You may not want to read this. I wouldn't. I just need to type it all out. I may even use part of this if things don't resolve peaceably.
So without too many details, Matt's work situation has not been a pleasant ordeal for our family. Thankfully, this situation has not affected our relations with each other too much. He has been pursuing the grievance process to change the status of his termination in his file. This is what has been frustrating.
He has dealt with four different individuals regarding this. The first was extremely unhelpful even though he would have initiated the whole termination process. The second was slightly more helpful but not enough to change the status himself, even though it was within his power to do so and he stated he believed that Matt was telling the truth and this whole ordeal was just a mistake and misunderstanding. There was a "witness" who claimed Matt had stated things he did not, but they took her word and didn't even bother to talk to Matt about the situation before terminating his employment. That is issue #1: the normal disciplinary process was not followed. Steps were not taken to see if a simple mistake had been made on an online form. This could have easily been corrected. So that was the first wrong step Matt's previous employer made.
The second wrong step: today he has a meeting with the last two individuals he has met with regarding this issue. He had requested the "witness" to be present at this meeting to clarify her statement and what was intended by it. This request is consistent with the grievance process as outlined in the employee handbook (or something similar that was sent to Matt to review). She was not present at the meeting. So the process for filing a grievance was not adequately followed. Two breaches in protocol.
Matt's previous employer stated that if they changed the status to a resignation then it wouldn't look any better for his employment history than it currently does. Does anyone, anyone I ask you, agree with that statement? For starters, we are not seeking his file be changed to resignation. We are seeking it to change to laid off. Second, future employers and the military do not care about resignations? Does that hold any negative connotations with it? I do not believe so. Do future employers or the military expect an individual to maintain the same job for life? Obviously not. So, Matt's previous employer does not hold compelling arguments and do not seem to understand basic employment policies, even though they are working in the higher levels of a corporation.
One of the individuals Matt met with today stated that if the Army followed up on the comments made in his employment history she would be sure to mention the entire situation on his termination and his excellent work history prior to this event. With that in mind, why not include that in the original documentation in the first place? If the Army does not like what it sees then they are not going to follow up to see what the statements mean. They are going to take the wording at face value. Now, this may be a moot point... but we won't know that for a good while and would prefer this to be resolved now in the event it does become an issue. Makes sense, correct? But no, adding an explanation of the situation and what was believed to have happened is completely out of the question. Would have been much less hassle for all involved, including this woman.
I could continue, but I am under the impression that these individuals do no care about the situation as it really is not their problem. They are proud so refuse to change their original decisions, even when faced with evidence that the decision was incorrect. They admit their current system is flawed yet have not sought to update it. They should not be in leadership if they cannot control their own environment.
I have half a mind to waltz up to the office of the person Matt met with today (who is very high in leadership) after I have the baby. We would already be in the building so why not go on up and have a nice little chat with him. I would be sure to carry myself professionally but would be sure he understood just how flawed his system currently is. They have an outdated system in place for time cards, there are inadequate precautions in line to try to check time card accuracy for mistakes, while certain policies are in order for discipline and grievance processes they are not followed, and as the above are the case obviously he has not been facilitating his job adequately. I am a disgruntled customer (as I would have just had my baby on the grounds) and hope he will seek to make necessary changes to his location in order for it to operate as a hospital should.
Maybe I'll gift him my placenta. That'll show him how I feel about him. The placenta would then be unattached from my body and my baby's... so it will be worthless. That could be a very good metaphor. Something that should be giving life (like a hospital) is now worthless (like this particular hospital's employment system).
End of rant.
No comments:
Post a Comment