Need some work advice..........

LauraMax

LauraMax

Cathlete
Kind of becoming a trend, huh? :(

I finally broke down & saw an attny last week. Oddly enough, he was much more interested in my stories about the unhygienic restroom than the job disparities........in any case, he was pretty much flabbergasted by everything I had to tell him, from the bathrooms to the mayor who's all hands to the babysitting to my boss taking credit for my work. He gave me 3 options:

1) status quo--sit back, do nothing, in the event I get fired we slam them
2) Give him a $5,000 retainer to be my advocate in an effort to either improve working conditions or work out some kind of separation agreement where they'd give me a lump sum settlement & not fight unemployment bennies
3) file a gender discrimination suit on contingency

Now, #2 is most appealing to me, except that I don't have that kind of money just lying around. A separation agreement would be ideal--anything to get me out of this hellish nightmare. If I could take the next year off, get my PT cert & try to build my own consulting business I think I might be able to head off the inevitable ulcer & still keep my pension.

#3 scares the hell outta me. It might be the most effective route, but ironically enough it would be a suit against my boss, while my job by definition is to make his life easier. And if I thought working conditions were bad now, I can't even imagine what they'd be after he got served. Plus it's just not me.

#1, I dunno, I'm not sure how much longer I can wake up every morning in tears b/c I have to come into this place.

What would you do if it were you?
 
Laura, can I ask why you won't look for another job? Just curious.

I'd opt for #2, but I understand how you just don't have $5k laying around. Would be nice, wouldn't it?
 
see more than one attorney

Shop around. Ask for second and third opinion.

If you had the money, I would say go for #2 but since you don't go for #3 because there is no sense in making yourself miserable (I know I just got out of a job less than two years ago and am transitioning into a different field.)

If you really can't see your way to do either #2 or #3 I suggest looking for a different job. You don't deserve to feel that bad every morning you go to work. I'm so sorry you are dealing with this garbage, but there is always a way out its just not always obvious.
 
Fitnessfreakk366 said:
Laura, can I ask why you won't look for another job? Just curious.

I'd opt for #2, but I understand how you just don't have $5k laying around. Would be nice, wouldn't it?
Click to expand...

I'm wondering this too. If it's that horrible, why not find something else and work on your PT certificate.

Otherwise, I'd opt for #2 but only for the separation agreement. I wouldn't stay there under any circumstances.
 
I'd go for option #3 if you have good evidence. I filed a discrimination case against an employer before and was afraid of how I'd be treated except what I learned quickly is that anything they do from point of being served that in any way treats you unfairly only strengthens your case so you'd be surprised at how well you are treated from that point...if they know whats good for them. In the meantime, search for another job. Sorry honey. You can always PM me if you want.
 
UGH I've been job hunting for about 4 years now. The problem is I'm in a highly specialized field--there is only one of me in every local government. So basically I need to wait for someone to die, retire or move on themselves for an opening to come up. That's if I want to stay within a commutable distance of my home. My other option is to broaden my search to the entire state, in which case I'd have to relocate. It's a truly sucky option--I just bought my house a year ago--a mistake in hindsight but I really love the place & it'd break my heart to have to sell it & move. Especially in this market--I don't even know if I'd be able to get back what I've spent on it. :(

I've even looked at switching fields, but I've got more than a decade of experience in my current field so I have absolutely no qualifications to do anything else.

My friends tell me to go with my gut. My gut is in knots. What is it trying to tell me? :confused:
 
So you work for the government?

I was going to suggest finding another career path, but you answered that.

I guess my only advice is to do what YOU believe is the right thing to do. I know, not much help.

I really wish I knew more about the environment you worked in and what you are dealing with. It sounds horrible.
 
I know $5,000.00 is not that easy to come by. I would say get a second opinion. If you really like the first guy and really want to pursue option #2, then I say call him up and negotiate with him. Ask him if he will take $2,500.00 now and the rest at a later date or maybe in $1,000.00 increments, something that is more manageable for you. I know $5,000.00 is $5,000.00 no matter how you look at it but maybe in payments you will be able to do it.
 
Laura,
Have you thought of hiring a hitman for your boss? It might be even less than $5,000 ;)

Laura
 
Even if you are in a specialized field, can you let us know to see if we can come up with anything that might just be a close parallel or evaluate your skill sets to come up with ideas that may be close enough?

It seems like such a drag for you - I am remembering all your posts and have always felt bad for you. Government positions can be really good but usually very political and really not what most of us would think they are. BTDT and so has DH.

Keep us posted.
 
Ugh...how all-around dreadful.

I don't know very much about your situation, but it sounds like a pretty brutal set of circumstances. Clearly, you've got to get out of there. Equally clearly, there will be consequences for you no matter what you choose to do. It's hard to see how to maximize your likelihood of good outcomes while minimizing the negative impact on you.

I'm assuming there's no infrastructure or organization within your office that could help you sort things out well enough that you could hang in there for a while and give yourself more time to look at other employment options? I guess I'm thinking of an ombudsman or HR representative or something? I hate that when women are marginalized in the office (or anywhere!) we have to choose between sucking it up or risking EVERYTHING to try and fix it. WHY is there no middle ground?? Grrrrrrr...

What happens if you pay the retainer, and attorney hits them with your complaint, and they actually agree to comply and say they'll improve the conditions? Is that a possibility? Obviously it would be best if they negotiated a severance package that got you away from them and gave you a little breathing room, but if there are other, lamer alternatives (like the one I just mentioned) it might not be worth risking the 5K.

Lisa
 
Laura,

5K retainer doesn't go very far when you are dealing with attorneys. What does he charge per hour? $100, $150, $250? He could gobble up $5,000 in no time at all.

My suggestion would be to get out or sit tight. Doing something in the middle, ie trying to change/improve your current working conditions, could backfire if all the same players are still in the game.

I would definately recommend documenting everything to take with you if and when you have to file for unemployment. If you quit you will have to present a really strong case in order to be eligible for benefits.

With much sympathy,
Debbie Russo
(I was VP of Human Resources at a NJ Bank in a previous life, now I am a Personal Trainer just re-starting my client base)
 
I know, I'm thinking $5K will get me 20 hours of work. And he won't let me pay by the week.

Lisa, unfortunately I'm the HR department. Along w/my boss. Messed up huh?

Well Jacque, I'm a local government adminstrator. I do a lot of community relations, even more grant writing, & some project management here & there. I've applied for nonprofit positions like director of corporate/foundation relations, had some really good interviews but no offers that'll pay my mortgage. Put your thinking cap on--if you come up w/something I'll give you a headhunter's commission! ;)
 
HR Manager here in a privately held family company with only 200 ees.

So if you are HR, do you have any generalist experience at all - my pea brain isn't understanding the grant writing from an HR perspective. Any labor relations or strictly community? If you are HR don't you deal with employees at all?

Curious as to what your title is?

Headhunter fee huh? :rolleyes:
 
Head hunter great idea. Laura, you could look for another human resource job non government. You're lucky its actually a very versitile job skill. There are a lot of companies that have a human resource department. If it were up to me I'd start to seriously look and I mean seriously. Take a week off or however much time you can from vacation time and start looking. Head hunters would eat you up, . . you'd be so profitable for them. I don't know but in California you would have no trouble looking for a job. That skill set is in HIGH demand. For now I would opt for the option which is to stick it. I would just work and do the minimum of what you do to get by. In other words don't go above and beyond, because your efforts are not being recognized and keep looking. Not only does $5000 with an attorney not get you far there is no guarantee that he'd win. I also wouldn't opt for the other option of contingency because even though they can't hold it against you for expecting better work conditions you'd have to face these nasty people every day with them knowing that you've stirred the pot. This sucks and I feel for you. I HATE my job. I totally, utterly, HATE my job, . . I've vowed that I plan on winning the lottery so that I can just go and find a job with the least amount of responsibility that I enjoy doing for fun. Now, . . .if only I actually bought lottery tickets my plan just might work. . . :)
 
Hmmm this is a tough one... and I'm not in any position to advise with respect to your specific situation as I don't understand all of the issues, but I will say this.. I am an attorney and would prefer to hire one with a contingent fee, unless it was just to write a letter and make a few phone calls. I would need a fee estimate - how much time does he anticipate spending? that's very important because as someone pointed out - $5,000 doesn't go very far.
 
I for one would LOVE to see you go with number 3 if the lawyer thinks you have a good case. No money out of pocket and that you-know-what would finally get what he deserves. :mad: Also, you would be doing a service for the community in general. Guys like that need to be called on their behavior, and in any event no one wants their municipality to be run like that. And I imagine that once you file with the EEOC, it's very difficult for them to fire you.

That said, I'm not so sure I would recommend it to you in your situation. If you must stay there, the atmosphere could become worse than ever, and it could become even more intolerable.
 
Hi Laura:
This may be a completely idiotic idea, but...if you are interested in pursuing the second option and the money is an issue, I'm wondering if there is a good law school near you that would be able to work on the case for you. I don't know if that even happens, but you might be able to get some services with fabulous lawyers and/or judges overseeing everything but allowing students to work on the case as well. Again, I don't know if they even do that, but it may be worth a shot.

Life is definitely way too short to be stuck in a job that is making you miserable! I'll send some positive thoughts your way and hope that something works out soon so that you can get out of there.

Alicia
 
Oh Laura, your not alone...I'm in a job that has so much stress attached to it...and i'm so tired...and worn out because of it. I'm sort of seeing light at the end of my tunnel though...and I'm planning to take a cut in pay...kind of a big one...

In your situation...I worry about the reprocutions of a las suit if you had to stay there...people can be so cruel and vandictive...
 
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