On Friday, I just separated from my employer.
I only took 10 years, of what I would consider abuse and exploitation.
It kind of feels good, I'll recount some of my horror stories if Flairbot doesn't flag this post as spam with no means of contesting it.
Work horror stories, they will be in chronological order, or at last to the best of my recollection.
- I was hired on the same date as a colleague of mine. He not only started out making more than me, with no technical certifications and no relevant background education or certifications. We both started as contractors under a three month contract to hire contract. Two months into our contract, my coworker was hired on skipping the last month of the contract while I was made to work the entire time under contract. This meant he qualified for vacation and all other benefits one month before I did. This is despite us starting on the exact same day.
- During one of my first solo on sites, the company was considerate enough to send me out with their worse vans. It was their oldest where the cigarette lighter didn't work so charging my phone was an issue, which was serving as my gps unit. I was leaving my home state for Kansas, and it was at least a five hour drive. Before leaving my home state, my phone was almost dead. In order to keep my phone on, I had to pull over, power on my own personal laptop, then run a usb cable from my laptop to my phone. I eventually got to my destination where I met a colleague. He handed me equipment so I could head to the branch I was destined to ultimately work at for the day. I stayed at the main branch long enough to get my phone charged, then started working towards the other branch. Since this was western Kansas, I had to find somewhere with WiFi so I could get an Internet connection to get maps working. When I did, I started heading towards my destination. I was running late due to things that they could have accounted for, the biggest being the van choice. I was new at the time and was given no warning about the cigarette lighter not working on said van. I got grilled by my supervisor for running late then had various threats thrown my way as a result. Most of this, if not all of this, could have been mitigated if I was given the working van and if they bothered providing GPS units for their traveling techs.
- I went to Kansas to perform an e-mail migration. Working Monday through Thursday working 12 to 13 hour days without a lunch break. On Friday, I was instructed to perform an unrelated task until around 7 to 10 P.M. before I was allowed to head home. This was unscheduled and not part of my on-site. By the time I was allowed to leave, I was instructed I had to get some equipment home the following morning. When I expressed how tired I was, the Project Manager instructed me that I could pull over on the side of the highway to take a nap. Considering the option, I declined and made the drive back home. I made it to the office at around 3:00 A.M. I headed back home arriving back at around 5:00 A.M. Saturday morning. I worked a total of 19 hours with the last 10ish hours being driving back. This was after working at least 40 hours in four days. This wasn't a one time occurrence. The same project manager subjected me to similar schedules at least two additional times. To clarify the home office and my office are 1.5 to 2 hours apart. I worked out of a satellite location.
- During one of my on sites, I was driving from various places in Missouri to two locations in Illinois. Again, this was 12 to 13 hour workdays. On one of the days, possibly Tuesday or Wednesday, I was working at a bank in Illinois until they closed. I was then denied the option to stay at a hotel to get reset. I was instructed to get back to Missouri that night, when I was in no physical condition to make said drive. It was the same Project Manager I referenced above that insisted I pull over for a nap instead of giving the option for a hotel stay.
- During one of my on-sites in Colorado, I worked approximately 12 to 13 hours a day, noticing a trend yet? By the time Friday came, it snowed and I got stuck working at the bank until around noon to one o'clock. At this time I was given the all clear to make a 12 hour drive, by myself. By the time I hit Wakeenee, delirium started to set in. I ended up having to push myself to get home at 12:00 CT at the earliest.
- This one is unique as it doesn’t involve an out of state on-site. This lead up to my on call week, which was the following week. I went on a few local on-sites, one being a network room cleanup. As a result of the on-sites, I ended up working approximately 12 hours a day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. By the time Friday hit, I was suppose to get off at noon to make up for the hours I would be working on Saturday. Getting off at noon did not happen. Saturday came . From the moment I woke up Saturday, to the time I went to bed at 11:00 P.M. or 12:00 A.M. I worked. The same happened Sunday. On Saturday, I worked in the office for a few hours before having to go on an emergency on site. The backup was suppose to assist. He may have answered one call, if he even did that. Ultimately that day, I woke up at 7:00 A.M. and didn’t leave the office until 11:00 P.M. Sunday, the hours were similar. I got stuck finishing up the project that kept me in the office all day Saturday. I called it quits at 10:00, this is despite them wanting me to work another project on top of what I already worked on. I lucked out and was unable to do it due to factors beyond my control. Even if said factors hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have done the task. I had put in close to 20 hours that weekend, after finishing at least 40 hour in four days. On Monday I came into the office to wrap up some work since the client wanted something done slightly different. I came in and my Manager said “You got f**ked” or “screwed” I can't remember his' exact phrasing. That’s when you know it was bad. On Monday and through Wednesday, I continued to work 12+ hour workdays completing projects assigned to me. Work only slowed down Thursday(?) and Friday, likely because they knew I was getting angry. That or I just lucked out. Knowing the company, and how they lack Good Will, I likely lucked out. To add insult to injury, the previous on call person was allowed off her rotation a few hours or a day early due to not getting half of Friday off. I didn’t get such consideration. To make matters worse, I was stuck in the office because of one Project Manager’s project. Said Project Manager offered no help and posted plenty of photos of her at a tailgating party which just rubbed it in.