Unbelievable

Unbelievable.

There are things that are unbelievable (and they are good) and those things that are unbelievable (and they are bad). Well, this is the latter.

My car was acting up a little over the weekend, and leaking some oil and stuff. I needed to take it in and make sure it was nothing serious. I followed procedure, and called my manager to let her know I was having car trouble and I might not be in. I then got lectured about how I really needed to come into work, and I should have worked harder to make arrangements to get here. I should have called someone….family….friends….to come get me and take me to work. It is not anyone else's problem than mine when my car doesn't work. If I have car trouble, it is my responsibility to get it back working and to make arrangements for such.

I didn’t get ready for work, because I was expecting something to be seriously wrong with my car. I was not able to make arrangements with Rebecca, because of how early she goes. I would not have been able to drop off my car and leave it, because the Mechanic’s shop was not open, and neither was their gate. I didn’t have a way to leave a key and let them get it. Therefore, I resolved, that I would just take the car in when they opened and wait on it to get done. I didn’t really know when they opened, but I was calling them ever since about 6:45 this morning. I arrived there just before 8:00, and called Phyllis to let her know what was happening. That is when I got the spill about not “wanting or trying” hard enough to get to work.

Unbelievable!

I really cannot believe I was being told I didn’t try hard enough to get to work….when I was having car trouble!

Graves & Stoddard told me that it was leaking from the rear mail oil seal, and from a couple of other spots. Well, they said I could wait to do it, if I wanted to. I decided that was best, since apparently, Phyllis (my manager) knows what’s best for my car. Apparently, she knows what I need to do.

I drove home, showered, and was back up to work (in North Jackson) a mere hour later than I normally get here. Phyllis proceeded to berate me with questions. She was asking things like, “So, you were just going to sit at the place all day?” I said, “Yes.” She went on, “Why didn’t you call me earlier and see if I could come pick you up or get someone else to pick you up?” I told her that I tried to make arrangements, but none of them panned out with the time frame I would be dropping the car off. She just kept on and on and on about all of this. Is she kidding me? Why didn't I call her to come pick me up? What is that? I mean, why am I going to call her to come do all of that, when she lives way out in Madison, and I would have been in Pearl? That doesn't make sense. I should have just been able to use some personal time....or a whole day, for that matter. We have floating CSR's that do nothing but go where they are needed. She could have gotten someone in my stead.

I don’t usually get mad enough to make my stomach upset, but today, it is. I am actually not hungry at all right now. I usually am by now. (10:45 am).

Right after I got off the phone with Phyllis, I called her manager to speak my mind. I wanted to voice a complaint about how this kind of thing keeps happening to me. It is not my fault that she doesn’t have a back-up CSR, and it is not my fault that I had car trouble. I want her to stop pretending like it is. I wanted to have her supervisor speak to her about it, because it is getting ridiculous! I tried to go over her head right after I got off the phone with her this morning, but I could not get in touch with him.

She has crossed a very large ethical line. She has crossed over into MY ethical boundary, and I don't appreciate it. I mean, why would I have personal time, if I am not allowed to use it? I never get to use it. When I am not feeling well, I call in and she tells me to take some medicine and come on in. I am basically told to suck it up, because it is for the good of the branch. However, when she has a little allergy to something, or is not feeling well, she just goes home for the day. We don't call her back and say that we need her to come back up there.

While on that note, another thing she mentioned last time when I was not feeling well and she was telling me to suck it up was that I ought to be going to the doctor when I am not feeling well. Well, I don't run to the doc every time I have a sore throat, or some excruciating back pain. I have already been to the doctor and they have prescribed stuff for me. There is no need to go pay my copay, just to say I have been to the doc. I mean, what are they going to say, "Yup....looks like you have a sore throat. Go home, get some rest, and take some of the stuff I gave you last time.?"

Anyway, I emailed the head of the Human Resources Department this afternoon. I should be finding out soon how I need to go about filing a complaint against my manager. This should not be happening, and they should have it on file. Even if they don't end up doing anything about Phyllis' antics, it will be on file for a reference.

Well, that is all for now. Quite a rant, but totally necessary.