Question for you

[PalmettoStatesport]

I am at a weekly shop where my main job is the sports editor. No problem there. However, we cover our county fair like ESPN has covered the Favre saga and everyone in the editorial side (four of us, including the editor) are expected to cover it. Now we were told to take lots of pictures. I came back from the fair with over 1,000 pictures and worked my best ones. Well, the day before our special fair tab went to press, I had to rush my wife to the emergency room. Now, I am told I missed deadline as a result of that. Just wondering how you guys would respond to that.

 

[king cranium maximus IV]

"Pffffffft."

That's how I'd respond.

 

[Dickens Cider]

www.journalismjobs.com

And I'm not kidding. I'd pretty much leave on the spot if they used me taking my wife to the hospital as some sort of negative.

 

[Rosie]

I was SE at a weekly for many, many years and thankfully, they never would have pulled that on me.

If they are that cold, that no one else was able to step up and fill in, tell them to kiss off and look for another job.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I probably would have given a response that would have gotten me fired.

 

[Jay Sherman]

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd up and leave, but I'd definitely explain your situation, and if they made you feel awful about it, I'd let them know where they can stick the fair tab.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I worked at a place that gave a guy **** for taking two weeks after his mother died suddenly in a car accident.

She lived across the country and he initially took 10 days and then called to say he needed four more to get things together and the DSE gave him **** about it.

Some people in this business are soulless ****s.

 

[SportySpice]

They said because you rushed your wife to the ER, you missed deadline?
There are things more important than *ANY* job, and if your boss can't see that, is it worth working there?
What's next? Breaking both hands in a car crash and being told you should be able to find a way to keep taking pictures and typing because it's merely a flesh wound?

 

[Rosie]

I normally am not an advocate for up and leaving a job, but in this case, I would.

I'd sling hash before working for heartless jerks. I quit a job last year because of jerkdom and had to fall back on my side biz (which is very small) before I got a new gig six months later.

But the stress level and aggravation, despite money being tighter than tight, actually went down. It was so worth it.

Sometimes you have to swallow your pride, deliver pizzas, tend bar or bus tables to make it work, but again, I'd rather do that than work for jerks.

 

[SixToe]

I'd begin looking immediately and leave as soon as possible.

 

[Ace]

To be honest, Palmetto, there is not enough information in your post for me to know how I would respond.

You said you worked your best photos.

So what did you miss deadline on? Did you not get them turned in? Did your co-workers not know that you had a family emergency?

Did the tab get out?

I don't really understand what went wrong that someone would give you any grief about to start with.

 

[Ace]

After careful consideration, I would tell your co-workers that you regret that circumstances forced you to be late in filing photos of kids eating corn dogs. And look really hard for a new job.

Once you're on you way, enlist help from nearby bowel-troubled SportsJournalists.commers to upper deck the entire place.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

This was a conversation I overheard as an intern.

"Writer X just called. He was knocked over by another car in the parking lot at the game. He's OK, but his arm is probably broken. He's going to the ER for X-Rays."

Slot guy: So, he's not writing?

 

[Mooninite]

Priorities are family and then your job. Any buffoon that doesn't understand that isn't worth working for. Luckily, my boss understands that. As a staff we always pitch in and do a little extra to pick up the slack when someone has a family emergency. It's just what you do. Then again, we're a small family owned shop and the four sports guys have worked together 13 years.

 

[toomanycookies]

punch em in the throat

 

[Bump_Wills]

Some people in this business are soulless ****s.

Bingo.

What kills me is this: Had Palmetto's bosses replaced that crassness with just basic decency, it would have engendered a ton of goodwill (I'm guessing).

I was in a bad wreck on the interstate a month ago: broken ribs, bruised spleen, other assorted injuries. The way my shop responded was just tremendous. Lots of daily visitors at the hospital, then after I went home, my coworkers organized a meals-on-wheels program to take some of the pressure off my saintly wife. Just a fantastic outpouring of support, and one I won't forget. I'll damn sure be reciprocating when someone else is in need.

About midway through my recuperation (I returned to work this week), my wife started a new job. Her trainer, knowing about my accident, told her: "Take your time getting up to speed. You don't need work to be another source of stress right now." That's class, if you ask me.

 

[JakeandElwood]

Some people in this business are soulless ****s.

Bingo.

What kills me is this: Had Palmetto's bosses replaced that crassness with just basic decency, it would have engendered a ton of goodwill (I'm guessing).

I was in a bad wreck on the interstate a month ago: broken ribs, bruised spleen, other assorted injuries. The way my shop responded was just tremendous. Lots of daily visitors at the hospital, then after I went home, my coworkers organized a meals-on-wheels program to take some of the pressure off my saintly wife. Just a fantastic outpouring of support, and one I won't forget. I'll damn sure be reciprocating when someone else is in need.

About midway through my recuperation (I returned to work this week), my wife started a new job. Her trainer, knowing about my accident, told her: "Take your time getting up to speed. You don't need work to be another source of stress right now." That's class, if you ask me.

Sure is. Glad to hear you're better (or at least good enough to go to work) and that people actually helped you and your family.

 

[Bump_Wills]

Thanks, Jake. The ribs are still a bit bothersome, but this too shall pass. Before the accident, I had no idea that broken ribs were so painful -- a situation exacerbated by the fact that the remedy is basically to wait until they heal. Thank God for hospital-prescribed narcotics.

 

[Write-brained]

I'm fortunate to be at a place that understands the importance of family. They'll work me hard, but when something comes up with the wife/kid/my health they're very understanding and will even encourage me to take any time need.

Like someone else said, that builds loyalty and good will.

 

[forever_town]

I've been known to tell people flat out that personal emergencies are far more important than the work they do for my paper.

I had a woman who has Chron's Disease as one of my student writers. She e-mailed me to tell me she was missing an assignment because it flared up on her. I immediately told her that her health was far more important than writing a story for the paper. Plus, I wished her a speedy recovery. Of course, I immediately went to research Chron's Disease.

I later found out she'd check out of the hospital, go cover something and write a story for me, then check back into the hospital. I didn't realize she went through all that. She only "missed" the one assignment. And she's one of my better writers.

Soulless ****s can go to hell.