Month: July 2022

So I work for a large hospital system, that’s stands a few states. When I first started with them seven years ago, the bereavement policy was three days off and an extra two days of you had to travel over 500 miles to go to the funeral. When I lost my FIL about six years ago, I had to travel over 500 miles, so I got five days. Well fast forward to March of this year and my MIL passed away. I again had to travel over 500 miles to attend her funeral. When I added bereavement time into my timesheet, my supervisor reviewed it and stated that now you only get three days and no extra time for travel. Apparently they changed the policy but did not inform anyone. I sent a query to HR about this but they never responded.

I'm prone to saying that if I find myself out getting stuff or food on a holiday, already encountered someone who moved here recently who wasn't aware of their rights. As someone who endured significant violations of various rights under our laws I try to do my part to advise people so they don't have to needlessly experience any of it – especially when stuck working on a holiday.

My ex employer is a software development company with several teams in other countries. When the war started in a country where one of these teams was, first they were supportive. But then the paycheck time came and they wanted to pay only 70% of the monthly salary to the team members, because they weren't able to work 100% of time and deliver as much as usually. I think they did end up paying 100%, but even the fact of this conversation happening I find shocking. They have employees from that country inside and outside (as an out-staffing) and many of my ex-colleagues had to temporary relocate to safer areas of the country. They had to interrupt meetings and go hide in a basement when an attack from air was announced. Not to mention they were constantly stressed, prices for everything went skyrocketed (taxi for example went 3x up), transport…

I’m American born and raised but now I work for the Dutch government in a Dutch workplace. In the Netherlands, the union negotiates a contract for everyone in the field. So even if you are not a union member, you still have a union contract. Long story short, I quit my job and my employer immediately started trying to screw me out of about €400 in my last paycheck. He made it seem like I was an idiot and didn’t know anything about the law or my contract. Basically laughed in my face when I told him he was violating my contract terms. It made me really wonder if I knew my stuff. So I went to the Twitter of my union and asked the question there. They basically said “lol no he can’t do that. Tell him to fuck off and if he doesn’t feel free to message us…

Your employment comes with an agreement between you and your employer that for a livable wage, you are expected to be able to perform the most basic of job functions. If you can't do that, then your pay should reflect accordingly.