My office has no heat--should I leave?

[Carson]

I work as an office manager and the owner is renovating the office building. We have absolutely no heat, it's 14 degrees outside and I'd guess it's hovering around 25-30 degrees in here. The door was frozen shut from the inside this morning and it took me 10 minutes to get it open.

My boss, when he saw me shivering at my desk, called me a "wimp". I honestly don't think I can spend 8 hours like this. Should I just leave for the day? Would you, as a boss, hold it against me? Any opinions?

[notadmblnd]

1. I would leave

why didn't the boss have the sense to provice some alternate heat source? What an Idiot.

[Carson]

5. My point exactly.

What kind of idiot does massive renovation in the dead of winter?

[goddess40]

7. a tight wad - you can get good rates in the off season. nt

[blueknight]

2. yes,

tell him its too cold to concentrate on your work, and you dont want to be sick!

[Aiptasia]

3. yes I would hold it against you

if I was an egomaniacal a-hole, which this person appears to be by saying "suck it up."

Tell him he needs to go out and buy a ceramic space heater for just such an emergency or you're going home.

[NYC Liberal]

4. I could never spend 8 hours in that temp.

I would leave, too.

[goddess40]

6. at lunch go out and buy a space heater

if there's no electricity go an buy those chemical heaters that you can put in your shoes and stick to your clothes. Sports and hunting supply places carry them as does Wal-greens.

Otherwise can you do you work from home for a day or two?

[Carson]

9. Thanks. The chemical heaters sound like a good idea. I can't feel my

toes.

As for the paperwork, I could take it home, however, the boss wants me here to answer the phones.

[OhioBlue]

8. You should definitely not stay there for 8 hours if they

cannot provide heat. What kind of office operates in in 25degrees?

[TrogL]

10. Health and safety regulations

If you're working in an office, it needs to be at "room temperature" - 73 degrees F.

[GCP]

12. EXACTLY - OSHA RULES - JUST QUOTE THEM TO THE ASSHAT

You need a union.

[da_chimperor]

17. From what I could find, OSHA has no strict regulations on temperature...

They have a recommended range between 68F - 76F, but it's labeled as a recommendation rather than a regulation. Here's the specific recommendations on air quality:

http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iii/otm_iii_2.html#5

And here's an OSHA interpretation of the recommendations regarding temperature:

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=24602

Personally, I would leave or ask for a coat and hat since you're working in a cold environment. Here's what they recommend for cold environments:

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=10578

Good luck, I hope this helps . . . :shrug:

[Carson]

18. Thanks for your help! n/t

[auntAgonist]

11. Leave

I would NOT stay.

[rug]

13. Considering

he's open on MLK day he's an insensitive pig and will hold it against you.

[RubyDuby in GA]

14. Casually mention calling OSHA about working temps

Say something that you think it's dangerous to be doing certain types of construction work below freezing temperatures and that you're going to call OSHA to make sure it's ok.

But I feel your pain. I work in an office building that is over 100 years old and they turn off all heat/ac over the weekends to save money. It hasn't warmed up to freezing yet and it's bitterly cold in our office. I have a space heater going on my desk and I'm wrapped up in a blanket and I had to take my gloves off to type this. I know of what you speak.......

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

15. Ask him to pick up some space heaters

If he declines, then yes, I would leave

[GalleryGod]

16. YUP.

:argh:

[Inland]

19. I'd outsource your job to warmer third world nation just for thinking it.

But that's me.

[Carson]

22. LOL. My boss is definitely the type to think of something like that. nt

[Bouncy Ball]

20. It's 25-30 degrees IN your office and your boss called you a wimp?

What a turd.

Yes, I'd leave. That's absolutely ridiculous. It'd be one thing if being outdoors in the cold was part of your job, but it's not.

Heck, the air conditioning was running non-stop in my office (I'm the only one in that room) and my boss told me to go home. It was in the high 50s in that room.

[ekhunter]

21. i would leave, or have them buy a bunch of space heaters.

[Carson]

23. The space heater blew the circuits. I'm outta here. Thanks for all the

input. Hopefully my boss won't find someway to pay me back for leaving. He's *that* type.

[RetroLounge]

24. Leave now, just do not come here.

My furnace is broken and I am freezing my arse off...

RL