Article posted Thursday, July 23, 2015 12:26pm

Dear Mary Pat,

I’ve been working with someone who doesn’t pull her weight at the restaurant where we work. She’s missed many shifts since she’s out all night partying and never has any consequences. When she’s not at work, everyone else has to pick up the slack. Somehow, she has our boss completely duped as to her behavior. She tells him she’s fighting a cold and he believes her. How many colds can someone have in a three-month period in the summer? My co-workers and I are worked to the max as it is and don’t appreciate having to make up the difference for her. One of the other girls complained to our boss and he told her not to be a snitch.

Signed,

Covering the Slacker

Egg Harbor, Wis.

Dear Covering the Slacker,

Sadly, this won’t be the first time you’ll work harder than one of your co-workers. There is always at least one in every bunch. As frustrating as it is to you and as obvious as it is to you and your co-workers, it is out of your control. Your boss is possibly too busy to notice a pattern or maybe he doesn’t want the hassle and is just trying to get away with ignoring the problem for the time being. As much as you would like this employee to get her act together and/or have your boss demand that she shows up for all of her shifts, it is something that you will have to let your boss handle. This kind of thing usually works itself out. If this employee keeps on in this fashion, her boss will eventually notice. People can only get away with bad behavior for so long.

Good luck,

Mary Pat