I have a work scenario I'd like to run by ML

[somersault72]

I work for a medical office. We have 2 locations. There are only 2 of us staff members that are always at location B. The other staff member doesn't drive, she only takes the bus. I fill in at location A, but otherwise I'm at Location B. Not sure if this is relevant but my coworker that does the same job as me STRONGLY prefers to be at Location A which puts me at Location B. This is completely fine with me as Location B is more convenient but it's not FOR ME that I am at Location B. All other staff rotates between the 2 locations, so the most any of them is ever here is 2 days a week (Location B is only open M-Th).

Location B has 4 parking passes for spots right outside the back door. 1 or 2 of them is always used by which ever 1 or 2 (out of 6) physicians are here, leaving 2 or 3 unused every day. I think I should be able to use one of those passes since I am the only employee that is here every day. My boss says that's "not fair." Note she has never asked any of the other employees how they feel about it, she just says it's not fair. I can tell you if they had special parking passes at Location A, I would not expect to get one, nor would I be salty if employees who were there every day got one.

What say you, ML?

[starburst604]

Is she aware that no one else is ever using the spots? It seems silly to not let you have one IMO.

[jennistarr1]

where do you have to park instead

and

would your boss rather see them go unused

[cjcouple]

Are you not allowed to park there? so they sit empty? Why can't the non physician spots be on a first come first serve basis? Unless I'm misunderstanding. where do you park now?

[livinitup]

What happens if you use a spot without a pass ?

[maudefindlay]

So it's better for the spots to sit empty and no one uses them? I don't get the unfair part. Sounds like there are enough spots for all workers at location B, so team you.

[bex1973]

Are you paying to park elsewhere?

[smock]

How many non-physician employees drive to Location B on average each day? You're there M-Th, and the other M-Th employee takes the bus, but how many other people are sharing those 2-3 parking passes? And what's the current system for distributing parking passes?

[somersault72]

Feb 15, 2024 12:00:21 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

where do you have to park instead

and

would your boss rather see them go unused

We have an employee lot that's a decent walk away. And apparently yes she would rather them go unused because that's "fair."   She definitely knows they go unused because she's the one that told us we have 4 passes/spots.

[lust2hart]

Making sure I have this right:

You and 1 other employee work at Location B fulltime.
Other employees, including physicians, rotate throughout the week.
There are 4 parking spots with passes. The physicians (1-2 each day) are the only ones who get the parking pass.

Assuming I've got all this right, it seems to me that the passes should be available for whoever is at Location B on any given day. (Which means you'd have one every day, but not because it's "yours," but because you're just there.)

ETA: So I wouldn't frame it as, "I think I should get a pass because I'm there every day." I'd frame it as, "Let's let everyone who's working at Location B on a given day get to use a pass." 

[rhian]

How many other staff are in each location? And where do you all currently park?

I can see the issue of fairness if there are several other employees that rotate between locations and therefore always have the "bad" parking spots. It doesn't seem completely fair that employees who work at a single location would get the best parking everyday at work and those that switch would always get the worst parking.

But I don't see why they can't they make 2 of the spots first come first served.

[rhian]

I will add that I also think it's kind of bullshit that only physicians get the reserved spots, unless there's something specific about their schedules etc that makes it such that they require them.

[somersault72]

Feb 15, 2024 12:03:44 GMT -5 smock said:

How many non-physician employees drive to Location B on average each day? You're there M-Th, and the other M-Th employee takes the bus, but how many other people are sharing those 2-3 parking passes? And what's the current system for distributing parking passes?

Currently no one uses them besides the physicians. They go unused. Not counting the physicians there are anywhere from 3 to 7 of us here on any given day (and one of those employees takes the bus).

[Eagles]

There's absolutely no reason that you shouldn't be able to use one of the passes since you're essentially location B's anchor employee (who drives). I'm assuming the other employees choose to rotate?

[somersault72]

Feb 15, 2024 12:03:06 GMT -5 bex1973 said:

Are you paying to park elsewhere?

No we don't pay to park, thankfully.

[livinitup]

I used to work in a city with severe parking shortages, so I have some outsized feelings about parking and fairness.

Leaving a parking spot unused in lieu of taking any time/effort to let it be used by the only 100% employee is why I hate people.

[Eagles]

Your counterpart at location A has essentially called "dibs" on that and doesn't rotate locations. You're fine with it so it works out, but it could be argued it's not fair that she gets to work out of her preferred office for convenience while other positions rotate between.

[somersault72]

Feb 15, 2024 12:09:41 GMT -5 Eagles said:

There's absolutely no reason that you shouldn't be able to use one of the passes since you're essentially location B's anchor employee (who drives). I'm assuming the other employees choose to rotate?

They do not get to choose, unfortunately. Our boss makes them rotate. Honestly if they did almost none of them would choose to come here. Most of our employees live closer to Location A.

[smock]

Feb 15, 2024 12:09:07 GMT -5 somersault72 said:

Feb 15, 2024 12:03:44 GMT -5 smock said:

How many non-physician employees drive to Location B on average each day? You're there M-Th, and the other M-Th employee takes the bus, but how many other people are sharing those 2-3 parking passes? And what's the current system for distributing parking passes?

Currently no one uses them besides the physicians. They go unused. Not counting the physicians there are anywhere from 3 to 7 of us here on any given day (and one of those employees takes the bus).

This is straight-up ridiculous, and I can see why you're irritated! Instead of asking for a pass for yourself, I'd raise the issue of creating a distribution system for at least the 2 unused parking passes, whether it's first-come, first-served or some kind of rotation. There's no reason to let great parking spaces sit unused!

[Eagles]

Feb 15, 2024 12:12:46 GMT -5 somersault72 said:

Feb 15, 2024 12:09:41 GMT -5 Eagles said:

There's absolutely no reason that you shouldn't be able to use one of the passes since you're essentially location B's anchor employee (who drives). I'm assuming the other employees choose to rotate?

They do not get to choose, unfortunately. Our boss makes them rotate. Honestly if they did almost none of them would choose to come here. Most of our employees live closer to Location A.

Okay, that makes it more "unfair" that one person gets to stay at A.

I also have strong feelings about managers using "fair" and "unfair" in work situations like they're teaching preschool.

[somersault72]

Feb 15, 2024 12:12:37 GMT -5 Eagles said:

Your counterpart at location A has essentially called "dibs" on that and doesn't rotate locations. You're fine with it so it works out, but it could be argued it's not fair that she gets to work out of her preferred office for convenience while other positions rotate between.

I 1,000% agree with you. Buuuut my boss likes her more than she likes me so....

(She worries about stuff being fair, but plays favorites)

[Eagles]

Feb 15, 2024 12:15:36 GMT -5 somersault72 said:

Feb 15, 2024 12:12:37 GMT -5 Eagles said:

Your counterpart at location A has essentially called "dibs" on that and doesn't rotate locations. You're fine with it so it works out, but it could be argued it's not fair that she gets to work out of her preferred office for convenience while other positions rotate between.

I 1,000% agree with you. Buuuut my boss likes her more than she likes me so....

(She worries about stuff being fair, but plays favorites)

Well, she's an asshole.

Employee lots are always a hike and it sucks. I get why they want the closer parking spots open for docs and patients, but if spots are just sitting there empty it's so petty. Is it a swipe card deal to get into the lot?

[Jalapeñomel]

What happens if you park in one of these spots?

[bex1973]

Given that you don't have to pay to park elsewhere this would not be a hill to die on for me. Would it be nice? Sure. Does it suck? Yup. But I'd let it go.

I hate that I have to pay to park at work and I'm restricted to certain areas

[sadie]

Could you suggest rotating usage of the extra spots? Like, in January, you and one other person can use them, Feb.-2 other people,

[litskispeciality]

I'm irrationally angry and passionate about unused parking spots and late starting shifts that make parking more difficult*. I agree with others that there should be some sort of "fair" system to use up all of the closer by spots if they won't do first come, first served. If there are a least 2 spots it might be "fair" to give one to permanent location B employees, and one to the rotating location A/B staff. No advice on how you'd decide that and I assume it will create all new drama.

I don't know OP, your boss seems like a douche who needs to let go of the reigns a bit.

*I realize the issue here isn't OP getting in "late", but there are people who will arrive 20+ minutes early to work to sit in their car just to get a close by spot. I envy their free time and dedication over a shorter walk into a building pending they don't have mobility limitations and the like causing a need to park close by. The later start employees have to get to work earlier just to circle around for a parking space like they're shopping at the mall in December, and it's silly.

[gottadobe]

I would make the suggestion of using at least 2 (but, why not all 4) and rotating amongst the employees who report to that location.

[somersault72]

Feb 15, 2024 12:25:13 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

What happens if you park in one of these spots?

If she's here she will bitch at you. If she's not here, nothing really.

[k3am]

How long is a "decent" walk away? Are we talking 5 minutes, or are we talking 15-30? And how does it compare to if you're parking with a pass?

[Jalapeñomel]

Feb 15, 2024 12:43:36 GMT -5 somersault72 said:

Feb 15, 2024 12:25:13 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

What happens if you park in one of these spots?

If she's here she will bitch at you. If she's not here, nothing really.

This is so petty of Her!