents in advance for our client and sending them to the closing office. Thats it. I guess he is freaking because its the last week of the year and the what ifs and all that but to me its not fair. It basically means that yes I can have the time off but I have to stay in town and be by the phone to come in or handle something when he calls and that is just not right. I also would have to find a sitter on short notice for my son. I feel like I should discuss my feelings about this with him but my husband and MIL tell me I should not and just do what I plan to do that week. I dont know .what would you do?? Sorry for the long story I am just bothered and feel taken advantage of.
My background I work for a solo attorney. I am his paralegal. I have been with him for 9 years (3 of those we were with another firm, the last 6 he has been on his own). The only other employee at the moment is the bookkeeper and thats his wife. On occasion his college aged children will work on breaks from school but they are not too helpful other than to answer phones and file. So basically I am it and do most all of the work. I am allowed 2 weeks paid vacation a year and one week sick pay. Thats 15 days. I get raises usually once a year or every other year and usually 2 bonuses a year (depending on how well we did that year, etc.). Last year I had my son (Jan. 2010) and he only offered me three weeks of paid maternity leave and I was out 6 weeks. Basically I used all my vacation and sick time those three weeks I was paid. The rest of last year if I was off or had to be out it was without pay. This year has been different. I have only used 10 days of time off. So I have 5 days left. I knew this going into November and was looking forward to taking the week off after Christmas through New Years. It adds up to 4 days of time off since we are closed one day for Christmas and one for NewYears. I talked about it with him last month and officially wrote up my memo 10 days ago. Just for the record that week is always the slowest week of the year, always!!! He came to my office last week and said he needed to chat about my vacation request. Basically hes freaking and thinking that emergencies are going to come up and he is going to need me. So he told me I could be off on the condition that if he calls and needs me to come in and work or handle something I will come in. I did not agree. In fact I said nothing and we sort of started talking about a client and that was it. Then the next day he signs off on the memo and puts okd as discussed. I was planning on going out of town Thursday and Friday that week. Yes we have a real estate closing that Friday but we are not handling it, in fact its closing in another part of the state, we are just preparing documents in advance for our client and sending them to the closing office. Thats it. I guess he is freaking because its the last week of the year and the what ifs and all that but to me its not fair. It basically means that yes I can have the time off but I have to stay in town and be by the phone to come in or handle something when he calls and that is just not right. I also would have to find a sitter on short notice for my son. I feel like I should discuss my feelings about this with him but my husband and MIL tell me I should not and just do what I plan to do that week. I dont know .what would you do?? Sorry for the long story I am just bothered and feel taken advantage of.
