I have been asked to go on a business trip the first weekend in November. I'd have to fly out Saturday morning and return probably on Monday unless the client needs me there longer. There are three people are on the team that handles this client. The lead on the account will be 8 mos pregnant at this point, so she can't go, which is fine. The other girl who was supposed to go, said she can't becuase 'her religious beliefs don't allow her to work on Sunday', Sunday is the main day we need to support this client, so she can't go.
While I have no problem being a team player, I kinda see this as a poor excuse for me to have to give up my weekend. i'm the first one willing to help out if the reason is legit, like prior plans that you can't change, or if it were a religious holiday, then i could understand.
I don't plan on doing anything about it, just wanted some feedback. if I'm wrong, help me understand why.
swags1016
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Re: Would you be annoyed?
If she is legit it would annoy me to but what are you going to do. It might work to your advantage come review/raise time!
don424
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Re: Would you be annoyed?
yeah, i'm not planning on doing anything
i just think it's a dumb excuse
Jenn524
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Re: Would you be annoyed?
If she's legit then I think you have to take one for the team. It sucks but that's just how it is sometimes.
I have a somewhat similar situation in my job. There are many times where we have to work late and occasionally we have to come in on weekends. There is one woman who NEVER can do it. She always uses the excuse that she has to take care of her mother. It doesn't seem fair to me that she never has to make another arrangement and kick in every now and then.
What will really suck and be unfair is if you have to always do the weekend trips because of her religious beliefs. That doesn't seem right and you should address that.
Karen H
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Re: Would you be annoyed?
If you think she's legit and not just scamming then it's just lousy that you're the only one available, but when the lead is back from her maternity leave she'll be on the hook, and in the meantime you'll shine as a team player and be in a more promotable position. They are not going to move someone up the ladder if her time is restricted and she's unavailable to clients.
On a side note, why is it that because her faith is a Christian faith she's being bashed for being devout in her faith and not working Sunday. Didn't the Lord say Sunday is a day of rest? The vast majority of Christians just don't observe it anymore. Most of you are probably too young to remember when most stores were not even open on Sundays. If she were an Orthodox Jew would we be questioning the legitimacy of her faith if she were saying she had to be home before sundown Friday and could not work on Saturday?
jenny2penny
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eogara
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Re: Would you be annoyed?
Posted by don424
i think she's mormon, not sure
if i had an event i wouldn't be there
it's not the trip i have a problem with.
i have a problem with the fact that because of her beliefs, i have to give up a weekend with my wife, miss the jet game, and attend a presentation on sunday morning at 7 a.m.
Well, if she's mormon then no, there's no reason you should be annoyed. If you were Orthodox you wouldn't be able to do anything on Saturdays - it's the same thing. I don't view this as 'crappy' reasoning at all. Simply because you do not share her beliefs does not mean that you don't have to respect them.
don424
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Re: Would you be annoyed?
Posted by eogara
Well, if she's mormon then no, there's no reason you should be annoyed. If you were Orthodox you wouldn't be able to do anything on Saturdays - it's the same thing. I don't view this as 'crappy' reasoning at all. Simply because you do not share her beliefs does not mean that you don't have to respect them.
it's not that i don't respect her beliefs -- we all have them. Hell I have colleagues who are off today and tomorrow for Yom Kippur and I have to pick up the slack. I have no problem with this at all -- it's their holiday and if something comes up around Christmas, they'll be expected to pick up the slack there.
Unfortuantely, the way corporate America works is that relgion is sometimes expected to take a back seat. I'm not saying I agree with it, it's just the way it is. For example, in my old agency, we had a girl who was Orthodox. She could never stay late, had to leave early on Friday and could never work the weekends. We're in a client oriented business and they pay alot of money for our services. I'm not saying I agree with it, but when the first round of layoffs happened, guess who the first to go was.
