Month: June 2024

I work for a very large company and recently HR sent out a survey about employee engagement. Survey is branded as completely anonymous, carried by an independent firm. However, the email we got tells us not to forward the link to anyone else and to do it using our company laptop. It goes on to say we should not fill the survey using a link sent by a colleague either. This makes me believe this survey is not anonymous at all and that being honest in this survey can be dangerous, so I decided to not fill it out. But now HR is sending constant reminders to fill out the survey – not sure if they’re sending to everyone or if again they are only sending to those who haven’t – and my manager keeps saying he needs us to fill it out to help with his team indicators. We…

Got ambush-terminated about three weeks ago and have been struggling with all the grieving emotions ever since all while trying to keep my life from falling apart financially. It’s hard to concentrate on finding new opportunities because that entire process is incredibly draining and demoralizing when I’m basically running on an empty mental tank already. Plus, it doesn’t help that I work in the entertainment industry, which is in shambles right now with massive layoffs happening left and right. I feel like nobody ever talks about the awful emotional roller coaster this is. You’re just expected to keep going, with everyone giving the not-at-all reassuring “I’m sure you’ll find something soon,” which just rings so hollow. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep this entire time: stress making me want to do more and depression making me feel like it’s never enough. I guess I’m just looking for some internet…

My job is open from 7:30-6:00, so the employees need to be there for 7:00-6:30~. In addition, everyone had to work every other Saturday from 8:30-noon. That was bad enough, but now the company is opening Sundays from 1:00-4:00, so if you work Saturday you also work Sundays. My problem is only two working in my position are working Sundays; myself and one other. Other employees have said they can't because of family issues. Management just let's it go for them, but when I said I couldn't work this Sunday they threatened to write me up if I don't show up. Ideas for addressing this?

I’m considering starting a podcast, even though I know the market is quite saturated. Currently, I produce a podcast that interviews nonprofits, and through the stories I've heard about the people they help—those struggling to make it day by day—I’m reminded of my own difficult experiences of being underpaid and overworked. This inspired me to create a new podcast focused on interviewing individuals in low-wage jobs. I want to talk to people who work tirelessly for companies that don’t appreciate them, to hear how they are surviving and navigating their lives. The plan is to keep their identities and workplaces anonymous. My goal is to share these stories, to give a voice to those who are struggling, and maybe, just maybe, reach the right ears. Even if it doesn’t, it could serve as a valuable outlet for someone to express their challenges. What do you think of this idea? I…

He works for a company that picks up dog shit from residential properties. He ran his car into the ground working for them. And they gave him a rental until they could get a company car, or he got his fixed. But now they’re trying to charge him $210 a month for insurance on it. It doesn’t seem legal to me. But my brother and the rest of my family seem to think it’s perfectly fine. Do you guys know anything about this? And what should I tell him?

Long story short I work in the news industry in a smallish city. I was contacted by the station in the largest city in my state. I interviewed with them and asked how much they could pay. They offered me $40k. I calmly explained that I made $45k at the moment. I told the interview, “This is a bigger market, this is a more expensive city, and you’re asking me to work a weekend which typically comes with a bump in pay. You’re offering me less and I’d already be taking a pay cut via cost of living. That first digit needs to be at least a 5 or I can’t even consider it.” A week later they called me and said they couldn’t do 50k. I told them to take my name out of the running, but to reach out if their budget changes.

Situation A: Recently, we had a patient who became irate, threatening to fight staff after previously being noted to sexually harass female patients in the facility. On my end of the building, there is a door that should only be able to open through a key card. The door has been finicky on one end, and on the other end, the door opens like a normal door (this is not how it is supposed to operate.) On the day I worked, that door had been propped open due to not opening correctly. This allowed for this patient to approach and essentially corner me, unannounced and angry. My office is in the very back end of the building, where I am mainly alone and it would be difficult to get help if anything went awry. It ended in the patient threatening to fight staff, and the police were called. I spoke…