I've been out sick for two days. I have no access to my work email from home, and don't officially have admin. support though I occasionally ask one of our two admins for help when I need it. When I sent in my email Monday saying I would be out sick, I asked one of the two admins (L) to call someone for me to cancel a meeting we had set up Monday afternoon. I didn't have her phone number or email at home and couldn't find it online, so I looked up her firm's main number and asked L to track her down and let her know I would reschedule when I got back.
So today I find out that the woman had no idea where I was and waiting around in her lobby for me for a while on Monday. I'm so embarrassed that she didn't get the courtesy of a call, but I was in no condition on Monday to call anybody myself. Our admins clearly knew I was out sick - but apparently they can't be trusted to open my freakin emails to see more than just the subject line.
This is the first thing I've asked her to do for me personally (rather than for me, on behalf of another lawyer she supports, or something that's fully her job) in a long time - it's not like I ask for a lot, or that she's so busy that she can't talk to her friends and family ALL DAY LONG.
Re: Really irritated with a co-worker
Ugh! I'd be embarrassed too. Besides the fact that it's her JOB, you would hope that your work team would pull for you when it comes to important things you might need them to cover. Especially when you're sick.
Sadly, if this happens again in the future you might feel compelled to ask for an e-mail confirmation or voicemail that they followed up. It further interrupts your sick day but at least you might get peace of mind.
All of this! It really stinks that your coirker couldn't get it done.
Ew. That's really annoying. I'd be pissed.
We make the rockin' world go 'round.
Amen. I would think a gaffe like this should be addressed either directly or with a supervisor if possible. Sure, you could have done more from your sickbed, but I'd want to know that it wouldn't happen again.
i don't even really consider that throwing her under the bus. she flat out didn't do her job. i'd be addressing it with her and her supervisor. i'm sorry you have to worry about something like that while you're sick.
I'd be incredibly pissed. I agree about bringing it up with your/her supervisor.
Nah - I'm a paralegal and I don't have admin. support of my own. I'll go to one or the other of the admins most of the time depending on which lawyer I'm working with, so they're technically supporting the lawyer's work. So...technically it's not her job to support me. But it would have taken 10 minutes of her day TOPS to track the woman down and help me out. I don't know that I have standing to tell her off, but it certainly will affect how I work with her for weeks to come.
At the very least, you should talk to her about it, and let her know that she let you down and left you in a very awkward situation with a client/professional contact. If she wasn't going to do it, the very least she could have done is tell you she wasn't going to do it.
i would do that too. and maybe make sure her supervisor is aware as well.
Our boss is useless on personnel management issues - not even worth raising it with him. Thanks for your suggestions. Now I just have to come up with the nerve to address it with her...