ASK FATHER: Laziness and accepting a paycheck
From a reader…
Father, if one is lazy on the job and neglects some their duties over a period of, say a couple months, is that person required to make restitution to the company? does the amount of time that you are lazy and still accept pay make a difference here? im thinking 6 hours a week compared to 4o?
One good thing that the post-Conciliar liturgical reform brought to Holy Mass is the inclusion in the Confiteor of sins of omission. We commit sins “opere et omissione“- by action, and by inaction. Some sins of omission are easy to identify and to confess, “Father, I failed to say night prayers on two occasions.”
I remember a one panel cartoon I saw years ago. Two souls are in Hell, up to their necks in fire. One says to the other, “At least your sins were sins of commission!”
In agreeing to a work contract, one pledges a certain amount of effort and time in return for a certain amount of remuneration. Recognizing that not living up to one’s end of the contract can be sinful is a sign of a well-developed conscience. If I promise you five apples in return for you giving me five dollars, and I only give you four apples, I have no right to demand five dollars from you.
It is a matter of justice to give someone what is his due.
With hourly work, we come into some gray areas.
Some folks can be unnecessarily hard on themselves. If they are not working at 100% for the full eight hours of their workday, they feel as if they slacked off. A reasonable employer, on the other hand, understands that workers need time for occasional breaks, or momentary pauses.
If you really believe that you’ve slacked off at work – and you’re confident that your boss is a reasonable person – you might speak to him or her. “Boss, in looking over my timesheet and my list of responsibilities, I see that, in the last couple weeks, I’ve failed to do everything on my list. I’d like to make it up to the company somehow.” If the boss is a reasonable person, he should be impressed with your honesty, and work with you to figure out the best way to move ahead. You will, of course, have brought future attention and scrutiny to yourself.
If the boss is less than reasonable, it might be best to simply put your nose to the grindstone and resolve to work harder from hereon in, perhaps even slowly but surely making up for “lost time”.
One of the things we need to review in a daily examination of conscience involves how we -today – fulfilled or failed in our daily duties. That includes doing good work for a wage. Taking money for work you didn’t do is a kind of theft. Restitution, if possible, is necessary because of justice.
A good confessor should also be able to help keep you honest and on track.
So… GO TO CONFESSION.
Moderation queue is ON.
