Q: My co-workers and I are in a very awkward situation. We work at a small company where the owner is the most abusive man we have ever met. I work directly for him, so I get it the worst. He picks on me and searches for things to scream about. We can see his anger build in his body language, and it's scary. He often brings me to tears, but then says something strange: "Why are you crying? We love you to bits here. Hug it out." Then he proceeds to hug me.

I have worked here for a little more than a year, and I have taken on more and more responsibility. I am the only one who can open and close the office, which means I must come in at 7 a.m. and don't leave until 7:30 p.m. These hours don't leave time to look for another job. I now get sick to my stomach when I come in, and the immense stress is affecting my health. Since I have been here, three co-workers have either quit or been fired. I am lost right now and feel stuck.

A: The hardest fact to face is that an emotionally abusive person can't change. The anger is chemical, hormonal, genetic, upbringing and likely a combination of all those factors. The owner's ability to switch from ranting and raving to hugging is who he is, and his personality is permanent, so here are your choices if you like the job, the work experience and the salary:

Stop your crying, become an observer, and tolerate him as you would a child in a temper tantrum, knowing you are not part of it.

Leave the room when he begins his tirade, calmly explaining you will return when he is done.

Or when he is not angry, tell him if he wants you to remain a valuable employee, you will no longer tolerate his verbal abuse. Unfortunately, none of your choices will lead to the happy environment you would like. For that, you will have to email your resume to as many jobs as you can, and call in sick when you get an interview.

WHEN TWO PART-TIME JOBS CONFLICT, EMPLOYEE MUST CHOOSE

Q: I have two part-time jobs and expect a potential schedule conflict when special meetings occur outside my regular hours. I don't want my first part-time job to know about my second part-time job. What do I need to tell my boss at the first job?

A: Few people can support themselves on part-time jobs, so many are in the same situation as you. You shouldn't need to keep your second job secret from the first job. As long as you are not in sales and working for a competitor, any boss should be smart enough to know a person has to make additional income elsewhere. Hence, conflicting hours are bound to happen occasionally.

Prioritize your jobs according to salary, job security, schedule flexibility and the work itself. Once you clearly know which job you value most, when a schedule conflict happens, explain that you can't attend the meeting because of a conflict. No part-time job should demand your full-time availability. If it does, you need to find another part-time to replace that one, or focus on finding a full-time job so you can direct your energy into one company. Any reasonable boss will understand the conflicting hours, and the emphasis in on "reasonable." Knowing your bosses at each company should help you decide which job is better for you.

Email your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at LindseyNovak@yahoo.com and follow her on Twitter @I_truly_care. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Website at www.creators.com.