Trouble with our newly hired 'staff'?

Question

Well, we have 6 horses that live here with us. Starting in September, my parents go back to working full time, I go back to high school, and my brother goes off to college. My parents decided to start looking into hiring someone who would do stuff like mucking out stalls and grooming horses for us. My parents interviewed and hired a 21 year old college student. The deal was that we'd pasture her 2 horses for free if she did any work we asked her to do around the farm. She signed a contract and everything (my mom's a lawyer). Anyway, she brought her horses here a few days ago. She was just sitting there, and I asked her to muck out my horse's stall when she got a minute, as I had to go into town. She looked at me and said, "I don't take orders from you. I only take orders from your parents," and went back to doing nothing. I rolled my eyes and asked her again. She looked at me like I was stupid and said something like "What part of 'no' don't you understand?"

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Answer 1

Well its not an order from you its her job, tell your parents and get them to explain her role to her again.

Answer 2

Ask your Mom!

Answer 3

horse people usually have a very strong ego. it could be both of you!

Answer 4

Well, if you think about it, if you are hired to work for an employer, you have no obligation to take orders from his/her children!  So, you probably overstepped your boundaries when you started issuing orders to her.

If your parents wanted you to manage the barn, they would have made it clear to her that you had that authority.

She is not a servant for the family...she is a contracted employee of your parents who has every right to be annoyed at your arrogance.

If indeed, your mother is an attorney, I'm sure the contract spells things out very clearly and in detail...if she has violated the contract, it is your parent's issue to resolve, not yours.  If you have gotten her fired, and now want to make up for it, I'd say you haven't got a prayer.

ADD....when I was a kid, my dad owned and operated a general contracting business.  At times, his employees would be sitting around apparently doing nothing.  They knew their jobs, and their timeline.  I didn't.  If I had ever presumed to tell one of them what to do, or when to do it, it would have been my butt that was in trouble.  I'd have been required to apologize for my arrogance, and if any of them had been rude to me in responding to my "orders", my dad would have supported his employee 100%....and put me in my place.  You had no clue what your parent's contract was with her when this happened.

Answer 5

I think her attitude is unprofessional, but I think yours is snobbish.  Just look at how you refer to this person in your question...."Staff".

This person is NOT your "staff", she is employed by your parents.  She is NOT there to do your bidding or be ordered around. There should have been a schedule or list of jobs drawn up at the time the contract was  looked over.  

Also, from what I have read, you stated that the contract stated August.  Well, this is the middle of July, which means that even though the barn is done, she does not start work until August, just as the contract says.

Besides, your arms & legs are not broken, clean your own stall & stop treating people like you are better than they are or dispite what you think of yourself, it will be you doing the work because your parents will not find anyone who wants to be treated like c**p by you.

I mean did it even occur to you your highness to ASK instead of ORDER?

Answer 6

Well it seems her problem is, as you said, that "she wasn't supposed to start mucking out stalls until August." If the construction project on the barn finished early and the August agreement needed to be changed then it would be reasonable for your parents to discuss that with her and, with her approval, amend the contract agreement. But that is no justification for her rudeness and nasty attitude toward you. If I was your parent I would fire her in a New York minute and bid good riddance to bad rubbish.

Answer 7

Take it up with your parents and let them handle it.  Technically she works for them.  If they don't like her attitude, they are the only ones that can do anything about it. And if they want her to listen to you, they tell her as much.

Generally it will be best if they work out a schedule of chores for her to do on the days she is working there rather than having random orders given to her from various people all the time.

Answer 8

As someone who mucks and does barn work at school for a family with horses, I myself find it kind of awkward when I'm asked to do extra things by my client's kids. But still, I'm not rude or anything, I usually do the things they ask if they are within my job description. I will unload a truck of hay, but I don't tack up their horses for the kids, since they also ride some of their other horses at the same barn I ride at (different barn than the one I work at...) and I know they are capable of tacking up by themselves.

Just keep in mind in the future that barn workers take orders from the boss, not the kids unless it's within their job description to do so. It is awkward to take orders from someone who is half your age ;)

Answer 9

Don't feel bad. She needs to go.

In my experience, any employee is terrific for 2 weeks.

Then they start showing their true colors.

If this is her attitude right from the start, then it will only get worse.

She has a bad attitude and lacks solid work ethic and appears to be rough with your horses. 3 strikes, you're OUT!

.

I wouldn't have her in my barn, in mho.

I

Answer 10

You are right in doing everything that you're doing.

This girl is obviously not responsible enough to be around horses.

And you said that you didn't want her to get mad at you for being the reason of her getting fired. Would she really be that much of a loss? I mean if you have to be treated like that and paranoid about the care your horses are recieving, I think it's not worth it one bit. She has no right to treat you that way, or ride your horses without permission.

I think you should fire her asap.

Good luck! And I hope your rescue mare is okay =]

Answer 11

There are a few things that need straightening out here.. You need to find out who the girl works for.. As you said your mom is a lawyer, that should be written down in the contract...

If there is any doubt about that, you need to talk to your mom, and maybe have a meeting with this person (and your mom) and work out exactly what her job and responsibilities are (and also who is allowed to give her instructions)

Please excuse me for this, but, as an ex (many years ago) barn employee, I'd be careful to ensure that you're not just using your family ties to give the hired help the runaround... I want you to ask yourself one serious question, and that is, is the welfare of your horses suffering because of her laziness, or is she just not fitting her duties in with your schedule?

If your horses are truly not being cared for in the manner that they deserve (and as a horse owner, I know they deserve the best) then you certainly have a reasonable claim to make her realize that she has to either get with the program, or leave...

her horses are her concern.. it's a credit to you, that you consider the welfare of her horses as much as you do yours.. sure, if they have no place to go, then as a reasonable family, I am certain that arrangements can be made, that she has X number of days or weeks to find somewhere else to take them, whether or not she will be working your barn at the time...

At the end of the day, although your intentions for her horse's welfare are outstanding, they truly are not your biggest concern... Your concern should be (and I believe is) the welfare of your animals...

I'll echo the other answers when I say that you should have a talk with your mother... explain that you are concerned about the welfare of her horses in addition to your own...

I'm sure that with a lawyer mom, and with your empathetic heart, the solution is only moments away...

I send my best wishes to you... and all the horses in your barn

I hope this works out well for the animals... and also for the people ;)

Answer 12

If she can't do her job. She deserves to be fired.

Answer 13

Well, because her horses don't have anywhere to go...it is kinda a delicate situation.  Personally, I wouldn't take instruction from someone younger than me though.  That may be why she had an additude with you.  However, there is no reason why you had to tell her to clean out the stalls.  She should automatically do it without your instruction....it's her job.  If she is not fullfilling her side of the contract, then I suggest firing her...especially if she was messing around with your horses without permission.  I, being a horse owner, wouldn't appreciate some chik I didn't know messing with my horse.  It can mess with your horse's training.  Well, I hope I helped.

Answer 14

thinks you are a rich spoiled rotten privileged brat and should muck your own horses stall if you can not and do not take care of your own horse than you do not need to own own horse

Answer 15

You wouldn't be telling her if she were doing her job anyway....have your parents explain to her the job and rules again. If she can't do the job she was hired for, fire her. She can take her horses elsewhere.

Good luck :)

Answer 16

Amazing...the college student...no worth ethic and rude to employers kids.....have your parents reiterate what verbiage is in the contract to  her....let her know that you're as much a part of the team as your parents.....if she can't do that (follow instructions) then she needs to hit the road and not let the door hit her on her backside on the way out.

Answer 17

Your parents, as the contractual people who made the agreement are responsible for laying out the expectations and inspecting that what they expect gets done.

They also need to get the two of your together and lay down some ground rules for the way the two of you interact.  Without some sort of periodic discussions and feedback to her regarding how she's doing, no one can expect her to meet their expectations.  If she's under the idea that she doesn't start "working" until August and you and your parents have a different expectations, it's time to sit down and discuss it.

No matter what, the girl is your parents' employee - and they have an obligation to understand what's going on.

You also must not quickly pass judgement upon this girl nor act as if you are better than her if you wish a successful relationship.  Even though she's older than you and a college student vs. your high school status doesn't mean that either of you should be disrespectful to the other.

People at that age are at the height of learning about life - their morals have been cemented and their focus is on quick things - what is today bringing - while they learn to build goals for the future.  This particular one may not realize the value of what she's getting.

Also, it sounds as if you personally might be upset that this girl is lounging around your place un-necessarily - you might be thinking "shouldn't she be doing something" or "doesn't she have some place to go?"  perhaps the barn is the most comfortable "hang out" place to her.  If you and your parents feel that your residence is not a "hang out" place, your parents need to make this clear to her.

I could understand if she'd been working her horse and allowing it time to stand and cool off - but I would be a bit peeved at a boarder (which is what she is when she's not an employee) just hanging about aimlessly (it would drive me about nuts).  However, this may or may not bother your parents or family.

I suggest you continue to be polite and respectful of her - getting visibly frustrated or allowing her responses to upset you shows that she's got the upper hand - just as in dealing with your horses, if you show frustration or give in to allow them to quit, they have won.  Do not give up being pleasant, take part in conversations whenever proper between she and your parents.  

You see, when managing one or many employees, one must be direct, respectful, considerate, consistent, acknowledging of achievement as well as communicating when something is not happening as it should - employers have these obligations to mold employees at any level.

You should think in terms of "consistently, knowingly, respectfully establishing your place in this agreement" - then follow the guidelines you all lay out.

If hours of work have not been established, I wouldn't think it would take more than a couple hours to clean 8 stalls - does it matter then what time of the day it's done?  She's obviously not being paid for work - but rather a trade has been made, but there's still a value to that trade just like pay - which means ground rules must be laid.

Sit down - talk to your parents, find out where they see your place in all this, and rely on them to communicate with this gal.

Answer 18

Yikes.  Fire that lazy beeyotch.  No one needs "help" like that.  You and your parents should not have to put up with that.  Have her sign another contract that says she and her horses will be gone within 14 days.

I totally disagree with the folks that are saying that she was right to not take orders from you, the child of the employer.  So far as she is concerned, you ARE part of the collective "employer".  Does she think that she only has to work when your parents are physically present to give her orders?  Sheesh.

Answer 19

Just sack her and don't feel guilty about it, If she's not going to do the work and going to be completely obnoxious then tell her to f off. I've known people like that before and theyre nothing but trouble.

Answer 20

ask your parents to try to make her do the things she has said (and signed) that she would do and also make sure your parents make it particularly clear that she is to not ride any of your horses. ever. (well unless you say but ya...) anyways. if she doesnt do what shes told ( and if you ask her nicely) have your parents think about hiring someone else. and obviously firing her

Answer 21

if she was sitting there and didnt do any of the stalls that day then she wasnt doing her job. . . and i'd suggest that you talk to your parents about talking to the girl, if she doesnt do her job and just sits there being rude/pickin fights with you, then charge her contract(legally) alittle to keep her horses there to make up for the lack of work done, but have your parents do that and rework the contract. . . she can say she did what it said in the contract and lie about it / spread it out  so that it was true but she really only did one thing a day from that list. . .

i know i wouldnt like taking commands from someone younger then me, but they way you put it, if you were asking me i'd have done it and not been so rude.  if it was a brat chasing me around all day giving me lists of things to do, i'd have just ignored them and done what their parents wanted done. (big difference)

i also would NEVER ride anyones horse unless a. they said i could and were with me, or b. had a contract and were going out of town for a bit. other then that i dont feel the need to handle another person's horse like she did yours.

all you can do is tell your parents and suggest to them they talk to the girl. i suggest that until that happens, dont talk to the girl and let things cool down.