harassment

8 Times You Should Never Feel Guilty at Work

Paul Michael — Thu, 14 Jul 2016 09:00:18 +0000

Guilt is not a fun emotion. When we forget someone's birthday, or hurt someone's feelings, we have every right to feel a little guilty. Similarly, if we miss a deadline or make another mistake at work, guilt is an appropriate emotion. But sometimes, it's just not necessary. Here are eight times when you should banish those guilty feelings once and for all. (See also: 8 Awkward Money Moments Everyone Has at Work)

1. Taking Time Off When You Need It

One of the big complaints the HR department has about its company's employees is that they don't take the appropriate amount of time off. In other countries, people take time off regularly, and the company encourages it. They don't want people to be burned out, or hating their job.

In the U.S., however, it appears that people don't want to take any time off because they're afraid of being laid off, or seen as not essential. This is wrong on so many levels. We need time off to recharge, and you should not feel guilty about taking vacation time, personal days, paid leave, or sick time. In fact, when it comes to the latter, use your sick time. Do not come into work when you're ill. Sitting at home feeling awful is one thing, but adding guilt to that mix of nasty symptoms is even worse. The company has figured time off into your position, you should take it without ever feeling guilty.

2. Leaving Early If You Worked Late the Day Before

Salaried employees have certain benefits. For instance, in most salaried positions, if you come to work for just one hour, feel ill, and go home, that counts as a day's work. You do not have to use any sick time. Similarly, if you put in a 14-hour shift on a Monday, and you have all your work done by 3 p.m. the following day, you should not feel guilty about going home. You should of course check with your manager first, but any reasonable boss will be more than happy to let you go early, and for good reason. They have just gotten a whole lot of work out of you, and if they want to see that kind of dedication again, they should be willing to be flexible with your hours. Even if you leave early a week or two after you put in a big shift, don't feel guilty. You have more than worked those hours.

3. Competing With a Colleague for a Promotion

A position has opened up at work that you really want. Then you find out someone else, maybe even a friend or boss, is going for the same role. Should you feel guilty about competing for that title? Absolutely not. This is business, and this is also your career. Concentrate on yourself and your own best interests first, and go for that promotion with all the drive and vigor you can muster. To quote Col. Jessop from the movie A Few Good Men, "We went to the Academy together, we were commissioned together, we did our tours in Vietnam together. But I've been promoted up through the chain of command with greater speed and success than you have. Now if that's a source of tension or embarrassment for you, well, I don't give a s**t."

4. Telling Someone They Have a Bad Idea

Hurt feelings are legitimate in some aspects of life, but they have no place at work. Too often, people feel guilty about telling someone they have a bad idea, so they don't. They say it's fine, or they say nothing at all. This is not good for the business, or the person that had the idea. By saying "your idea sucks" you are not saying that the person who had the idea sucks. Not at all. This is no time to confuse the two issues. A great person can have an awful idea, and it is not only okay to say so… it's essential. (So long as it's done respectfully.) Otherwise, terrible ideas gain traction, and before you know it, you have to deal with the fallout of that bad decision. Stop a bad idea in its tracks, and never feel guilty about it.

5. Reporting Someone to HR

There are many reasons to report someone to HR. It could be sexual harassment, racism, bullying, favoritism, illegal activities, or anything else that directly violates HR policy. It doesn't matter if that person is your boss, a friend, someone with a family, or any other reason that could put your guilt chip into overload. The fact of the matter is, they are doing something wrong, and if all other attempts to stop them have failed, talking to HR is nothing to feel guilty about. Of course, you should try to reach out to them first, if possible, and avoid escalating it to something that can have far-reaching consequences. If that falls on deaf ears, going to HR should have no guilt attached.

6. Refusing to Be More Than Colleagues

Some people at work will take a liking to you. They may want to be a friend outside of work. They may want to be more than a friend, and start a personal relationship with you. In either case, you should not feel guilty about rejecting these advances or requests. You may just want to keep your work life separate from your home life. You may, in fact, not really like that person and thing things he or she is into (and let's be honest, that happens a lot). At work, being polite and making it work is the right thing to do, but you should never feel guilty about letting someone know that you want to keep things strictly professional.

7. Reprimanding Someone (Especially a Friend)

It's not easy telling someone off. If that person is a friend, it's even harder. But you must not feel guilty about the admonishment. If someone gets out of line, makes a costly mistake, or acts in a way that embarrasses both you and the company, you must crack the whip. How you do it is up to you. There is no reason to be overly harsh or sadistic, and inversely, being too "nice" will reduce the impact of the reprimand to something forgettable. Find the line, and walk it well. Guilt should play no part in the rebuke — it's part of working life and if that person cannot handle it, they're clearly in the wrong career.

8. Blowing the Whistle

If your company is doing something illegal, unethical, or otherwise not correct within the organization, you should not feel guilty about blowing the whistle. There is a reason whistleblowing laws exist, and you have the right to be protected and expose any wrongdoing without it coming back to bite you. Yes, your actions may result in some people losing their jobs, but those people were doing something wrong. You cannot afford to feel guilty about that, even if they are really cool people who are fun to be around. Illegal activities can hurt everyone in the company, including you, and if you have the knowledge and ability to stop them from happening, do it. No guilt allowed.

What other scenarios should you never feel guilty about at work? Share with us!

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

5 Things Debt Collectors Don't Want You to Know

Dan Rafter — Fri, 27 May 2016 09:00:11 +0000

You're already struggling with bills you can't pay. And now a debt collector is on the other end of the phone, demanding that you come up with the cash. And if you don't, that debt collector sure makes it sound like a lot of terrible things could happen to you.

But here's what you might not know: The federal government, through its Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, gives you certain rights. If the collection agency calling you violates any of them, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission or your state's attorney general.

The debt collector calling you might not share this information with you. Just like it might keep other debt-collection secrets to itself. Here are five secrets that collection agency doesn't want you to know.

1. You Can Stop Their Calls With a Letter

Tired of receiving calls from a collection agency? You can stop them by writing the agency a letter requesting that they refrain from contacting you in the future. Debt collection agencies are required by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to honor such a written request. Be aware, though, that the debt you owe still exists. And if you don't pay it back, collection agencies are allowed to take legal action — they can sue you — to force you to pay up. If a collection agency does decide to take legal action, it is allowed to contact you to let you know, even if you've written a cease-and-desist letter.

2. You Can Request a Payment Plan

Collection agencies prefer that you come up with all the cash that you owe at once. If that's not possible, these agencies will seek the biggest possible payment that you can afford. But you can request a repayment plan that works within your budget. Negotiate with collection agencies to work out a smaller monthly payment, one that won't drain your bank account. Collection agencies aren't required to accept a payment plan. But it never hurts to request one, and many debt collectors understand that an affordable monthly payment plan is often the best solution.

3. Debt Collectors Have Limits

Under federal law, debt collectors are not allowed to call you several times a day or at odd hours. This is a bit vague, but collectors shouldn't be calling you five times a day or ringing your phone at 4:00 a.m. Debt collectors also can't call you at work if you request that they not do so. And debt collectors can only contact your neighbors, family members, friends, or coworkers to find your current address or phone number. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act forbids them from talking to other people besides you and your attorney about your debt.

4. You Can't Go to Jail Because of Debt

The United States does not throw people in jail because they owe money. There is no debtors' prison here. So, debt collectors can't say that you'll end up in prison because you owe money. Debt collectors also can't threaten to sue you unless they actually do plan to begin legal action against you. Federal law also forbids collectors from using threatening or profane language when trying to collect a debt.

5. Debt Collectors Have Certain Responsibilities, Too

Collection agencies have to follow certain guidelines when trying to collect unpaid debts. One of the biggest? Within five days of contacting you about an unpaid debt, the agency must send you a written notice stating how much you owe and the name of the creditor that is seeking the money. The letter must also spell out the steps you can take if you don't believe you owe this money. You can also request that a debt collector verify any debt that you owe. Collectors can't make any additional phone calls until they send you a written letter verifying that you do indeed owe what your creditor claims. Only after sending this letter can a debt collector resume contact with you.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed when a debt collector calls. But don't forget your rights. Be sure, too, to let debt collectors know that you understand your rights and that you will take action if the collector violates them.

Have you ever been pestered by a debt collector? How'd you get them to stop?

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This article is from Dan Rafter of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

7 Questions a Potential Employer Cannot Ask You

Nick Wharton — Wed, 04 May 2016 10:00:08 +0000

It's taking U.S. companies longer and longer to hire new employees. In June 2014, it took an average of 24.9 work days for employers to fill vacant positions. The average hiring time for companies with 5,000 or more employees is even longer at 58.1 work days.

In the rush to fill vacancies faster, some employers are making some bad judgment calls. According to a 2014 poll conducted by Harris Poll, one in five U.S. employers has unknowingly asked an interview question that ran afoul of the law. Here are seven questions a prospective employer cannot ask you during an interview.

1. What Is Your Religious Affiliation?

Being concerned about whether or not you can meet the required work schedule for a position, some employers go the wrong way about finding out about your availability. While the Title VII Equal Employment Opportunities chapter of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 doesn't provide a specific list of questions that "thou shalt not ask," it certainly provides clear guidelines as to what is off the negotiation table. So, it is illegal for an employer to ask you about your religion. While an employer can legally ask you if you can work on a required work schedule or select from a choice of work days, he can't inquire about your willingness to work any particular religious holiday.

2. Are You Pregnant?

Before hiring you, an employer can't ask you if you're pregnant, plan to have kids, or plan to have more kids. Any of these matters can directly or indirectly result in limitation of a job opportunity in any way, so that's why the Civil Rights Act takes them off the table as well. After hiring you, your employer or HR department rep can inquire on your status for qualified reasons, such as health insurance, retirement accounts, or tax withholding.

3. What Is Your Political Affiliation?

With the U.S. presidential election coming up in November, some interviewers may drop this one on you. Under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, federal employers are prohibited from asking political party preference questions of federal employees and job applicants. This is to guarantee that all employees and job applicants receive fair and equitable treatment in all aspects of personnel management without regard to political affiliation.

While there are no federal laws that prohibit employers in the private sector from asking about political affiliation, they should refrain from asking such questions anyway. Some states, including Mississippi and the District of Columbia, have specific laws on employment-related discrimination that include political affiliation.

4. What Is Your Nationality?

Immigration is one of the key issues being discussed by candidates from both parties of this election. While an employer has every right to check that you can legally work for them, they can't ask any questions regarding your nationality.

During a prospective job interview, it's illegal to inquire where you were born, whether you were born a U.S. citizen or naturalized, your national origin, and what is your first language. Only when it's relevant to the job can you be asked about your language proficiency. After employment, you can be asked to submit a birth certificate, proof of U.S. citizenship, or other proof of the legal right to work in the U.S.

5. How Old Are You?

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 protects job applicants who are age 40 and older against ageism, which is discrimination against individuals on the basis of their age. Any sneaky questions to try identifying persons between 40 and 60 years are illegal.

For those age 18 and over, some state employment laws, including those from Oregon, provide some protection with a few exceptions. Still, it's legal to inquire before hiring if you could furnish proof of age if hired, and to request such proof after hiring.

6. Are You Disabled?

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all types of federal employment. Since 1990, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in all job application and employment processes.

The definition of disabilities is quite extensive. For example, an employer can't legally ask you whether or not you socially drink. Under the ADA, a recovering alcoholic is protected and doesn't have to disclose any disability information before landing an official job offer.

7. What is Your Credit Rating?

You may have heard that your credit history may affect your employment options. However, there are limitations for employers to use credit information in employment decisions.

First, the Fair Credit Reporting Act outlines that employers require your written consent to get access to your credit report. The one exception is the trucking industry. Your potential employer must have a valid reason to request for your credit data and she can't disqualify you from employment unless the data directly affects your ability to perform the position you're interviewing for. In the event that she denies you employment, she must release the credit report to you and provide an explanation.

Second, 10 states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, have enacted legislation that bans employers from using credit information in employment decisions. If you're seeking employment in one of those states, potential employers can't ask for your credit history or score.

What are other questions that a prospective employer can't ask you? Share with us in the comments!

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This article is from Nick Wharton of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Times You Should Speak Up at Work

Paul Michael — Mon, 18 May 2015 17:00:11 +0000

There are times during anyone's career when it's preferable to stay quiet, and avoid confrontations or drama. And, there are other times when staying quiet may be the easy thing to do — but not the right thing. You may be put in a situation that requires you to speak up for the good of the company, yourself, or another employee. Your job could be put in jeopardy by not speaking up. You could simply be doing yourself a disservice by not speaking your mind, and letting others know just how you feel. Here are 10 of those times. In these situations, speak up, and do it quickly.

1. Any Time You Are Being Harassed

Whether sexually, physically, racially, or emotionally, the workplace should be harassment-free. Most employers require you to take harassment training courses these days, and with good reason. Harassment is not only disruptive to the work environment, it can lead to deep psychological scarring, lawsuits, and in the worst cases, suicide. The moment you suspect anything has gone from playful banter to something much more serious, you must arrange a meeting with someone from your HR department. If you don't have one, then you need to talk to your supervisor, or someone else in a position of authority. The longer you leave it, the worse it will get.

2. When You Witness Harassment

Look out for fellow employees who may be too afraid to take action against harassment themselves. If you notice that someone is experiencing any kind of harassment that could be contributing to a hostile work environment, follow the procedures set in place by your HR department, or superiors. This is not just a "nice" thing to do — it's actually your responsibility to the people you work with. Again, this needs to be nipped in the bud quickly, before it gets out of hand and creates a very serious situation.

3. During Brainstorming Meetings

If you work in an environment that requires brainstorming sessions, be they about finances, advertising, engineering, or just the holiday party, you must not make the mistake of staying quiet in these meetings. Whether it's from shyness, self-doubt, or preferring to listen instead of contribute, your lack of involvement will only be viewed in a negative light. You will be seen as someone who doesn't contribute, has no ideas, or is apathetic to the task at hand. To combat this, speak up early; ideally within the first few minutes. This is a great way to make sure you break the silence, boost your confidence, and avoid searching your brain for an idea that is not already on the table.

4. When You Don't Understand the Assignment

There's a famous episode of Seinfeld ("The Bottle Deposit") that involves George receiving a very important assignment from his boss, Mr. Wilhem. As George is getting briefed, Mr. Wilhelm enters the bathroom, and George stays outside. But when he eventually follows him in, Wilhelm has finishes the briefing and thinks George heard every word. The comedy comes from George trying to figure out what on earth Wilhelm wants, without asking him to repeat the instructions.

Don't be like George. If you misunderstand any part of the brief, go back and ask questions; explicit questions. This is not the time to beat around the bush, and your boss will appreciate you making sure you are going in the right direction. Of course, there is one caveat; don't continue to ask the same questions over and over. Getting clarification is one thing, but if you have to be told something five times before it sinks in, you may not be in the right career.

5. If You're in Physical Pain

It doesn't matter if you do a desk job, or you're out doing hard labor. If you're in pain, you must speak up, and quickly. Experiencing pain on the job can severely impact your performance, and also make the cause of the pain even worse. If it's a migraine, take the day off if you have sick days. If you don't have sick days left, see if it is possible to work from home after the pain has eased a little. If you're experiencing physical pain, like a bad back or shoulder, explain it to your supervisor. It could be work-related, in which case the company may be obligated to help you eliminate the cause of the pain. These days, many office workers find it better to stand at their desks, and your employer could provide you with the appropriate desk and equipment.

6. When You Witness Something Illegal

Your company's code of conduct will likely cover compliance issues, and how to make sure you are not breaking any laws (even accidentally) while at work. If you should notice someone breaking these rules or laws, you need to speak up. Your employer should have a whistleblower policy to cover this, and you will be able to report the incident anonymously. If there is something systemic going on, like the Enron scandal, your quick action could save hundreds of jobs. If you believe you, yourself, may have inadvertently broken a law, you must also speak up. It is far better that it comes from you, than someone who notices your genuine mistake and reports it to your superiors.

7. As Soon as You Know Something is Wrong

Wrong? How? Well, it all depends on the kind of job you have. If you're in accounting and you notice a mistake in the numbers, don't wait until the financial report is at the printers. Say something when you first notice the mistake. If you're in advertising, don't stay quiet when something is clearly wrong with the ad (or bottle… as Bud Light found out recently to much blowback). If you're in engineering, and see something that could cause major problems later on (such as GM's poorly-made ignition switch), for goodness sake speak up. These mistakes can cost lives. Staying quiet because it's easier than causing a fuss is not good enough. Be brave, speak up, and do the right thing.

8. When Someone Takes Credit for Your Work

It happens a lot in businesses all over the world. You have a great idea, you say something to someone, and the next thing you know, they're claiming ownership. They get the pay raise, the new account, the promotion, the accolades, and you're left holding with a whole lot of bitterness. These "leeches" work everywhere, and are quite happy to take the credit and climb the ladder, be it in a Fortune 500 company, or the local bakery or autoshop.

How you speak up is important though. It can't come down to whining and complaining. Make sure you approach your supervisor, show them the work you had done beforehand (if you have it) and calmly discuss the fact that this was your idea. You may want to approach the person who stole the idea first; sometimes, they may be unaware of their mistake. In those rare cases, they may be quite happy to speak up on your behalf. Either way… take what's yours.

9. If Anything You Own Goes "Missing"

Make no mistake: there are sticky fingers in offices and businesses around the country. It can be as small as someone using the milk you brought in for their own cup of tea. Or, it can be more expensive items, including money, electronics, clothing, or even collectibles. When you start noticing that your things are going missing, report it immediately to HR or your superiors. It's important to at least get them alerted to the problem. It could be an internal person, someone from the cleaning staff, or anyone else trusted to walk around your business or office. HR can even install security cameras if it is serious enough.

10. When Rumors and Gossip Are Running Riot

You can't avoid water cooler chats and idle gossip in businesses. It happens in kitchens, bathrooms, conference rooms, and anywhere else people congregate to chat. However, when this gossip goes from a little harmless griping, to something much more toxic, you need to speak up. You can either put a stop to the chat instantly when you hear it (i.e. "No, she didn't say that, and was never even in that meeting") or you can take your concerns to your superiors so that they can address the issues. Gossip can be very destructive, and needs to be stopped.

When has speaking up at work made you most proud?

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

4 Annoying Things Bill Collectors Can't Do -- And How to Stop Them

Damian Davila — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 13:00:12 +0000

There are some scary and crazy debt collectors stories out there. For example:

A California debt collector threatened a woman by claiming that they'd dig up her daughter if she didn't pay her debt to a funeral home.
A man received several racially-charged and profane voicemail messages from a Pennsylvania-based collections agency.
A Texas-based debt collector used scare tactics, such as threatening to take away children.

You don't have to tolerate abusive behavior from unscrupulous debt collectors. Here is how to stop four annoying things that bill collectors absolutely can't do.

1. Report Late Payments to Credit Bureaus Within 30 Days

Missing a payment deadline is something that can happen to even the most meticulous person. When this happens, some bill collectors may start calling to scare you into believing that if you don't make the payment right away, they'll notify the credit reporting bureaus.

You've worked hard to build up your credit score, so the mere thought of being reported for a late payment may send shivers down your spine. There's no need to panic. As long as you make your missed required minimum payment before the 30th day after your due date, you'll prevent any creditor from reporting delinquency to any of the credit bureaus.

While you may still be liable for a late payment fee (ranging from $25 to $35) and may be charged a penalty APR (as high as 29.99%), you can't be reported to a credit bureau before you're a full 30 days past due.

How to Stop It

If a bill collector threatens to report you to a credit bureau for anything earlier than a 30-day late payment, tell them that is a violation of federal law. The collector would be knowingly providing incorrect information. If you receive a late payment fee and penalty APR, and are in good terms with your credit card company, call its customer service line to check if they can remove both penalties.

2. No Harassing Phone Calls

While it may be funny to look up crazy calls from debt collectors on YouTube, it's definitely not fun to receive them. Debt collectors don't want you to know that you have the legal right to not answer their calls.

Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, debt collectors can't:

Call you between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. in your local time.
Contact you at unusual or inconvenient places.
Try to circumvent your lawyer, if one is representing you regarding the debt.
Attempt to reach you at your place of employment if no incoming calls are allowed.

How to Stop It

Request in writing that they not call you, and keep a copy for your records. When you mail the letter, ask for a return receipt. If the collectors keep on calling you, you have ammunition to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commision. The more FTC complaints a collection agency has, the more likely that the FTC will sue the agency or, in case of egregious violations, shut it down. (See also: Dealing With Nasty Debt Collectors)

3. No "Taking It All"

Bill collectors will say anything to get your attention. The reality is much different.

The Consumer Credit Protection Act limits the amount that can be garnished from your paycheck to the lesser of 25% of disposable earnings or the amount by which disposable earnings are greater than 30 times the federal minimum hourly wage.
In cases of economic hardship, creditors may not be allowed to garnish the full 25% of your disposable earning. Certain state wage garnishment laws may impose additional limits.
Your state's collection laws and exemptions may provide additional protections. For example, my home state of Hawaii has a collection exemption of $2,575 on vehicles and up to $30,000 on real property.
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act protects qualified retirement accounts, such as 401(k), deferred compensation, and profit sharing plans from most bill collectors.

How to Stop It

Know your rights and find out the relevant collections laws and exemptions for your state. In cases of abusive threats from debt collectors, file a complaint against them with the FTC.

4. No "Doomsday" Dates

Another common scare tactic from collection agencies is to anchor to a final deadline that would trigger lots of additional fees and legal problems if not met. Debt collectors know that the clock is working against them, so that's why they want to cash in as early as possible.

Collection agents get commissions based on how big your first down payment is.
Bill collectors buy debts at discounted prices, yet want to maximize their profit margins.
Debts can become too old for a collector to sue. Depending on your state's statute of limitations for credit card debt, a creditor may be out of luck as early as three years.

How to Stop It

Always negotiate. You're not required to make a big down payment or forced to accept monthly repayment plan. When dealing with any debt collector, almost everything is negotiable, including payment schedules and deadlines.

Bill collectors are great at playing hardball, but they know that it's in their best interest to negotiate a repayment plan that you can realistically stick to. Don't be caught off guard by malicious collection agents and keep them in check.

What is your craziest story about bill collectors? Please share in the comments.

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This article is from Damian Davila of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: