I just need some points of view that are less bias than people close to me.
So, I got hired at an independent insurance agency back in November. I had been working in insurance for three years. I am licensed. I am not new to the industry. I do understand that, while having an understanding of insurance is helpful when being a new hire, each agency has their own way of doing things. And you owe it upon yourself, and your team, to adapt.
So, I did my best to learn their way. But they basically expected perfection and no one is perfect. So of course I made mistakes. But nothing detrimental. They start every new employee as receptionist. So I pretty much took payments, did reports, made calls to late pays, took care of mail, made coffee, set appointments, that stuff. So the things I did mess up were very minor. But here’s the thing. They made it near impossible to not mess up. I couldn’t even answer the phone, no matter how professional I know I am, it was NEVER enough for them. I couldn’t say things like “I am sorry, but he is not available at the moment” when a client asked for someone who was…not available. Also, I couldn’t say “he’s on the other line“ if a client asked for someone who was on a call. I had to say something like ”he’s in a meeting.” And I always offered to send them to someone who could help them or to the person’s voicemail. I do understand basic phone etiquette, but they would berate me nearly every time I hung up about how I didn’t ”say this or that right.” They listened to EVERY SINGLE call I picked up and nit picked every damn word that came out of my mouth. I was also expected to keep an eye on text messages between other reps in the office and clients. Even if I was juggling 50 other things it was my fault if a text between another rep and a client went unanswered because God forbid I forgot to check them in the middle of the 50 other things I was doing. I got downright chewed out because a client texted my co worker and it went unanswered for an hour.
Then, there was an incident where I was pulling a report for late pays from one of our companies wrong. I didn’t realize I had been doing it wrong. And a couple policies got canceled for non pay. One of the ladies I worked with stormed over to my desk and chewed me a new one. Humiliated me in front of everyone. Mind you, at the time these policies canceled, I wasn’t even a month in the job. I was still very new! It was an honest mistake and it was fixed. Yet, they acted like I burned the place down.
It was like this day in and day out. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. They kept a strict watch on everything I did. I did my best but it was never enough. I never said the right thing, never did the right thing. I apologized every time I made a mistake. I didn’t argue or back talk (except for once when I got berated for making that report mistake a month in.) I kept to myself, but I was friendly. I just kept quiet, did my job, and went home.
At the very beginning of January I got sick with Covid. They told me to stay out for a week before coming back. Which I did. Before I came back I checked with them to make sure it was okay. Getting the green light, I come back to work, and the minute I walk in I noticed my desk was completely cleared, all my belongings packed up in boxes. I just stood there in shock. My boss comes out of his office, obviously seeing the confusion on my face, and has me go back to his office so we could ”talk.”
He said he was sorry but they were letting me go because of some “negativity” and some “personality conflicts.” Now, granted I live in an at will state, and they can legally do this. Especially considering I was only two months in. But the last conversation I had with my higher ups was that I was doing well, and they appreciated all my hard work. Yet, I am out a week (which again, they told me to do) and I come back to being fired for my personality? My personality is fine. It was your team! They are bullies! I did make sure to tell him that, maybe instead of being criticized non-stop, some positive feedback would have been nice once and awhile. That my “negativity” stemmed from shutting down after being berated literally all day long and never being able to do anything right. He said he would “talk to them about it.” That “maybe that’s why we keep having issues with this position.” (I wasn’t the first person they had fired in my position in the last year.)
Then I noticed this: The first week I was unemployed was also a pay week. I noticed they didn’t pay me what they had promised me weeks prior. I was told that, even though I was still in the probationary period and wasn’t due to get paid for the holidays, they felt bad that I was hired at the biggest holiday season of the year. My boss told me I would be paid for Christmas Eve and day as well as New Year’s Day. Well, they paid me for Christmas Eve and day. But not New Year’s Day. I wasn’t surprised though. But seriously? How awful can you be? You promise someone a full week’s pay, but only pay them 4 days, knowing good and damn well you are about to fire them and they will especially need that money now.
Also, they not once pulled me aside and mentioned this ”negativity” and tried to get my side, or work with me. Just one minute I am doing well and they appreciate me, then I am gone, come back and I am fired…
Anyway, like I said. I just want some outside opinions. Because no part of me feels this was right at all. And I am not one to wish ill upon others, but I hope they get theirs.