Religious coworker

[luvbp681]

Not that this is a huge problem, but we are about to be short staffed in a few weeks when 1 of our weekend shift personel quits. therefore causing the remaining 2 of us to cover the weekends. My coworker says she only can work saturdays because she goes to mass on sundays; I work in a catholic hospital that celebrates mass here on Sundays. (she feels that she may miss mass if she gets too busy to get away.) I don’t want to split my weekends. I would rather work sat/sun and get it over with, and Yes I am catholic too and have attended mass here. Once I got called away, but we are at work. Should I let it go for now and pray we find a replacement soon, or just tell her to deal with it? So far she is giving me the days she cannot work because of church related commitments. any advice?

 

[1ke]

You need to schedule the schedule based on what the organization and patients need. She will need to work her personal things around the work schedule.

If you can accommodate her, then do. But, be fair to all who will be covering shifts. Build the schedule equitably.

The Church cannot be used as an excuse, as the Church does not teach that a Catholic cannot work on Sunday. This is a Catholic hospital, after all.

 

[Pax2u]

She should work whatever schedule is given to her by her supervisor. The fact that Mass is available at work for her is a great plus. And in the event that on a given Sunday it is too hectic for her to get away for that Mass, then I’m sure God will understand. There is always the Saturday vigil Mass at almost every parish, and some churches also have 5 p.m. Masses on Sundays. There is usually a way something can be worked out. If your city is large enough to have a hospital, is there is more than one Catholic church in the area to choose from?

And fortunately this doesn’t sound like a permanent arrangement…just until someone new is hired!

 

[PietroPaolo]

You need to schedule the schedule based on what the organization and patients need. She will need to work her personal things around the work schedule.

If you can accommodate her, then do. But, be fair to all who will be covering shifts. Build the schedule equitably.

The Church cannot be used as an excuse, as the Church does not teach that a Catholic cannot work on Sunday. This is a Catholic hospital, after all.

I understand what you’re getting at, but saying that, even on Sundays, our worship ought to be worked around our work schedules inverts the teaching of Dies Domini.

 

[Kal2012]

My husband used to work with a guy like this. His coworker would find any excuse to avoid taking the on-call phone for his weekend, even though there was a rotating schedule and neither of them were supposed to have it two weekends in a row. They knew the schedule in advance and it was never a big surprise. (Well, that’s the way it was supposed to work out anyway).

My husband always seemed to end up with the on-call phone, even if that wasn’t his turn to be on call. He became really resentful and tired of covering for this guy (and I’d get to hear all about it!). There were a few times when their team had no “coverage” because co-worker didn’t want the phone and my husband wasn’t going to take the phone to be ‘nice about it’ anymore. Being a team player works both ways.

Point is: Yes, mass is an obligation, but so is her job. Everyone is expected to pull their weight.

There are plenty of opportunities to attend a mass depending where you are. In my area, you can find them from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday. It seems to me that she should be able to find a situation that meets both her work needs and her spiritual obligations. Like you said, the hospital has mass on-site. Not too many work places have that as an option. Working in your profession isn’t 9-5 M-F and sometimes, you have to rearrange your schedule to fit extraordinary circumstances. That’s just reality.

The inconvenience of this person leaving your organization shouldn’t fall entirely on your shoulders. Make the schedule fair for both of you. You don’t want to end up being resentful at your coworker.

 

[CradleJourney]

Not that this is a huge problem, but we are about to be short staffed in a few weeks when 1 of our weekend shift personel quits. therefore causing the remaining 2 of us to cover the weekends. My coworker says she only can work saturdays because she goes to mass on sundays; I work in a catholic hospital that celebrates mass here on Sundays. (she feels that she may miss mass if she gets too busy to get away.) I don’t want to split my weekends. I would rather work sat/sun and get it over with, and Yes I am catholic too and have attended mass here. Once I got called away, but we are at work. Should I let it go for now and pray we find a replacement soon, or just tell her to deal with it? So far she is giving me the days she cannot work because of church related commitments. any advice?

I’m a bit confused. When she was hired, did she inform the hospital that she could not work Sundays? If that was the case, I can’t see how it would be fair to make her work them now. On the other hand, if she’s been working on some Sundays, but only now decided she couldn’t, then I’d say that’s her problem and she needs to work what is scheduled - not what she’d prefer.

 

[1ke]

I understand what you’re getting at, but saying that, even on Sundays, our worship ought to be worked around our work schedules inverts the teaching of Dies Domini.

I am not inverting the teaching of the church at all. The Church recognizes that there are some professions, vocations, that require Sunday work. A hospital is not superfluous. It’s not like the mall, it cannot close on Sunday.

So, yes, those involved in healthcare are called to respond to the need for some to be “on duty” even on Sunday. We are called to charitable works on Sunday, including care of the sick. The fact that she gets paid for it is secondary. We are obliged to care for the sick.

It is not “forever”. It is while they are shorthanded that she will have to pick up these duties.

She cannot say her religion forbids her from working on Sunday because that isn’t true. She can say she would prefer not to-- and I said that the OP should attempt to accommodate her if he could but ultimately patient care trumped her preference in this situation.

I don’t think that is at all incompatible with what the Church teaches about both Sunday AND our duty to care for the sick.

And moreover the OP has been given “days” she cannot work because of church-related committments. Sounds like more than just Sunday obligation and preferring not to work Sunday. Sounds like she doesn’t want to miss choir practice or whatever-- sorry, patient care comes first.

 

[LisaB]

I’m a bit confused. When she was hired, did she inform the hospital that she could not work Sundays? If that was the case, I can’t see how it would be fair to make her work them now. On the other hand, if she’s been working on some Sundays, but only now decided she couldn’t, then I’d say that’s her problem and she needs to work what is scheduled - not what she’d prefer.

That’s exactly what I was thinking. What were the schedule expectations when she was hired? If she was hired for M-F shift, and she wasn’t told that the position may require weekend work, then it’s unreasonable to change that expectation now, regardless of the reason. But if she was informed from the beginning that weekends may be required, her other obligations on weekends are really not your problem.

 

[DebChris]

I’m a bit confused. When she was hired, did she inform the hospital that she could not work Sundays? If that was the case, I can’t see how it would be fair to make her work them now. On the other hand, if she’s been working on some Sundays, but only now decided she couldn’t, then I’d say that’s her problem and she needs to work what is scheduled - not what she’d prefer.

Scripture says that if we act against conscience than we commit sin. Does it go against her personal conscience to work on Sunday, even if the Church says it it okay? That is a question that only she can answer.
In speaking to her, state explicitly that you are a Catholic. While it is generally inadvisable to mention personal faith in the workplace, this is an exception. Your workplace has accommodations in place that allow for meeting the Sunday obligation. This is very unusual.
How valuable of an employee is she? What Mass times are available at her home parish? What accommodations can be made to ensure she is able to attend Mass in its entirety, perhaps Saturday evening, in order to meet the weekend obligation?
As a Catholic, you have knowledge, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church that a non-Catholic employer would not have at his or her disposal when discussing how her refusal to work Sundays is putting the hospital in a bind.
Keep the conversation on a calm and professional level.

 

[Millie123]

Why don’t you bring up this issue with your supervisor? They should be in charge of running your department, they should also be in the habit of making fair staffing decisions, and they can clear up confusion between you and your coworker regarding weekend work requirements.

 

[Cricket2]

To be fair I think she needs to expect to work Sundays just as often as you do. If you are the only two available to cover the shift, then she is going to have to accept the fact that she has a job to keep and that will mean working on Sundays.

We have all had to do this, including giving up planned activities for a job. That is life. If she can’t handle this she may need to look for another job. Since you must certainly have a desire to attend Mass and other Church functions as a Catholic you too need that chance. Split the shifts evenly as an effort to be fair and stick to the schedule.

Keep things as impersonal as possible. One weekend off, one weekend on. No exceptions.

 

[Aggie414]

I’m assuming this is a nursing-type position. That being said, I don’t think she can just tell a hospital that she doesn’t work weekends. Patients don’t just get sick/need emergency care Monday through Saturday.

If it’s that important, maybe she should find a job in a doctor’s office or some other health care provider that does not work weekends. It’s unfair to co-workers to not pull their own shift.

That is assuming that she didn’t have that arrangement with her supervisor prior to this change.

 

[DaisymaeD]

We are allowed to do essential work on Sunday, and caring for helpless and sick people counts!
I work the overnight shift every other weekend as a nurse, and go to the Saturday evening Mass. If I simply can’t do that, I go to the early Sunday Mass after my shift (and remain standing in the back of church so I don’t doze off in the pew). See? No problem!!!