Author: Olivia

Weird title, sorry. This is a vent/discussion post, and I am hoping I could also get some input from other people in this field. So I am a police dispatcher for a small police department, when I first started I asked my trainer about lunch places I could easily get to during lunch break and she told me that we don't get breaks or lunches. Keep in mind our schedule is a mix of eight-hour and 12-hour shifts. I gawked and said “isn't that illegal?”, to which she said, “Those rules don't apply to first responders or other people in the public safety business.” This shocks me, you would think we would be the people you want to be at their best, right? Now, I work thirds, I get time to eat, but it would be nice to mentally check out for even 15 minutes but I can't, I always…

I got a new job a couple months ago after staying at my old one for way, way too long. I was the only one who knew about tons of our IT infrastructure, and I anticipated that I was going to get tons of texts and phone calls from former coworkers. So on my way out I set up a formal contracting agreement to handle these questions. My hourly rate is roughly 3x my former salary rate and I bill in 15 minute intervals, always rounded up. I found out recently through former coworkers that my old boss is really pissed off about this. I'm the first person who's left the company who hasn't just provided this sort of help for free indefinitely, and he feels like I'm “extorting” them by charging for occasional 20 minute phone calls over my lunch break. He thinks my rate is outrageously high -…

This is in EU, I am part of the 2 million cross-border workforce that reside in one country, works in another. As if being screwed over from homeoffice wouldn't be enough, I have to constantly deal with requests and issues with our HR, that are for the most part, completely clueless when taken out of their element. Last year, I was sick and had to take sick-leave, probably first time in the last 5 years. I know my rights and I have a general practitioner in my country of residence covered in full, meaning that the paperwork etc. I receive is in a different language/system than those of the country I work and am primarily insured at, but it works. The second I knew I was sick I informed my boss and HR, submitting the paperwork I got from the Dr, specifically asking if its ok and if they need…