Supervisor Literally Changed My Job To Something I Specifically Said I Did Not Want to Do

[Anonymous]

I started a new job about six months ago doing program work in a very specific area (say for example, mental health work). My supervisor, in addition to supervising a couple of other employees, was also solely responsible for another area of work, completely unrelated to what I do and requiring a specific set of skills I do not have. I was very clear in the meetings we've had that while I really admire the work she's doing in this specific area, I would never want to do it because it is a hot button issue and honestly, her name is often dragged through the mud on social media because she handles this issue terribly. So in addition to me not being interested in this area, not being trained to do work in this area and not even being hired to do this work, I also did not want to be subjected to the regular brutal social media blowback that accompanies this work, especially as a newish employee. It's easy to google my supervisor's name and there are a slew of hits, all highly critical of how she handles this issue.

Anyhow, a couple of weeks ago during a meeting, she said she was thinking of passing this work on to me, to which, I replied, no - I really do not want to do this and have no interest in it. Next meeting she says, I've thought about it and, it's yours. I say no again and she responds that if I don't do it, then she'll have to do it and everyone else is too busy, so she is assigning it to me. What do I do in this situation?? I've said no as many ways as I can say no. I clearly need another job but am now stuck doing a job that could leave a long media trail of people criticizing me by name.

[Anonymous]

I had something similar happen to me years ago when I was working for a city police department. I specifically told my boss that I didn't want to work in the marine unit, and a year later, that's where I ended up. I later learned this was a pattern at my organization. Another guy had ended up in the pawn shop unit, when he had specifically said he didn't want to do that kind of work.

The good news is that both of us were eventually able to get transferred into a better role. For me, the transfer happened faster, because another supervisor specifically requested me. Maybe see if you can make a lateral move in your org to a different manager?

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

New job.

[Anonymous]

I would just resign.

[Anonymous]

I would just refuse to do that part of the job, wait for her to fire me and spend my time looking for a new job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had something similar happen to me years ago when I was working for a city police department. I specifically told my boss that I didn't want to work in the marine unit, and a year later, that's where I ended up. I later learned this was a pattern at my organization. Another guy had ended up in the pawn shop unit, when he had specifically said he didn't want to do that kind of work.

The good news is that both of us were eventually able to get transferred into a better role. For me, the transfer happened faster, because another supervisor specifically requested me. Maybe see if you can make a lateral move in your org to a different manager?

Good luck!

Yeah, but you gotta be careful not to get too caught up in the job. After all, it's just a job.
You need something outside of this here. The job will not save you.
Soon you could be taking your work home with you, and then it could become personal... interfering with your home life.

I've heard of folks just like you, PP... get so caught up in their work that it became almost an obsession. They ended up getting caught cutting corners, doing some dirt... forced out. They ended up being blackballed in their industry, and had to find alternative employment.

BTW, how long was your co-worker in the pawn unit?

[Anonymous]

Who the hell is dragging your boss on social media? This is so weird.

Don’t let this job ruin your good name. The internet is forever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who the hell is dragging your boss on social media? This is so weird.

Don’t let this job ruin your good name. The internet is forever.

This is OP. She serves/does work for a particular community that is very active and vocal.

[Anonymous]

1. Start looking for a new job

2. In the meantime, consider implementing change management strategies. Schedule listening sessions and provide opportunities for the community to provide specific feedback. Document and make the general info gathered from the opinion gathering sessions public.

3. Try to find ways to bring in additional stakeholders that impact (or are impacted by) the work. Try to take a team approach so that your name is not the only one attached to a bottleneck of complaints. Truly hard to give advice on this without context.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, you need to quit.

[Anonymous]

Find a new job asap.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like she is trying to get rid of you. Start looking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would just refuse to do that part of the job, wait for her to fire me and spend my time looking for a new job.

+1

[Anonymous]

Every job description that I’ve ever seen has some sort of catchall, like “other duties as assigned.”

They can do that. You can try to transfer or leave. If you are valuable enough you can threaten that you’ll leave if you can’t do anything else and they will try to keep you. I’m sorry; it sucks.

[Anonymous]

Do NOT do it !

Protect your reputation.