So, I've had a bit of a frustrating experience with San Diego's government…
I applied to be a temporary contact tracer for COVID-19 back in December. A few weeks later I got a call from a worker who interviewed me for the position and days later, I received an offer letter in an email with my hourly, formal job description, and additional documentation that was needed for a background check. I completed the documents in the 24 hour time frame that was given and was told that the background check would take at least three weeks. This was all right before Christmas, so I wasn't stressed since it meant I would have more time to go home and see my family.
Fast forward to the middle of January and I still had not heard any updates regarding the position. Reached out a few times and was told there was delays in the background check department. Then suddenly I receive an email from the orientation leader who informs me of the date/time of the onboarding orientation and what documents I needed to bring. I attend orientation, where they make us take the oath of office, watch videos on harassment, and make us fill out and sign a bunch of forms.
At the end, our orientation leader assured us we would be receiving an email the next day or the following week at the latest regarding as to when to pick up our laptops/phones for the position and our training schedules. I didn't receive an email until almost a week later saying that there was a problem with the information I had put down for my direct deposit and I had to spend a lengthy amount of time at the bank trying to sort it out. Once I sorted it out, I notified them and asked “why haven't I received an email yet with the next step? It's been almost a week.” A quick response from their HR team let me know that I had done everything right and once the on-boarding process was completed and my information was entered in the system… they would reach out shortly. HR along with everyone else I had spoken never indicated there would be a change in the position.
Almost a week after that email exchange, I emailed them again saying that I had still yet to receive the email regarding my training. Up until then, they had been responding rather quickly to my emails. This was the first one I had received no response. Then a few hours ago, now two weeks since orientation, I received an email saying:
“Thank you for your interest in working in a temporary role with the County of San Diego. This e-mail serves as notification that the County of San Diego has paused onboarding of temporary staff to work with their TRACE programs.”
No apology, no explanation. Just that.
I reached out already to ask why and how I was going to be paid for orientation (it was paid and damn right I'm going to be taking the money they owe me for putting up with all of that.) I had been struggling to find a job for months when this one fell into my lap pretty much. I feel rather cheated and frustrated to be led on like that only to be told “never-mind actually.”
Any advice is appreciated, I'm going to harass them until they pay me for my time at orientation at least. But… the level of frustration I have felt over this has been enormous.