I’m in week three of working 2-days a week in the office, 3-days a week remote.
Yesterday I was prepping my calendar and realized there is a week in June between when my kids’ school ends and summer camp begins. I had asked if I can work remotely five days instead of three for that one week 82 days in the future.
They said no.
I could use PTO though, except I only get 10-days of PTO a year. 2 days in June is literally 20% of my annual vacation time.
I’m feeling pretty shitty about this, but figured I’m new… they don’t know me yet… I have to prove myself to them. But then I talked with my office mate who has worked for them for 23 years.
After 23 years of working for this company this person got denied a work from home day when she was feeling poorly last week. She made it very clear that she wanted to work… and had a lot of work to do… but it was a need to be close to her toilet type of situation. She’s a hybrid employee like me and she needed a little flexibility. Denied.
Only 5-weeks parental leave.
Accrue only 10 days a year for five years.
No flexibility for some workers when others get full remote.
They deny what I considered to be a reasonable accommodation for a one-off situation and I got the feeling it was because they didn’t think I would be working if my kids were home. First of all – false. I’ve been doing it for three years and it has aged me ten. Second of all – rude! Since when did raising children make me untrustworthy?
And of course they keep taking about how it’s like a family.
I got bamboozled. At least I figured it out in week 3. It’s a two way street and only one of us is fulfilling our end of the bargain. I’ve already made an impact to their Boomer way and they seem to like me and my work.
I’m going to take the weekend to think about it. It’s going to suck to try to find a new job again, but I have three freelance jobs already. I would just need one more.
Unfortunately my husbands salary as a teacher is not enough for our family to survive on.