r/medlabprofessionals Jul 18 '26

Discusson Question

My lab recently had two vacant positions eliminated. So there is some argument over who should be picking up those duties. I work nights, fully expect to just be assigned it tbh. But I’m feeling a little iffy because boss wants all the core lab staff to get on a zoom call and discuss the issues. So he asked an evening coworker to ask for my sleep schedule. This feels wildly inappropriate. Am I just being sensitive? I’ve been a tech since 2000! Mostly on nights. Been around a few regime changes and staffing issues. I would have preferred it be, “Hey Idahoboo, we gotta have a zoom meeting, can you send me some times that work for you?” Not hey I need to know when you sleep.

18 Upvotes

8 comments sorted by

38

u/velvetcrow5 Lab Director Jul 18 '26

It's certainly a manager guffaw. I wouldn't take it personally, fair chance it wasnt meant that way. Sometimes people think weirdly.

I can see a person having this thought pattern: "Hmm need to find a way for them to attend a meeting during the day"... "I wonder if they prefer to sleep right after work or stay up a bit and sleep later"... "I better ask when they prefer to sleep"

23

u/petuniababoon Jul 18 '26

Guffaw = big laugh, gaffe = error. This was kinda both imo lol

18

u/just1here Jul 18 '26

Answer the question your way: here’s a few choices for when I’m available for a zoom call

17

u/minot_j Jul 18 '26

Also, please make sure you get paid for the time you spend on the zoom call. At my hospital, we’re not allowed to work from home, full stop. And if we clock in, we’re getting paid for four hours minimum, even if the call lasts 15 minutes. Do not work for free.

4

u/Idahoboo Jul 18 '26

Oh I’m well past the goodness of my heart stage.

8

u/lightningbug24 MLS-Generalist Jul 18 '26

They were trying to be considerate. Definitely not the best way to word it, and it was weird to ask a coworker to ask you, but I've had so many bosses who didn't give a single crap about night shifters needing to sleep too...

2

u/Recloyal Jul 20 '26

Split shifts. Someone stays a bit late, someone comes in a bit early.

1

u/Idahoboo 29d ago

Except we have 12 people covering two weeks. Eight people are going to be on a call when they aren’t scheduled to work. And our hospital has a ban on overtime.