Thursday, September 17, 2009

Opinions requested

Here's the deal. I have to have some outpatient surgery next week (no big deal, nothing scary, just annoying) and I have a question about an email response I got from work.

As you all know, from my endless whining, I am less than thrilled with the treatment of employees at my current (second) job.

On Monday, when I scheduled the surgery, I thought the proper thing to do would be to let my supervisor know that I would be out for a day, possibly two, for an outpatient procedure. I was very polite, and my thinking was, that since they had a week and a half notice, they could shift work around to others wanting to pick up a little extra. (versus just calling in sick on the day of the procedure)

So, this morning I get the following email (the ONLY thing I changed was my name) :

OHN, re next weeks surgery, you dont have any vac time yet, therefore please plan on making up the anticipated missed hours (for that thurs) before that day. Do it as an extra 2 1/2 hours on that tues and wed.

Firstly...HUH? For a facility that is supposed to be accurate with grammar, punctuation, sentence structure etc, the way it was written, makes me think it was done as a text message, written by a 13 year old.

Secondly...HUH? I didn't tell her I was taking a vacation. I made it clear it was a medical procedure. My question to you is, since I have been self employed for so many years and am unaware of current labor rules, etc, are they allowed to A) make me use vacation time for a medical procedure (assuming I had vacation time available).. and.. B)tell me I need to work past my normal hours as a part-timer with no benefits?

They have no idea what my responsibilities are before I clock in or after I clock out.

Honestly, if these people were a little bit more employee friendly, I wouldn't hesitate to do whatever was expected, but their attitude (and this email is just the tip of the nastiness iceberg) really ticks me off.

If you think I am off base, please feel free to tell me. Maybe being self-employed for so many years as made my brain mushy and I am just not getting this whole 'we are wayy more important than you and you will be our slave' mentality.

On another note....this is a conversation I had with S2 this morning:

S2: Hi mom.

ME: Hi honey, what's up?

S2: Nothing. I am just sitting in my psych class. It doesn't start for 8 more minutes. It's really weird though, nobody else is here.

ME: That is a little strange. You told me that the flu was going around there, did they cancel class maybe?

S2: Oh. Shit. I forgot the professor canceled class for today..he told us on Tuesday he wouldn't be here.

ME: (Laughing). How long would you have sat there before remembering that?

S2: Shut up.

I know my S2. Believe me, he would still be sitting there :)

Go ahead and tell me what you think about my work....the job that I am sooo close to telling them to cram.

8 comments:

Rob, Tina and the boys said...

I asked Rob about it. His advice is "tell her to move to Canada, there isn't an employer up here that would say that". As for the rest, I think it sucks but I'm not sure about your labor laws there. Seriously, you should just move here. Think of the fun we could have!

Unknown said...

I believe an employer can use vacation time for any absence, no matter the cause if they are to continue pay. Most part time hourly jobs would just not pay the missed hours rather than give the opportunity to make them up and preserve pay.

Good luck with the surgery!

Prince Naveen said...

I just thought of something. Are you getting a boob job? Ahahaha.

Yo-yo Mama said...

Do you have a contract with them? Review their policies on paid time off. Some call any time off "vacation" regardless of why. So unless you are allocated "vacation" days as opposed to "sick days", it's all the same to them.

As for making you make up the time: are you salary or a required # of cases completed? Then yes, you do have to make up the time before the end of the pay period, which in your case sounds like it's the end of that week. You could opt to go w/o pay and not make up that time.

preppyplayer said...

Wow, I have no idea. I do think that you should begin a job search asap it isn't healthy to work at a job that you don't like and in a stressful environment.
Is it a boob job? cuz I don't think that is a vacation either... :)

OHN said...

Thanks all~~~I think I am going to have to read the booklet that came with my new hire paperwork.

DD~They are not giving me the option to opt out of the work and have no pay. They are telling me to make it up...and I am assuming there is an "or else" at the end of that..not sure though.

I talked to the girls that work for ME, and they told me that many many many transcription companies pull stunts to alter work production and it usually costs them staffing with a very high turnover of employees. Guess that is why my girls have stayed with me 10+ years....I don't play games.

OHN said...

Boob job??? Shame on you ;) If I went for anything it would be the face lift to get all my chins higher!!

Anonymous said...

Just catching up, so I know you've already quit, but OMG, indentured servitude is not what you had in mind when you signed on - tell them to go BLEEP themselves please.