Month: September 2023

Apologies if this is the incorrect place to post this, but I am a work-at-home (formerly in-office prior to COVID) call center employee in Southeastern Kentucky and have been with the same company for nearly a decade. My supervisors and managers have always been as good to me as can be expected, but I recently found that the company's policy in regards to all unscheduled breaks being unpaid may be illegal. All my research thus far points to breaks less than 20 minutes in length are to be paid, unscheduled or no. Is this true? Is my company in violation of federal labor law by mandating all unscheduled breaks, regardless of length, be unpaid? I'm afraid of losing my job — and for the most part, it is a pretty decent job, all things considered — but I have a physical disability which requires me to take breaks from the…

After a year away from the corporate world, I’m making my return via the temp agency. I left my old job of $23 hr due to the environment shifting from calm and peaceful to toxic and fast paced. Others were making mistakes and I was getting the blame etc. I have about 8 years experience in data entry/similar type work and a bachelor’s degree. Half the time I was at a law firm the other half I worked at a mortgage firm. I prefer remote work but do not have a laptop at the moment so not sure if that will hinder my results with the agency. I’m a huge introvert so I’m looking for something that will fit that mindset, mundane data entry work even. Between $20-$25 hr and I want to do my job and go home. No tons of meetings, overtime, being on the phone all day…

Long time lurker here posting on a throwaway account. Recently I left working as a restaurant manager to take up a part time job working with my father in athletics. I made good money at my old job and my wife and I were able to save up enough to buy a home we both have masters degrees and up until recently both had jobs paying in the range of $50k per year. I took the job in coaching because I couldn't stand my old job, the place made me miserable and the nepotism and lack of professionalism was driving me insane, while I don't like my current situation I have no regrets about leaving that place. I was originally told that there would be long hours at the start of the season because the private academy I'd be helping coach at would be building a field that would be…

Fired and was requested to pay for the box to send my computer back (30 bucks) with the promise of being refunded. I sent in the recipt and 3 weeks later and HR is not responding to my emails requesting reimbursement. What should I do?

How is that fair? I requested 3 days off a month ago. I got the first two off then I was scheduled on the 3rd day. I told them hey you accidentally scheduled me and the GM told me “find cover or come in, not my problem.” Do I seriously have to go in? I already requested that day off because yesterday was my birthday, and I knew I was gonna get drunk. You only turn twenty one once!! I’m reaaallyy hungover today. GM said I HAVE to come in. Why? It’s not my fault they made the schedule wrong. My time off was approved!! I have evidence of it being approved! Can they legally fire me if I don’t come in today?

I work front desk in a surgery office and my job entails dealing with many personality types. Most of our patients are unwell and are difficult and I understand and sympathize. I've always had stellar customer service skills, but this office has been exceptionally challenging to the point where I'm losing my empathy. Previous coping techniques are no longer working and i find myself tuning out. It seems like I'm constantly being berated and verbally abused. I've developed chronic headaches and a loss of any joy in any other aspects of my life. Anyone out there have any tips on dealing with a torrent of negativity?

I play a supportive role for everyone on my team and I enjoy doing it. I often get praised, acknowledged, raises and bonuses for playing out my role. So much so that they even created a role for me which I express gratitude for continuously. My reputation has always been positive and I've been praised for always working with a smile no matter what. My work period is less than 5 hours so I work extra hard to make sure that time is used wisely. I respect them no less nor dislike them any less for the issues that have become pattern as of late, but am getting treated as difficult for expressing that I have been degraded (intentionally or unintentionally) and shown lack of respect for my time. Other former employees have expressed degrading treatment before eventually leaving as well (we're all minorities). I recently have spoken to one…

This is such a ridiculous post, but if it comes to it I want to know how to respond and follow up with my manager in case they try to let me go. For context, I am an at-will employee in IL at a small software company. I have worked here for 4 years. It’s always been kind of a bizarre environment, we literally got HR this year and the COO is a piece of work. Recently we’ve had several employees resign without notice. Two of them I was pretty good friends with. My one coworker who resigned recently noted workplace harassment, undocumented sexual harassment, and generally a bad work environment. She told me about the email post her leaving the company, the day after. Her being my friend, of course I knew she was unhappy, but we are in different departments. She didn’t let me know about her resignation…

Insane clients that go off on political tirades when what you were talking about isn’t even freaking close to politics. For context, I am a project manager for a lab, so nothing we would talk about would even come close. How do you deal with those nut cases?