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    Further, with a request made at a workplace (by, for example, the company owner in a small company) it's usually clear that the time spent babysitting is paid, via one's salary. (Even then, it's still suspect if this task wasn't specified as part of the job duties.) The OP has stated the professor does not pay for the friend's babysitting services. Quite a sense of entitlement on the part of the professor.
    – SWalters
    Commented Dec 12, 2014 at 20:12
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    "And they should feel free to say no". I agree that it's totally unethical to ask, but adhering to this advice may be complicated.
    – Sparhawk
    Commented Dec 13, 2014 at 0:08
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    @Sparhawk: I wasn't clear enough overall. I agree that the postdocs are put in a position where they feel they may have to say yes. That's what makes the situation so unethical.
    – aeismail
    Commented Dec 13, 2014 at 4:57
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    +1 for including practical emergencies at the workplace which will happen once in a while and which are the one situation where I can think of this request as neither weird nor unethical.
    – cbeleites
    Commented Dec 13, 2014 at 19:51
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    @Mark: there's a couple of ways that might become irrelevant. (a) the clause might not be upheld to mean literally anything regardless of JD; (b) even if the clause is upheld it doesn't follow that the prof, who is not the postdocs' employer just their manager, can use their time for personal gain. The organisation that employs them both might have something to say about that. Commented Dec 16, 2014 at 10:41