Columnist counsels workers on short tenures and long Covid scheduling disputes

Max Read, writing in The New York Times on Jan. 24, 2026, answered two reader questions about workplace dilemmas: whether leaving a job after a short tenure will look bad, and how to respond when a colleague has long Covid exemptions from evening and on-call shifts. In the first case a reader said they were four months shy of a year into a role with expanding scope, shifting priorities, corrective rather than enabling feedback, and no meaningful escalation path because the manager is in a relationship with the owner and a relative runs H.R.; management’s response was reportedly, "That’s just how it works here." Read told the reader they were justified in wanting to leave, that eight months can be enough for an experienced professional to know a job isn’t right, and advised a succinct, neutral interview explanation such as: "I was brought in to do a specific job, at which I made measurable impact.

Over time, it became clear the organization needs something different than what I was hired to do. I’m looking for a role where I can focus on my strengths and contribute at the level I do best." If pressed, he suggested saying expectations evolved and you prefer a thoughtful move now to avoid burnout.

On the long Covid question, a medical-professional reader described a colleague exempted from post-5 p.m.

Key Topics

Business, Max Read, Long Covid, Human Resources, On-call Shifts, Short Tenure