Those of you with whom I'm connected on Facebook may have already seen my posts of late, most especially today.
I had decided back in the fall that once Spring arrived, I would start looking for better work opportunities, since my supervisor is a micromanaging jerk, who spends more time trying to get everyone else to do her work, taking long lunches, and 30 minute+ bathroom breaks than actually getting anything accomplished during business hours. In the past couple of weeks, however, I came to the conclusion that I needed to push that timeline up, because she'd become MORE demanding, and complaining that for example, a significant number of vendors did not have Tax ID numbers in the accounting system, so she would be unable to get 1099s produced in time. Now, I have no idea how she managed to produce 1099s for those same vendors in January 2011 & 2012, but she decided that it was MY FAULT that they weren't done (mind you, at those times I did NOT have access to the accounting system), and that I HAD to get them done ASAP.
Last week I updated my resume and began making submissions (when I was NOT at work, such as in the evenings). She insisted that I work (without additional pay) an 8-10 hour day on Saturday, rather than the partial day to which I'd agreed in December (when, incidentally, she gave me a raise). When I told her that my health would not bear another full day of work, when I'd been working 9 hour days all week already, she got snippy, but told me she expected me to be there. On Friday night, at 6pm, I received a text from her stating that she'd reconsidered her decision and for me to take the weekend off, we could take care of what was supposed to get done on Saturday this week. I thanked her, but frankly, was hugely suspicious of her motives.
This morning, when I arrived, I was fired stating "XYZ has elected to exercise its right as an 'at will' employer to terminate your employment." When I asked for specific reasoning, I was told "We are re-structuring". When I pointed out that I have excellent attendance and worked more than 40 hours without additional compensation, despite the fact that I was, under Federal guidelines, a NON-Exempt salaried employee, she said "I have no response to that". I was allowed to gather my things, and escorted from the building. They did put in writing that they would not contest my unemployment benefits, and I've already filed.
At any rate, I'm not sad, nor am I angry, because in all honesty, I was miserable there, I hated going to work every day, and it was a huge chore to drag myself out of bed every morning. Now I have the time and energy to focus on a more productive job search for a better opportunity.
If you were non-exempt, you can report the additional hours you were required to work, and they SHOULD provide the impetus to your former employer to pay you the overtime. That's the way it works here in Arkansas.
Merlin,
I don't have specific records/dates, because it really was not a big deal until she started demanding that I add a whole extra day, on top of what I was already doing, so I don't know if it would do me any good. Many of them were days when I ate lunch at my desk and she refused to answer the phone, so I HAD to answer it.
What a *****.(Sorry) They say everything happens for a reason, so here is to a job you actually can enjoy!!:)
Here's hoping for the best. I hope something wonderful comes up.
Do you have to keep any kind of timesheets? That would get you what you need. But, even if not, things can happen for the best, whether we're ready or not. I was 48 before I found where I needed to be. I have some crappy days, sometimes, but I have them with people who I really enjoy working with. Keep that lovely smile, and march on, Luv!
Nope, salaried office personnel weren't required to keep timesheets. I do like the construction business, and I'd like to be able to stay in it, but if something better in another industry comes up, I won't turn it down just because it's not construction.
As much as it was a kick in the "family jewels" when both the PP and I got laid off last April it really was the best thing for us. The PP wasn't happy where he was at, and now is working with an amazing group where he is appreciated. I had been hoping to spend time with my infant daughter. I got to spend 7 months with her until I got my new job where I do am really enjoying it and have a great environment.
When we were laid off we called it "Blowing up the enterprise". We would have held on to jobs we didn't like for far too long until for the greater good, it was blown up. We landed in a better place, and so can you.
Best of luck in your search, Raevyncait. What happened to you stinks, but now you can concentrate on your search without distractions. I'm sure you will find something soon, and when you do, it will be way better than your former job!
And this afternoon I have my first interview, with a company that is just over an hour's drive away, however the best part is that the guy doing the interview is driving down to about 20 minutes from my house to meet with me! The position it sounds like will be over in south Dallas (I live almost due west of Scarby, off 35W), which would still be nearly an hour's commute, but it should be less traffic because it's won't involve downtown ANYWHERE. Anyway, positive energies about 2pm would be fabulous!
Keep an eye out for cows...
Best of luck to you!!! I look at long commutes as thinking time. I hope it works out for you.
If you enjoy the job a long commute is worth it. Good luck!! :)
It went FANTASTICALLY well! He wants me to come in on Monday a 11:30 to meet the rest of the team and go to lunch! We talked a bit of money, and he said my range is workable for them, and mentioned incentives as well. We'll know something sometime Monday, I'm guessing.
Huzzah!!! That sounds VERY promising!!!
Yes, a good job is worth a long commute. Huzzah!
Wonderful news! And as DonaCatalina says, a good job is worth the commute. You'll get used to it in no time!
Today I had lunch at the same restaurant where we met yesterday for the interview. The manager on duty came and told me that he had talked with the interviewer in the restroom yesterday and the interviewer said he was VERY VERY pleased with how the interview had gone. That made me so very happy.
And almost made me forget the drama of the crazy lady holding my TXDL hostage (I had it mailed there when I changed my address a few weeks ago thinking that it would get to me faster, and in all honesty, ALL of the people in the office get stuff delivered there regularly), OPENING IT, and calling the sheriff and DPS to try and get fraud charges filed against me for using that as a mailing address (the address on my DL is my HOME address). She was told that since she was able to give them all of the information on the DL, including the audit number which changes every time that they reissue it, she had CLEARLY committed a FEDERAL felony by opening MY mail, and that if she REALLY wanted to pursue fraud charges, she might want to reconsider since I am perfectly entitled to file charges against her.
It is good to things are looking up for you. Best of luck!
Sheesh...that lady is nuts.
Yes DC, she IS nuts. I feel very sorry for the new receptionist. While I was sitting there waiting for crazy to get off the phone with the sheriff, she asked me how long I'd worked there (2.5 yrs) and if I'd liked it. I took the 5th, and then said "Owner and Owner2 were very good to me." and left it at that. I'm so very happy to not have to deal with her anymore!
And the upside is that today is the follow up from Thursday's interview! I would so dearly LOVE to be able to start something new after only a week off!
Today's lunch meeting went swimmingly! I'd previously met with the VP, and today I met the Construction Manager and the Financial Officer. The VP took the FO and me to lunch at La Cima, and we had some good conversation both about the position and plans of the company, and general chitchat, who likes what team, etc.
At one point, we were looking at a drawing of the site, which shows the primary building, and several additional buildings. We were discussing the various phases of what must happen in order for the primary building, and the VP said: "this is a 7-8 month building, so we shouldn't have a problem meeting the opening date at the beginning of October". My response (which was very much an automatic/reflex) was "provided that we don't have an excessively wet spring." He was very impressed and commented to the FO "spoken like a construction person".
A few minutes later we were talking about the roads and he said something about the permanent roads, and stated that they're planning to put in a construction road that will be well away from the permanent ones, I responded with "You really don't want to finish the permanent roads before the major part of the building is done, because you run the risk of the heavy equipment tearing up the roads and then having to go over budget repairing brand new roads." He sat back in his chair, looked at the FO and said "she makes a valid point, she knows what she's talking about, I like that!"
He's told me to expect to hear from him within a week with a formal, written offer.
Fantastic!
Totally awesome!!! Congratulations!!!
Happy Dance!
Yay! ;D
WooHoo!!! Yay ;D
yay!!!
:) :) :)
So the Fresh Start about which I started this thread ended up not panning out, and I've been actively searching for work for the past 4 1/2 months. As it turned out, due to a few things that happened within our household, it's actually been beneficial for me to be home more, and collecting the unemployment that the crazy lady put in writing that she would not contest. It HAS, however, become entirely too much stress to be at home right now, and I'm so very grateful that my search finally came to an end, effective TODAY!
This morning I started an Administrative Assistant position in a different industry, although not totally unrelated to construction. This has been in process for about 3 weeks now, after an hour's work filling out an online application, 2 drives (just under an hour) for interviews, another for the drug testing, and a lot of back and forth phone calls.
The crazy place provided me with a company paid life insurance policy (although I was never given the paperwork to name my own beneficiary, so I'm guessing they got the $ if I died), medical insurance that excluded things like maternity (not something I need anyway) and had a $1500/yr deductible and something like a $million lifetime maximum benefit, and crummy dental that paid about 50% of restorative, for approximately 10% of my salary/weekly.
I now have a nice PPO Medical plan (with no exclusions), $1000 deductible, $2million ANNUAL maximum benefit; Dental that covers 100% preventative, 80% restorative; Vision, Long Term Disability; Short Term Disability; Company paid Life insurance; Supplemental Life Insurance; Cancer Insurance; and a Health Flex Spending account, ALL for 40% LESS than I paid at the Crazy place for so little. We also have a 401K which is matched 50% up to 6% of my salary; Profit Sharing; Credit Union; and 2 weeks of vacation/year (which, by the way, the first 2 weeks are available on your first anniversary date (7/15/14, for me), but after that, they are awarded on January 1st, and CANNOT be carried over, so between 7/15/14 & 12/31/14, I MUST take 2 weeks worth of vacation days. DARN ;)
It is refreshing to work for a company that actually provides the legal breaks (15 minutes twice a day, plus a minimum of 30 minutes for lunch), and pays OT for any time worked over 8 hours a day.
Congratulations and HUZZAH!!!! ;D
Congrats!! :)
Congratulations! I'm glad to hear you landed a job with benefits! :)
Huzzah!
I know it is cheezy to say "Things happen for a reason", but I have found in my life, that is the case. When our world blew up, as bad as it was for us at the time, we are so much happier with the benefits we have, and great work environment. I wish you well in your endeavors.
LS, I absolutely agree. I was miserable at the crazy place, with the crazy troll. I'd already been looking for something else, and in all reality, the 4 month break I had turned out to be beneficial for me and the rest of the household.