They're making him do what?

[bhskittykatt]

This is a GWC/MiM sighting.

Hubs has been informed he's starting training for a new promotion. He's excited, but I've been dubious. This company tends to burn through supervisors.

Already, it's begun.

For his first training site, he's supposed to be at the office by 5am to get a car, drive 2.5-3 hours (depending on traffic) to get to his job site by 8am, work until 8pm, drive 2.5-3 hours back to check-in the vehicle, and then do the same thing all over the next day. That's a 17-18 hour day even before you factor the commute from home to the office and back!

I called BS. I told him to contact his office to see if they'd let him keep the vehicle all night (what the hell would they do with it for only 6-7 hours anyway?) and told him if it was possible to stay down there for the weekend. Fortunately it seems they'll let him do this, so he'll be staying overnight just a mile from his jobsite instead of making that ridiculous commute.

And he's wondering why I'm not as enthusiastic as he is about the promotion.

[MoonCat]

That plan has "designed by Upper Management" written all over it. Good for you for suggesting he see about staying overnight.

[bhskittykatt]

Just found out even more fun news. You see, Hubs is normally scheduled weekends off right now. I just asked him what his days off were for next week since he picked these shifts up. He's not getting any. They wanted him to do these shifts/commutes on top of his normal 40 hours.

At least he'll be getting major overtime, but still. I think the company should cover part of his hotel room. With the gas he'll save this way, that should cover at least half his stay. Either way, I'd rather pay for his room than have him commute back and forth like that.

[It's me]

He's there on company business? They should cover the hotel, food, everything.

[marlovino]

Tell him to keep the receipts for everything. Then contact hr about getting reimbursed for the work related bills.

[bhskittykatt]

Oh I plan on having Hub submit the receipts. I just don't have high hopes. The caveat is that the company didn't ask him to stay down there; Hubs volunteered. The company asked Hubs to commute back and forth, which was ridiculous for that distance and that length of shifts. The company should cover it if they were respectable and treated their employees fairly. The thing is, they aren't and don't.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Oh I plan on having Hub submit the receipts. I just don't have high hopes. The caveat is that the company didn't ask him to stay down there; Hubs volunteered.

And this is precisely the reason why I never volunteer for anything . . . the ones who volunteer usually end up getting screwed.

[ADeMartino]

I think you're starting to see exactly WHY they 'burn through supervisors' so fast. There are a lot of people who wouldn't put up with something so ridiculous. And I think you're right not to expect much. Any company who would put someone through all that is clearly not interested in paying for any of it.

[XCashier]

I think you're starting to see exactly WHY they 'burn through supervisors' so fast. There are a lot of people who wouldn't put up with something so ridiculous. And I think you're right not to expect much. Any company who would put someone through all that is clearly not interested in paying for any of it.

Their plan is ridiculous, wasteful and wearing, and they know it, they've seen it happen multiple times...and they still do it that way! WHY?! What do they gain from it? How much money and how many employees have they lost doing it this way?

There's a reason I'm not in upper management. I'm much too logical.

[bhskittykatt]

On the first day, they apparently gave him the wrong address. They told him 10XX when it was 30XX. And even though it was the same street, there was a waterway that the street didn't connect across. So he was a little late to the shift because he had to go around.

When Hubs showed up for Day 2, apparently they scheduled someone else at the last minute without telling him. So he stayed overnight for pretty much no reason. At least he actually gets a day off now. (Still having him send in his hotel receipt though to try and get compensation.)

Communication is not one of this company's strong suits.

[ADeMartino]

Their plan is ridiculous, wasteful and wearing, and they know it, they've seen it happen multiple times...and they still do it that way! WHY?! What do they gain from it? How much money and how many employees have they lost doing it this way?

There's a reason I'm not in upper management. I'm much too logical.

It may sound like the musings of a conspiracy freak, but the idea here may be to see just HOW many hoops a person will jump through to get to the proverbial brass ring. It may be wasteful, but the person who thought this up isn't paying for it.

[bhskittykatt]

So Hubs asked his boss what was up with him not being told someone else was scheduled. Boss told him, sternly, that Hubs was supposed to work. Boss isn't mad at Hubs, since Hubs was told by the site supervisor to go home, but he's mad at someone, and until he's un-mad Hubs isn't going to try and submit any receipts. Apparently no one knows what happened there. Again, communication: this company doesn't have it.

As for treating the employees like crap: I don't know if I've ever shared, but our next door neighbor used to be Hubby's boss (he's the one that got Hubs the job). Used to be. His superiors were making him schedule officers on several back-to-back 16-hour driving patrols. Neighbor dared to stand up to his bosses and told them that was unfair, wrong, and questionably legal. Bosses responded by saying he was being insubordinate, stripped him of rank, and gave him a nice demotion. Neighbor still works for the company, but he's back at the bottom. He doesn't miss being a supervisor, either (he once had to pull a straight 36-hour shift due to lack of coverage). Neighbor had actually originally gotten the promotion when he tried to quit, and they promoted him in order to retain him.

[EricKei]

Have him keep gas receipts, too -- or at least a detailed mileage ans expenses log if he doesn't have them all. Even if they weasel their way out of paying for travel time/fuel, he may be able to get Mileage credit on his taxes (would be best to consult with an accountant about that, after double-checking to make sure that tax prep fees are deductible, as well (I think they are)). As for whether the place HAS to pay for lodging/food, check with accountant as well; I'm guessing that may vary by state. As for overtime, I hope he's not salaried yet or "Exempt", or that goes out the window.

[Syriilord]

Their plan is ridiculous, wasteful and wearing, and they know it, they've seen it happen multiple times...and they still do it that way! WHY?! What do they gain from it? How much money and how many employees have they lost doing it this way?

There's a reason I'm not in upper management. I'm much too logical.

To paraphrase Albert Einstein: Insanity is doing the same thing the same way over and over while expecting a different result.

Holy hell...with that sort of fuckery going on I'd be seriously looking for another job if I were Hubs. Talk about a load of shit!

Bad Idea. They'd probably give him another promotion for trying that.

[Shangri-laschild]

When he does submit them, it might not be a bad idea for him to submit copies of the receipts rather than the originals just in case they lose them.