Question: Recently, we rearranged various departments within our small company due to workload.

One department in particular has had one person handling it very well for about four years. The person has been with the company for eight years.

We now have restructured this department to have two employees working together to handle the increase in work.

The person moving into this second position has been with the company for 17 years and has been in many different departments over those years. This individual is a good, loyal, committed worker but works at a slow pace, having performed well in some positions and struggled in others.

The department procedures have been rethought, and both individuals will be doing the same job, providing coverage for when either one is out of the office. No seniority has been created for this department. Both have the same job title.

They are team players and have worked well together in the past. We believe both can handle the department's new format.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle compensation for these individuals? Length of time with the company and length of time in this particular department pose challenges: The 17-year employee recently requested a raise in pay beyond her normal review using her length of employment as the reason.

Should length of employment be considered when determining compensation, or should performance in the position be the primary consideration?  -- DFL, Pennsylvania

Question: We work in health care as executive assistants to support VPs and their directors and are looking for sources of pay-scale information.

We have researched our state's Department of Work and Economic Development, IAAP, the U.S. Dept. of Labor and Statistics, a local hospital within our region, jobsearch.com, salary.com and payscale.com.

We realize that health care salary scales are usually pretty rigid and, in many cases, well below those of other businesses. Are there any other sources that anyone would recommend?  -- Anonymous in Missouri

Question: I'm wondering how many admin/executive assistants other firms employ. We have 40 "managers" of different levels, with 3 Executive Assistants to support them, plus a receptionist. My own position, in addition to being the assistant to the president, the controller, and the assistant controller, includes marketing, IT assistance and office management.  I feel that my company needs more admins, but I am having a difficult time convincing upper management.  What is the average number of admins per manager at your company? Does your company only have admin support for upper management?  -- Cathy

Question: I know someone posted earlier about having a boss with ADD/ADHD. What about when the person diagnosed with ADD/ADHD (combined inattentive/hyperactive type) is the executive assistant herself?

I would be interested in knowing what employer-provided (under the ADA) accommodations have helped other admins with this disorder to do their jobs better/more effectively.

Our responsibilities as admins are often focused on being able to multi-task, keep organized, prioritize, remain on time with projects, remember names/phone numbers, and keep focused ... all of which have to happen simultaneously, sometimes. All of these are significant challenges for someone with the disorder and who has issues with short-term memory, keeping track of time, finding/organizing files and remembering information after being distracted by someone/something else, etc.  -- Anonymous

Question: I am attempting to get information as to how other organizations are maintaining personnel files, medical files, workman's comp files, training files, etc.  All recommendations and current procedures your company follows would be greatly appreciated.  -- Jennifer

Question: I am a notary public and I was asked by my new boss to sign some legal documents for the sale of his home. I accidentally entered the wrong expiration date for my commission and need to know if I can just change the year, which is what I messed up, and initial it. Will those documents still be legal?

Has anyone else done this, or am I just a scatterbrain? I just received my commission a couple of months ago so I am new to this. Help!  -- Anonymous

Question: Just wanted to check to see how other companies are defining their administrative assistants' titles.

For instance, in my company, if your boss’s title is supervisor, you’re a Sr. Clerical Associate; if you work for a manager, you’re an Administrative Assistant I; if you work for a director, you’re an Administrative Assistant II; if you work for an executive (VP/GM), you're an Executive Assistant; if you work for an SVP/brand president, you’re an Executive Assistant II; if you work for an EVP/region president, you're an Executive Assistant III.

I'm currently an Executive Assistant to the VP at a company with more than 40,000 employees.

I have a job interview with a national company and the position reports to a director, but the title is Executive Administrative Assistant.

What are other companies doing? How is your job title determined?  -- Executive Assistant to VP

Question: I have been struggling with this issue for ... well, years.

I am an administrative secretary to the director of my department. A few months after I was hired (five years ago), they opened up a position for a receptionist. We hired a woman who seemed bubbly and friendly: no problem with answering the phones and handling the mail. After hiring her, the director decided that I would be her supervisor (without any change in title or increase in pay).

Within the next year, she started having crying jags because her grandmother was sick. By the second year into her service, she got much worse. She was acting very oddly -- manic -- and then, she started becoming adversarial and started making claims that people were following her ... including helicopters. She was having hallucinations.

Within a month, she seemed to have a complete breakdown and collapsed on the floor, writhing and crying and begging for help.

One of the assistant directors helped get her to a psychiatric hospital. She was hospitalized and out on leave for about four or five months. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She had been prescribed medication previous to her breakdown, but we suspect that she stopped taking her medication.

She came back to work part time and gradually increased her schedule back to full time. And we accommodated her, allowing her to take the time off for all of her doctor appointments.

I feel for her, tremendously. I have friends who have had serious mental health problems. I understand how debilitating it can be and how important it is for her to have stability and a steady paycheck. I have wanted to help her.

Within the year after she came back from her leave, she seemed to be doing better. But then, slowly, she started sliding back to that unstable place. She comes to work dressed totally inappropriately: in flip-flops, sweat pants and t-shirts, many times. She walks around barefoot more and more frequently. He mannerisms and voice become very exaggerated and, well, odd.

She is constantly up and down from her desk, going into the kitchen, asking to use the bathroom eight to 15 times a day. (She does get an hour for lunch and two 15-minute breaks, as well). She has been in the negative for her sick time for several months now. She doesn't have any vacation or sick time left because of all the time that she has taken off (not doctor-related; I let her make up that time). A number of times, she come into work hours late, without getting an OK beforehand and with no plausible explanation.

I have spoken to her several times. I have written her up and had her sign the letter. I have kept records of all the problem behavior. I have contacted our employee assistance program on several occasions. She went to see them (at my request) on numerous occasions. I have talked to my boss; she basically doesn't want to have anything to do with the situation. I have researched the issues of bipolar disorders and the workplace on the internet, but it is mostly from the perspective of the person afflicted with the illness.

I am trying very hard to work with this situation. I can see, though, that it is unlikely to get any better. And it is really frustrating me and wearing me down.

To top it off, my boss has me cover for this receptionist whenever she is away from her desk or out for the day. So, not only do I have to deal with this very frustrating and delicate situation, but I am the one who has to compensate for her shortcomings by covering for her all of the time.

Frankly, I find all of this very unfair.

Even if I asked my boss to take over supervising this employee, it would not help me. My boss has a reputation for NOT dealing with anything. She is the proverbial head in the sand. If I was no longer this employee's supervisor, I am guessing it would just get worse and then I wouldn't be able to do anything to improve the situation.

It seems as though my only option is to continue to deal with this on a day-to-day basis or look for a new job.

I know this is a mouthful, but perhaps someone has experienced something similar.

Keep in mind, though, that this is not just another difficult employee who can be disciplined and eventually fired if they don't comply. It is not that simple. She has a mental illness and she is a union employee on top of that. It isn't that I want to fire her, but it has been literally years that this is going on now. I can't take it much more.

Any suggestions?  -- Susan

Question: I work for a company that has multiple locations with only three to five employees each (arcades located in malls). Our store managers have to deal a lot with employees showing up late for their shifts and calling in absent after their shift has begun, as well as no-call no-shows.

Because we usually have only one person on duty at a time, this can become a nightmare for the store managers, who have to cover shifts when employees don't show, causing lots of overtime and double shifts.

I'm trying to come up with a new attendance/tardiness policy and would like some suggestions. (We have a "No verbal warning" policy in place; everything must be in writing.)  -- Carey, Dallas

Question: We're implementing a new policy: All personnel (secretaries/receptionists/admins, etc.) must give one month's notice before leaving the company. If proper notice is not given, accrued sick leave/vacation (paid time off) is not paid out.

Office managers have to give two months' notice. I don't know where you would apply for a job and they would wait that long for you.

I'd like to hear what other companies' policies are.

Thanks.  -- Kenda

Question: I am responsible for processing check requests for payment. Sometimes, though, people don’t save detailed receipts to back up their expenses.

What resources out there can help clarify what the IRS expects employers to keep for record retention in regard to travel & meeting reimbursements for employees? Also, are there penalties if the employee cannot provide detailed receipts?  -- Anonymous

Question: I'm looking for suggestions on "measurable goals" or SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based) goals for administrative professionals.

Thank you!  -- Jennifer

Question: On and off, stationery items like staplers, calculators and such disappear from our office. Writing our names on them seemed a good idea until someone said that would help only if it was "borrowed" within the office, but was useless if the item was being taken home.

Other than locking the items away every day, is there any effective way to deal with this?

The scary part is, whoever is taking these items could also be picking up other things that are impossible to track (pantry supplies, paper, etc.), so we're looking for ways other companies have addressed this issue. Thank you!  -- Sharmane

Question: I have been asked to start a monthly newsletter for our plant.  Since I have never done this before, I need all the help I can get such as a sample newsletter, what program to use (I was thinking Microsoft Publisher).

My goal is employee involvement. Should I send out a memo asking for ideas and input or, after the newsletter is started (hopefully), just rely on word of mouth? 

Thank you.  -- Susan Kifer, Newark, Del.

Question: It doesn't happen often, but whenever an employee is terminated, we struggle with how - or if - to announce it to the rest of the employees. It's such a sensitive issue. How do you let people know without affecting morale?  -- Kristin, Seattle

Question: I'd like to ask other admins to share their very best tips about how to do their jobs effectively — whether it's something about organizing their workspace, managing time, file management, working with bosses or other co-workers, etc.

Thank you!  -- Lisa, Tacoma, Wash

Question: I have been given a project that defines the position expectations for the roles of a secretary, executive secretary and admin assistant.  Would you have anything like this request? I have attempted to start this spreadsheet and I think this is the direction that the executives are looking for. I would deeply appreciate any assistance you can give me.  -- Joy Lepper

To view Joy's spreadsheet, please visit www.nibm.net/descriptions

Question: Another manager at my workplace has a new employee who smells, very strong, of body odor. All the staff working in that area and others among the office have already complained and are now spraying scented sprays.

Her appearance is very professional and she is very good at her job.

How does this manager approach this employee? Is that even legal to approach a worker about their smell? And if you do approach them, how do you make them comfortable about going back to work now that she knows others could smell her? She also feels bad that the other staff are gossiping about her.  -- Anonymous

Question: Not really a problem; more of a call for advice. Starting with the August issue, I’ll be the new editor of Personal Report for the Administrative Professional. I’d like to hear from you as to what you’d like to see more of — and less of — in the newsletter each month. What tough issues would you like me to tackle in the coming months? In the coming year?

Thanks, in advance, for your guidance.  -- Alice Bumgarner

Question: I wanted to know what other companies do for time off.  Our company offers 2 weeks' vacation (3 weeks' after 10 years) plus 5 sick days each year, which can accumulate up to 30 days (sick leave only).  I have used all my vacation due to an emergency with my father-in-law and took a week's vacation.  I am short one day to attend my niece's wedding and was going to take the day off without pay.  Evidently, we are not allowed to due this.  If I do decide to take this off, then it will affect my review.  Can you take time off without pay if you want?

Related question: How does your company offer time off for doctor appointments? Can you use sick leave by the hour or can you take only in 4- or 8-hour increments (1/2 or full day off)?  -- Kenda

Question: I understand that salaried employees are expected to work unpaid/uncompensated overtime. I computed my regular work hours and overtime hours for last year and discovered I had worked a period equivalent to more than 13 months of business days in a 12-month business year.

In the business world, in general, how much overtime is expected of a lower-level, salaried secretary? I want to be known as a team player, but don't want the business to take advantage of my goodwill.  -- Anonymous

Question: I have just recently been assigned to train our student workers for the receptionist job in a counseling center of a major university. The job requires them to do data entry and general office duties. I would like some ideas or forms I can use to track training problems. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.  -- Anonymous

Question: Our company doesn't have one set of written travel guidelines. What is allowed for the production lab differs from what is allowed for the sales force or for an executive. Through the years, the company has grown, and administrative staff and managers have changed enough so that we lost the verbal guidelines once used. I have found four different documents that were written to cover different departments. I would like to pull them together into a company-wide guideline, but would like to see what other companies are using first.  -- Anonymous

Question: I recently completed my graduate degree in business and have been working as an executive assistant at my current company for almost 4 years. I have been doing an excellent job, taking and completing tasks outside my job description, and have made sure that the right people are aware of my accomplishments including my MBA. I am ready for more responsibility and my performance, education and "self promotion" have set the stage for approaching my supervisor (HR Director) about becoming the head of the admin team. This would be a new position for the company, and there are sound, supportable reasons for creating this position and putting me in it, but there is one hurdle to overcome.

I am not the assistant to the President of the company. His assistant is probably the least qualified person on the admin team to assume a leadership or managerial role and I'm sure he knows that. Although she is a very competent assistant, she has no desire to be anything more than an assistant. Unfortunately, the last time I spoke to the HR Director about a promotion within the admin team, her response was, in essence, because I was already an Executive Assistant but was not assistant to the President and because of the current organizational structure of the admin team, there was nowhere to promote me to.

This type of position I would like is usually called either "executive administrator," "office manager" or "manager, administration" or something similar. Does anyone know of situations where this position was created or are currently in this position and can provide sound evidence based examples of how this position helped the company?  -- Anonymous

Question: “I would like to implement a suggestion-box system in our department. So far, I’ve come up with these steps:

1. Create a form that employees can slip into a manager’s mailbox to make suggestions and comments.

2. The form will include spaces for the employee’s name, suggestion, whether the idea will save the company money and the employee’s contact information.

3. If the employee wishes to be anonymous, management will not need to respond.

“Do you have any other ideas for this system?”  -- Cynthia Sheeks, Akron, Ohio