(Reposting as my previous post was locked due to including screenshots of conversation- I’m sorry!!!)
Hello! I apologize in advance if there is any important rule I am missing and for the slurry of texts (I'm in bit of a tizzy). To keep things as brief as possible: I'm currently working a contract position. I was told I was beginning with 80 hours PTO and would accrue; however, that they were also
“flexible” with PTO (no clue what that means/meant, but just providing context). No information was given to me at that time about the accrual rate. Just that I would accrue. This was later confirmed when going through my onboarding materials (which l've had trouble accessing since signing them since they're in an online portal of sorts).
I reached out to my recruiter and payroll (as they were the only sources of contacts I had) multiple times trying to get clarification on how much time I have and if there was a way to check. I was ignored every time. Therefore, after googling a bunch of what to and talking with coworkers and friends, they recommended putting in for vacation time as the contracting agency should not approve it.
Therefore, that's what I did! However, I was contacted today by someone from the contracting agency regarding my PTO usage. They have not said whether I need to pay it back, but l'm assuming that is what they're going to do. Is there any thing I can do? I don't mind paying some of it back, but I am very concerned that they are going to try to make me pay back more than they “should” (ie say I never had 80 hours of PTO, or ANY PTO at all). I'm waiting for the message from payroll, and l'm extremely anxious. I can't find any documentation I have that shows I had 80 hours. I'm also so confused because just in my text conversation, i… person from the contracting agency contradicts and backtracks on my PTO; one moment claiming I only had 40 hours and can't accrue, another moment claiming I have the potential to accrue up to 80 hours, and so on. I'm at a lost. l've been good about setting money aside, so it shouldn't wipe my bank account, but it will hurt it. I guess l'm just frustrated too at how they ignored and ignored my requests to know how much I have… I wouldn't put in for time they're saying I didn't have if there was any way for me to know how much time I had….This paired with this conversation, it feels like they simply may have no clue.
For additional context: this is in North Carolina (triangle area) and every coworker I've spoken to who works at our site through this agency has been told a different thing about their PTO (with one of them being told the same thing as me: start with 80 and accrue).
I've felt very naive/taken advantage of since starting with this job. I have other opportunities lined up as well as a couple of interviews for positions to start in January, so part of me just doesn't even want to continue working with them. I've only stayed this long so as to not hurt my supervisor and coworkers as they are short staffed, but I really want to part ways with this agency ASAP.
Sorry for the tangent! (ad) I'm 24, away from all family and friends for the first time (moved to NC from up north), and working Fulltime while in graduate school, so l'm just anxious and really looking forward to any insight or feedback.