Month: September 2024

Started a new job last week as a Special Needs Paraeducator at a high school in California. On the second day of the school year, the student I was assigned to 1:1 had multiple violent outbursts, including several punches to the side of my head and culminating with a head-butt to my temple. I was diagnosed with a concussion the next day by the school district's Work Comp medical provider. Their doctor prescribed “Cognitive Rest” through at least September 6 so that my traumatic brain injury could heal properly, meaning I was medically restricted from working until at least then. I was informed by the District today that, because I had been employed by the District for less than a full year they would not only not be paying me absolutely anything for the time I am medically unable to work, but also that I would only be able to…

My fiancé works for Kelly services and is currently working at a target distribution center. Where they were working previously they were making roughly 22 an hour doing packing and the temp service was taking 2 dollars per hours from that that making their pay 20. I was like okay there are things in Oregon that require you to pay into certain things but they would have to clearly tell you about these types of leave plans/laws in place. Recently they moved over to a position that makes 25 an hour and they are telling me that Kelly services is now taking 5 dollar and hour out of that still making it 20 dollars an hour. PLEASE help me understand this bullshit sounding scheme.

I lead a large statewide team and since the pandemic we have been successfully working a 3/2 work schedule, 3 days in the office and 2 days telecommute. The policy recently changed to a 4/1 schedule without any discussion or reason given. In defense of my team who has the highest employee engagement results in the company, has not missed a performance measure, and has a 94% customer satisfaction average, I attempted to lay out a justification for my team to remain in a 3/2 schedule. I was concerned about morale and attrition. I was told to get my team in compliance and that my failure to do so was insubordinate. I complied but I’m struggling to get over it and it’s too soon to know the repercussions to morale or attrition. Do I care too much?

We recently had our internal Q2 earnings call, hosted in part by our CFO. During the usual screed detailing the money saved by various cost-cutting measures (which, in this quarter alone, included laying off over 1,000 people and slashing benefits like tuition assistance), the CFO made it a point of pride to mention: “Pensions were favorable due to factors like mortality. We're hoping and expecting this trend to continue into Q3.” 'Favorable,' in earnings speak, of course means that the company spent less than was budgeted on a certain area, which of course results in their saving money. The company was bragging that, thanks to employees dying (how considerate to our bottom line!) after dedicating enough of their lives to have earned a pension in the first place, we saved a little bit of money that can now be deposited directly into shareholders' pockets. The CEO wrapped up said call…

It sort of makes the “manged” sound like cattle.

A coworker of ours did not show up to work one day. Then almost at end of the work day, HR called us into a meeting, to let us know he had unexpectedly died that morning. It's shaken a lot of people. I personally did not know him well, but those of my work friends who did broke down sobbing. It was tragic, startling news for the whole team. The way the company handled it just exemplifies how little these orgs actually care. What I noticed here: HR learned that very morning, but waited almost until end of day to tell us. Then said “if you need to take the rest of the day off, you can”. When everyone would go home soon anyway. They let us have about a minute in the actual meeting to process the news, and just sent everyone back to their desks. Everyone was expected…

So my boss likes to order on a few occasions pizza for the whole team on Fridays and I would actually eat it once in a while but usually I always have my own lunch. My boss always makes remarks about how im boring for not eating pizza with them, a coworker would sometimes point this out too. And it happens EVERY SINGLE TIME. Like guys I get it, you guys are so obsessed with the fact that I’m not eating pizza with you guys and can you blame me?! I had to watch the boss who has a beer belly eat pizza 2 weeks in a row, like eventually I get grossed out ALSO last year one guy only ate one slice and the boss and someone else made jokes about him for only taking one slice and they asked if he was okay and he said he was…