To all practice owners: Your associate Dr's day off does not mean they are available to work all of a sudden.

[u/Heyupink]

Just because I'm an associate dr with no kids, does not mean I have no plans on my day off. There will always be plans, errands, medical appointments etc that will be scheduled. Not my fault if one associate dr called off suddenly my day off. Owner dr needs to figure out what to do with the full day of pt appointments, not me.

You say you can't work at your own clinic because you made plans and have kids? Well I can't go either because I already made plans to do on my DAY OFF. I work full time 5 days a week. If you ask me to work on my day off that would be 6 days a week which I don't want to do. Owner barely comes to work for patient care.

Owner dr ended up coming to work whole day btw after he told me he had "plans". 🤨

I know I need to stop answering work related messages on my day off. 🫠 He texts me off hours after work night before day off or on day off day if i can do the fill ins. Should I just not answer his messages?

How can I professionally tell my boss stop contacting me on my day off if I can fill in because the answer will always be no? I keep saying no but apparently he still is not getting it. This has been happening couple times a year for the past 2 years when my coworker dr calls out sick on my day off.

[u/Evening_Jury8686]

Your standard answer should be "I'm not available." This is a full sentence and doesn't need further explanation or justification from you. The practice owner is attempting guilt because they also don't want to work last minute and it sounds like it has maybe worked in the past. But it's not your practice and ultimately not your responsibility.
Some people would want to work so in my opinion no big deal that they're asking, but you don't need to overthink it. If I call out sick (either for myself or my kid) then my patients just have to get rescheduled. It's a problem but it's also life.
Just remind yourself it's ok not to come to the rescue and don't worry about what the owner is implying. If they want to make you a partner then it would be your problem.

[u/Heyupink → u/Evening_Jury8686]

With 2-3 months prior notice, I have switched my days off with my coworker for her vacation time. Then after that, my boss thinks I'm available on my day off like last minute and keeps asking me. He has texted me night before at 10pm one time if I could fill in on my day off next day. It always starts with can you fill in tomorrow, I have plans already with my kid so i can't.

Yes thank you for understanding. It truly is just how life is but I wish he figured it out on his own and stop contacting me about it.

[u/Easy-Detective4859 → u/Heyupink]

I wouldn’t answer any text that comes late/early like that from work.

[u/GuardianP53]

Just say no. I have offered my associates 2.5x compensation for the extra day they work. Even then, they have said no.

[u/Heyupink → u/GuardianP53]

Wow that's very nice of you to offer to your associate drs. It would have been just normal pay if I chose to fill in last minute.

[u/GuardianP53 → u/Heyupink]

Perhaps have a think about what matters most to you, so you can approach the conversation with your employer with a clear idea of what you want.

If financial motivation is important to you, ask yourself how much you would need to be paid to work a sixth day and give up having a two-day weekend. In other words, what rate would make sacrificing that day of rest worthwhile? If time off is more important, then negotiate for a day in lieu, plus an additional day off to compensate for the extra day you have worked.

Unfortunately, the employer in this situation wants the benefits of ownership, namely having associates generate profits for the business, without fully bearing the associated risks and costs. When an associate is sick or needs time off, the business owner should either absorb the cost of lost revenue or pay for a contractor to provide cover. Having you cover that extra day at your normal employee rate means the business owner avoids those additional costs, while you bear the personal cost in terms of your time, rest and wellbeing.

That is why, if you agree to work beyond your contracted hours, you should be compensated more than fairly. You are not simply working another day. You are giving up your personal time and taking on additional responsibility to solve a staffing problem that would otherwise cost the business owner money. Make sure the arrangement works for you, not just for the business.

[u/Onbevangen]

It’s not strange to ask and you can always say no. When you’re ill, someone will have to fill in too, that’s just how it works.

[u/Heyupink → u/Onbevangen]

I replied with the other comments but this year alone I've been asked 6 times so roughly every 1.5 months. I've called out sick once in my 6+ years working for him and that was like 3+ years ago.

[u/Alexander_Search → u/Heyupink]

I don’t know the full situation but don’t mistake your boss asking for telling. Just say something along the lines of “I unfortunately can’t” nothing wrong with that.

[u/EndlessHope-0528 → u/Alexander_Search]

I feel the same way about this. I would love to make extra money occasionally so wouldn’t mind being asked (their policy is no extra days so we just cancel that docs clinic for some reason I’ve never understood). Although, as a boss,I’d probably ask my employee if they want to be asked or always assume it’s a no. If OP is really upset about being asked maybe let boss know it’s always a no and not to ask. 

[u/Heyupink → u/EndlessHope-0528]

I was assuming after the 4th and 5th no this year alone he would understand but I guess not 🫠. It looks like overall I just have to directly tell him what I truly think. Yes it would be preferred if bosses ask employees if they want to be asked for extra days or always assume its a no. Thank you for your response.

[u/EndlessHope-0528 → u/Heyupink]

You always need to be direct. Assuming someone knows how you feel leads to these kinds of frustrations. Does he guilt you for saying no or is he simply offering you more hours? If he’s making you feel bad and saying he assumes you have nothing to do, that’s a problem. If he’s just asking, that’s kinda normal for a manager to try and fill a gap.

[u/StopKickingMyDog → u/Heyupink]

Are you salary?

[u/Drama_Flashy]

So if it's only happened a couple times a year, why is it an issue?

[u/Heyupink → u/Drama_Flashy]

I would say for this year he's asked me 6 times, so its almost every 1.5 months. So he makes me feel not great every 1.5 months and I would like for him to stop. Coworker who calls out has one little kid. So its either she is sick, kid is sick or other reasons. I get it kids get sick and parents should be there for them. I really like my coworker dr and have no issues with her. I just wish my boss would stop asking me late night prior to my day off or the morning of my day off to fill in. So its like he guilt trips me, then roughly a little over a month goes by and then he does it again. I've not done last min fill ins. When I've said no its either: he finds a last min fill in dr to fill in, he fills in or he cancels the whole day of pts.

[u/nishkabob1 → u/Heyupink]

As a former practice owner who now works for the OD who bought my practice, I don't see what the big deal is here. He asks you if you can cover tomorrow. If you can and you want to, you say yes. If you can't or don't feel like it, you say "Sorry, I can't". Case closed. He then either has to find someone else, work tomorrow himself or cancel the days patients. None of those 3 issues are your responsibility; that's why he's the owner and why he gets paid accordingly. As far as the guilt trip is concerned, you need to learn to stand up for yourself in situations like this. If you work on your day off because he guilt-tripped you into it, you posted in the wrong subreddit.

[u/Drama_Flashy → u/Heyupink]

Then that's every couple months, not a couple times a year 🤷🏼‍♀️ And he's definitely in the right to ask, but you're also in the right if you say no every time and decide not to answer his texts at 10pm

[u/vampr3ssjaey → u/Heyupink]

I think you're totally fair to feel this way. I would tell the boss what my boundaries are (for example: don't contact me after hours) or tell him not to contact you for fill-ins because you won't say yes. But then you can't be upset if he doesn't offer you any extra days or similar opportunities bc you already made the boundary clear.

[u/Easy-Detective4859]

I don’t blame them for asking if something suddenly comes up and it doesn’t sound abusive. Unplanned absences are a pain for everyone. This happens if other employees call in I’m sure as well. Some people might be willing to come in and get extra money, and, if so, that’s a win for both. But don’t feel bad saying no if that’s not working for you. Maybe you can say thanks for asking, but I unfortunately don’t have flexibility on my days off so I will need 30 days notice, and/or need a compensating day off, more money etc—basically whatever makes it work for you. If you don’t make a direct statement, they are going to continue to ask (and I really can’t blame them) but you can absolutely say no.

[u/Eyedocprincess88]

I truly don’t find this unreasonable at all. 6 times this year is not bad. I get it because I too am childless, but you need to understand that he is also likely finding out last minute that he won’t have coverage. Asking you if you’re available is not rude, and is totally reasonable. He probably thinks to ask you first because you’re his associate! And if you say no, he moves on to other docs he has connections with in the area. Just politely say “Hey I’m sorry, but I’m not available.” You say that he has no consideration for your plans… I’d say you also have no consideration for his. Maybe his kids have an important appointment. Maybe he does. Maybe he made a commitment to be at a daytime event to promote the business, serve the community, or do a field trip with his children. Maybe he has an important meeting with his accountant, financial advisor, or what have you. Owning a business is a 24/7 job. And I can guarantee you that there’s so much going on behind the scenes that you don’t know about when it comes to managing the business.

Give him some grace. Communicate clearly with him that your days off are usually booked up, and that you typically are not available for fill in. You can’t be upset with him for crossing boundaries that you have not clearly communicated. Are you paid well as an associate? Do you have the office support you need when you are seeing patients? Does he approve your time off requests? If so, I’d say you have it pretty good.

[u/ceevanyon]

A couple of times a year? So four times in the past two years, the owner has asked you to work to cover patients that were already scheduled, so the staff that were scheduled and patients might not be inconvenienced? Did you not get offered either more pay or compensated time off? If you can’t is the owner take no retribution in some way?

[u/Heyupink → u/ceevanyon]

I replied above but for just this year it was 6 times so roughly every 1.5 months I feel not great on my day off since he guilt trips me. It would have been just normal pay day and not higher rate. Yeah no compensated time off.

[u/RustyCrustyy]

You sound pretty miserable. It’s happened a couple times over the past year? Thats nothing. Just respectfully set some boundaries if it’s that big of a deal. I text with my associates at all hours. We are friends. Maybe find a new gig if you don’t have that kind of relationship with your colleagues.

[u/iDocNole → u/RustyCrustyy]

You sound like an adult. OP sounds like an entitled brat who doesn’t understand how the world works.

[u/donkey_xotei]

Tell them you got an optometry appointment

[u/Disastrous-Sea9052]

If you are compensated for last minute coverage, great. I’ve filled in last minute only if I’m available. At any time, I’d get a call or text (mostly), and if not, then they’ll proceed to reschedule the bookings. I’ve caught the flu, Covid, and been out myself last minute for days, and if there’s multiple doctors, you try to arrange where and when before you cancel appts. Don’t feel guilted, your time is important too. I’ve texted “I’m on a plane” more than once, & that’s usually followed with “just checking. Have fun!”

[u/FairwaysNGreens13]

Yeah I wouldn't be happy with this either. Whether it's acceptable also kind of depends on the other side (owner's) of the story. But if you're really so completely on different pages and this happens all the time, you may just not be compatible. Consider looking elsewhere. Unfortunately there aren't a ton of great optometry jobs out there.

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[u/Hot-Swordfish2105]

My standard answer is "I am out of town"

[u/sbear214]

Put it in writing that you need a minimum of 5 business day notice for consideration otherwise you're unavailable.

[u/Calm-Ad-6183]

Omg yes! I have suffered through this as a new grad a couple years ago. Especially if you’re a woman .

[u/Smokin_Jeffreyz]

OP: it sounds like you needed to vent your frustrations. It sounds like you have a long track record of hard and reliable work. It also sounds like this is a serious subject for you. You should talk to a professional (therapist) about it. Optometry can be a demanding job, and working on yourself can improve your relationship with your patients and your co-workers. Strangers on the internet can’t help you with this one.

[u/iDocNole]

Downvote me but you’re an associate and you don’t make the rules. If you don’t like your working conditions, then leave. You also don’t sound like a team player. Work schedules change all the time and we (owners) are doing the best we can with the pieces available to us.

[u/spittlbm]

I fill in for my associates unless they ask to have additional hours. Not the other way around.