Got a suspicion of overtime favoritism?

Q: “My wife works in a production department where only a few employees have permission to work overtime. Everyone else must leave at the end of the shift. The people who receive these extra hours seem to have close ties with the supervisor. Does my wife have any recourse in this situation?” Need the Money

A: Instead of jumping to conclusions, your wife needs to verify her assumptions. Although these decisions may appear to be driven by favoritism, they might actually be based on personal requests. Many people despise working overtime, so managers sometimes assign extra hours only to those who have expressed an interest.

To check this out, your wife should simply ask to be added to the overtime list. If the supervisor denies or ignores this request, then she and other concerned employees may want to ask Human Resources for a clarification of the company’s overtime policy. If no such policy exists, it would seem quite reasonable to suggest that one be created.

Sometimes it simply helps to ask your boss a question. Here are a few to consider: 10 Questions to Ask During Your Performance Review.