Mishmeres HaSholom: Ask the Rav

Q: At my work place, I have a secretary who types up documents for my assignments, on a regular basis. She is very often late in finishing the work, and it really works against me. The secretary claims that she is held up by other deadline work, but I noticed that she is sometimes busy with personal matters and — in my opinion — that is why she can’t meet her deadlines.

A: To start with, you must speak directly to the secretary about the delays. Tell her politely that if she doesn’t busy herself with personal issues during work hours she’ll manage to finish her assignments on time. It is possible that the typist will explain herself and convince you that she only occasionally takes care of personal matters, and that even if she’d refrain from doing so, she’d still have difficulty getting the work done promptly. It will then be clear to you that she isn’t to blame. If you donget a convincing argument and the delays in her work continue, then you may discuss the issue with the administration.