Intern-al Conflict

(Just a couple months into starting a new position at a new company, my boss cuts half my staff without telling me.)

Boss: “I know you’re essentially the entire department right now, but we’re going to set up some interns for this summer and fall.”

Me: “Well, that’s something, at least. I’ll need someone who can take the station vehicle to go cover events.”

Boss: “Can’t do it. We can’t put them on our insurance, and I won’t pay their gas money.”

Me: “Okay… then I’ll use them to fill in on-air for when me or [coworker] is out.”

Boss: “Nope. No interns on air. Full time employees only.”

Me: “Um… well, since you got rid of my night news guy, then I’ll just have them post stories on the website overnight so we can have fresh content in the morning.”

Boss: “Nope. Interns can only work until 4:30. No later.”

Me: “So you cut my entire staff, and you’re going to replace them with interns that can’t do a single thing that the former employees did?”

Boss: “Yeah… what’s the problem?”

Me: “Just… never mind. I don’t need any interns then.”

(I come back from vacation to find out that I now have to ‘manage’ two interns that cannot do anything I need them to do.)