In the first week of May, I received a phone call from the job I had applied for, and we agreed verbally on the terms. I also requested them to send me an offer letter, and they said they would do so when I met with HR the following day. However, it turned out that the person I met with was not actually from HR, but rather filling in temporarily due to an HR vacancy. This person worked in the sales department and provided me with information about the benefits. Shockingly, she mentioned that there would be no 401k contribution, no paid time off (PTO) until after one year, and no days off on holidays. As an accountant, this was quite concerning, especially considering that on holidays, there is typically no work due to banks being closed. Moreover, they expected me to handle the company event. The position I applied for is at a well-known wedding venue/restaurant, and I am particularly interested in it because I want to gain experience in the restaurant industry since I aspire to open my own restaurant someday.
Given the unexpected benefits information, I told them I would get back to them. Earlier this week, I decided to call “HR” or the temporary HR representative again to clarify the benefits, and she provided a completely different response. Now, she informed me that there are six paid holidays, one week of PTO after 90 days, and 401k contribution after 90 days. This sudden change in benefits was quite surprising. I expressed my gratitude and asked for her email so that I could document our conversation. She provided me with her email, and I sent her a message, but I haven't received a response yet. This is concerning because my start date is on Monday.
Today, I called the temporary HR representative once again, and she seemed somewhat dismissive, mentioning that as an hourly employee, they don't typically send offer letters. She also hinted at the possibility of an HR vacancy, which aligns with the job posting I found on Indeed for an open HR role. She was a bit rude and implied that I was asking too many questions. I had to explain to her that I have another job offer and need to compare the benefits. I also mentioned that I am likely to choose this job because of my interest in the restaurant industry and the significantly shorter commute.
In summary, it seems that all these issues may indeed be a result of the absence of an HR person.