If you decide to work as a nanny, daycare worker, or teacher, you’re expected to watch kids all day for a living.
But a chiropractor’s office receptionist didn’t sign up to watch kids. One of the workers came to Reddit to share the wild story where her boss expected her to watch the kid while doing her regular job.
Boss Returns With Baby
The Original Poster (OP) shared that her boss disappeared for a few months, citing “family problems,” but returned with a new baby in tow.
The boss wants to work full-time without considering child care. No worries, though! She has two receptionists who can watch the kid for her.
“She now is wanting to come back to work full time but expects me and my coworker to watch her baby while we’re working,” shared OP.
Receptionists Refuse
Neither receptionist was comfortable with this new arrangement, so they told the boss this new task would greatly hinder their work.
“Her response was “so decide which of you wants to sit in the back with her for the shift and which of you wants to be at the front,” shared OP.
So they switched tactics, telling the boss they weren’t hired to care for a baby.
Boss Changes Employee Handbook
The boss didn’t care what they were hired for; she demanded they watch her baby. She even changed the employee handbook to make it sound like the receptionists were unreasonable.
OP shared the new verbiage from the handbook: “The staff purpose is to do whatever needs to be done to free the doctor to see as many people as possible and educate the patient so that they may tell others.”
The new passage makes it sound like the receptionists must do whatever it takes, up to and including childcare, to free up the practitioner’s time.
Not Happy About It
OP doesn’t go into detail about either receptionist’s ability to quit or get a new job, but they said both are unhappy with the situation, and the boss is shocked to find callouts have been increasing.
Why don’t the employees want to work and babysit her child while they’re at it?
Time for a New Job
Most users advised OP to find a new job. There’s so much wrong with this scenario that it’s hard to know where even to begin.
First, should something happen to the baby on their watch, the receptionists could be liable. They don’t need that kind of stress.
Second, they can’t do their jobs properly while watching an infant. Third, the mother needs some serious help, and they’d be doing her a favor by calling whatever child social services are available in their area to start a case file.
They definitely shouldn’t stay at a job requiring them to babysit the boss’s kid while working.
Possibly Illegal
Some cautioned OP that the mother’s actions, while atrocious, may not be illegal. Sure, there are laws and requirements for a daycare, but she could say it’s simply babysitting. Many employee handbooks state that employees will do whatever is asked of them (though most bosses don’t ask their employees to care for children unless that’s the specific job they applied for).
OP would be wise to file a complaint with the Department of Labor and see where it goes, but shouldn’t count on that to do anything.
Their only recourse may be to find a new job.
Source: Reddit