Granted, it’s the Today Show and so we shouldn’t expect particularly rigorous analysis of the phenomenon, but there is some evidence of a growing trend of younger workers having (or perhaps suffering) their parents’ involvement in their careers – not merely as a source of wisdom and guidance (which may be just fine) but also as harassers/negotiators for raises with HR or senior management.
Generation Y doesn’t have a great starting position in this economy; it stinks and it stinks worse if you have no job contacts or track record in your field. So perhaps a little unorthodox strategy may be expected. But, guys, gals, dudes, don’t have Mom call your boss and nag her or him for a raise; that’s just brick stupid maurylogic and deserves a 30-minute spot on the Maury Povich show.
It’s sometimes unpleasant to deal with parents in a criminal case. At 18, a young man is a man, period, for criminal justice, barring adult guardianships and to some extent even then. He may be a foolish man, but he’s a man. I want to deal with my client, not with Mom making excuses for why Junior punched that cop, broke into that school storage unit or got caught in her car with weed. That often happens in a law office, and it makes it harder for the attorney to get the job done. Asking Mom to leave the conference room for the confidential and privileged client interview is awkward enough, but Mom or Dad telling Junior that it’s no big deal when I know bloody well it’s a big deal is a hassle.
But at least a young adult criminal defendant isn’t coming to an attorney’s office asking for entrustment of my clients’ affairs; he is asking as a potential client himself for someone to trust and for help in a major problem in his life. A worker who comes into my law office to get a job is daring me to trust him or her with the most precious thing or concept in a law office: the clients’ rights (privacy, liberty, property, information, trust.) If I have to deal with Mom on law firm business because the employee Junior can’t be trusted to take care of law firm as my employee, I want to fire Junior.
No employer of an adult wants to hear from Mom or Dad. Ever. It’s acceptable, though not preferred, if there’s a medical or family emergency. But a adult worker whose Mom calls my office to negotiate wages will probably get fired.