I’m a caseworker for DCFS. My job is to work with families once their kids have been removed. I help them get services so they can get their kids back. It’s a very overwhelming and difficult job but I was passionate to help kids and help parents. Been here a year. Worked my butt off and I’m good at what I do. I have loads of letters and text from clients talking about how I actually care and am making a difference in their life.
1 year after working all employees are eligible to Telework. I waited my year. I made sure my supervisor knew this was something I plan to do. She walks me through the process to telework. I complete the telework training and fill out all the documentation. The day I’m supposed to be officially approved, my supervisor decides to make a bullshit complaint that I don’t know how to manage my time because I often do 5 hours of overtime a week.
I was told multiple times that I’m allowed up to 5 hours of overtime a week without admin permission. I take advantage of it to be good at my job. Had I been told to only use it when absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t of used it. My current caseload is 17 kids. All of them have one parent but many have two parents and step parents. This means I have about 45 clients I am responsible for. I also have to work with foster parents, go to court hearing and do on call. Apparently I was supposed to do all of this on 40 hours a week.
Now I’m being told that I need to work from the office for another 3 months before I can apply to do telework.
This is what broke me. I can tolerate the abuse from clients, the heavy workload and the low pay- but I will absolutely not tolerate this. I put in my notice. I deserve better.