This Is a Man’s World
My Very Worst Job lasted only a month, but it was a month full of tears, moments of insanity, belittlement and a second month devoted to looking for legal advice. My long term contract at a previous job had come to an end after a year and found myself out of work in the midst of the recession. A little panicky, I took the first job I could as an administrative assistant at a snow plow company in the midst of summer. How hard could it be?
My first day there, they had me sign all the paperwork. One document was a form letter of resignation. I questioned this and was told everyone has one on file and that lots of places were doing this (red flag). Not wanting to rock the boat on my first day and desperately wanting to keep the job, I reluctantly signed the document. There was a large television set up in the office, but I was told we weren’t allowed to turn it on. I was also informed that we were under constant surveillance (there were cameras all over the entire facility), our computer activity was monitored and there was apparently audio surveillance, which I know is definitely illegal in our state. It also came to my understanding over the next few days that our entire lives basically belonged to the company and you could be asked to stay late, come in early or work off the clock with little to no notice, despite any other engagement or obligations you had, like say an urgent vet appointment or a weekly class which was “no problem” during the interview.
There was also a clear gender distinction, as in all the women were office help and the men were the managers or sales reps, who were also given a heightened sense of power. At any time my desk could be rearranged and my papers sorted elsewhere by a sales rep who didn’t think it was clean enough. The main sales rep also liked to micro-manage and hand out snide remarks whenever the opportunity arose:
Him: “Oh, your late.”
Me: “Only by 2 minutes.”
Him: “You’re still late.”
It became pretty clear to both sides that this wasn’t working out and I was actually relieved when they fired me after only a month. You would think it would end there, but it wasn’t so easy. After I reapplied for unemployment insurance again, I got a letter stating that the validity of my claim had been questioned. It turns out that the company submitted the letter of resignation they made me sign as proof they didn’t fire me! Fortunately the unemployment office believed my side of the story and I didn’t have to take further action.
That’s some serious shenanigans right there. I understand the desperation & probably would have done the same thing. But I’m sure I would haven’t lasted as long as you did because I refuse to miss school for work.
Don’t sign anything. My husbands ex wife like to sign and not read…That’s how she fucked herself out of unemployment. Fut she is the dumbest person I have ever met. You didn’t think that’s what they were doing at the beginning? Signing things saying you quit before you start? I guess you are lucky you ever got a check from them.
OP, did you report the company to the appropriate authorities? With the “resignation” letter, surveillance, and working off the clock, there is some seriously hinky-ass shit going on, and, assuming nobody else called them on it, they’re probably still doing that shit.
They probably figure no one will complain or stand up for themselves. They’re right, as most people have no idea what their rights are regarding privacy, work standards etc.
Very true, Frau Blucher. Which is really fucking sad because it’s not like that shit isn’t online where anyone can access it. :/
I had to read through this again thinking “Oh, maybe the OP worked at a place that sold guidance systems for intercontinental ballistic missiles or maybe a pharmaceutical company working on a cure for morbid obesity/impotence/male pattern baldness/pink eye/female baldness etc… which could justify a heightened sense of paranoia among the executives.” Then I came across the last sentence of the first paragraph again.
Snow plows.
This company sold snow plows.
And all I could think of was “Call Mr. Plow, that’s my name, that name again is Mr. Plow!” and wondered if the CEO was paranoid his employees would defect to the Linda Rondstadt endorsed Plow King.
Oh, the owner was super paranoid to the point we had to draw the blinds a certain way when we left so that the slats pointed up. This way no one could “sneak up to the window” and look down into the slats on anything that might be on the desk. They also refused to get pass cards that you could use to beep yourself in because they could be handed off to someone, instead there was a code you had to key in and each door had a diffrent one.
MMMichelle – I did read everything but when someone tells you that you need to sign this if you want the job, how many options do you really have? It’s a live and learn experience and I know for the next time that something like that is a stinking pile of BS.
Rawr – The company is headquartered in the town I grew up in and by this point (15 years or so) my parents have made friends with a lot of the village board officials who have all been made aware of the sneaky shit this place pulls, some of which were not surprised or already aware.
I never realized the snowplow business was so hush-hush. I think the CIA has less security measures than this place.
Is the company still in business?