Wouldn't This Piss You Off? (Job Rant. Long....sorry)

[Maine Mary]

Where I work we get a certain amount of vacation or "Paid-Time-Off" (PTO) days a year. If you don't use them by January you lose them. So needless to say many of us put in for PTO time around Christmas.

I had a day and on half available to me so I wrote in my boss' book a full PTO day for the 23rd and the 1/2 day (w/question marks around it) for the 24rth. The 24rth wasn't a schedualed day off for the company but I figured they might suprise us by letting us have it off; all along planning it (Oh aren't we so nice). They do that shit alot. :eyes: Thus the question marks.

I specifically told my boss that I'd take my 1/2 day some other time if they were going to give it to us off. Well last night at our meeting they announced that the 24rth WOULD be a day off for everyone. When one of the many people who had put down the 24rth asked about changing our PTO day, the district manager said no. Her dumb reason... "You guys got to plan your time off, while everyone else here didn't so now you'll have to live w/it" BTW, normally we are allowed to change our PTO days any other time as long as we give a week's notice.

Figuring I had a pretty good case (I had only put down for 1/2 a day and tentatively at that- the question marks) I asked my boss for his schedual book to show to the district manager.

Now here is the REAL kicker... My name on the 24rth (w/the 1/2 day and question marks) was gone from where I had put it. Instead it was written in at the very bottom of all the names as a full day. That was NOT my hand writting. You could see where I had originally written was in white-out w/another name over it. And where I had a full PTO day written for the 23rd someone had added 1/2 a day to it. The 1/2 part was written in black pen; my handwritten part was in blue. :tinfoilhat:

No wonder why my wimpy boss took off when I asked to see the schedual book! He may have known, but I don't think he did it though. It wasn't his handwritting. Instead it looked EXACTLY like my EVIL district manager's. (Her writting is very loopy-like.)

She's disliked me ever since last spring when someone high up in the Company gave her hell for not letting me have 3 week's unpaid leave in order to serve my time in the Maine Legislature. They knew when they hired me I was a State Rep. and I had already stipulated I would need some time off in late May. But when that time came I went through the proper channels for unpaid leave but was denied. When the Speaker of the House noticed I was missing alot of time from the Legislature, he asked my why and I told him. The NEXT day she sheepishly told me that she had "changed her mind" and that I could have my unpaid leave. I think she thinks I ratted her out. (Well, I did kind-of but only by telling the truth when asked). It WAS kind of funny though, I admit.

ANYWAY back to the PTO thing. I am SO pissed. I fixed it back to the way it was originally written in the book but I doubt it'll help. Sorry bout the rant.

[Cheswick2.0]

1. Do you have a labor board in Maine?

I am sure what they did was illegal. At the least it was unethical. I would turn them in. The labor board will go after them and they will never do that kind of thing again. The person who did it will likely get fired.
WTF is their problem anyway? It is not as if your being off cost them anything. It is all a petty power struggle with those kind of low level managment types. The decision by the district manager was wrong too. I would go right to the labor board with that. Let me see if I have this right? You had tentatively asked for half day on the 24th and now they decided to give it to everyone as a day off and they are forcing you to also use that time as your official time off? No way is that acceptable labor practice.
Here is your chance as a democrat and a legislator to stand up for the rights of people in badly paid crappy jobs all over your state.

[Maine Mary]

4. Beleive it or not, this is one of the better jobs!

I spent 12 years working in shoe factories. You would not beleive some of the crap that went on there. But this is an "at will" State. An employer has a right to fire you for just about any reason. Therefore they have alot of leeway about smaller matters such a this one. And what they did, though I also agree is unethical, I don't beleive would be considered illegal. (Except perhaps the forged schedual book but that'd be hard to prove)

Beleive me, if I thought I'd get anywhere by raising cain, I would. One of the reasons I went into politics was because I've always had a stronger distaste for injustices then most people I know. I've long been perplexed as to how so many just shrug their shoulders about things that are clearly "wrong". Knowing you Cheswick, I'm sure you can relate. :-)

But 6 years in politics has taught me that one is much more effective by picking their battles carefully. I've become a firm beleiver in giving up on some battles in order to win the war. Fighting a losing one on principle alone, while noble, renders one much less effective of a warrior when more important things come along.

So for now I'll just have to be content with ranting on DU. I know rants are annoying, but they DO make you feel better. :-)

[enough]

2. Yes, I would be PISSED

You and the others who were ripped off by this should speak or write to the boss, the manager, and whoever is above them. Politely but firmly explain that this Scrouge-like behavior is taking away all the pleasure of the time off and the holidays. Remind them that this kind of petty shenanigans hurts the company because it makes the employees feel they are being shafted and treated unfairly. This is very destructive of the work environment.

You could also remind them that this is very questionable labor practice, and possibly illegal. I agree with Cheswick (post 1) that it should be taken seriously.


P.S. Mary, it's great that you are a State Rep. That must take a lot of your time. I've always liked the idea of part-time legislators who live in the real world.

[GOPisEvil]

3. You got hosed! I'd be pissed something large!

So, does this mean I have to come "clean the pool" on the 23rd? I'm going to be late then. My time off doesn't start until the 24th. But, I'm free until Jan. 4th, if you want to reschedule. :hug:

It sucks when an employer has you over a barrel like this. They know they can treat you like crap because you have no other real options. I hope it all works out, M!