Apparently state employees aren't allowed to eat...

[smileyeagle1021]

So, last week I was travelling for business, we had a large project that needed the full Las Vegas staff... problem, one of the Vegas staff got summoned for jury duty... solution, fly a north auditor fly down to Vegas to cover. Well, I fly down, I'm met at the airport by the south supervisor who took me back to the Vegas office and checked me out a state car for while I was visiting. I drive to the hotel, almost can't check in (more on that later), and twice during the week I had a variation on the following conversation.

Me: *parks state car at restaurant to have dinner*
Random Person: *seeing me* Yeah, official use only my ass.
Me: Excuse me?
RP: What kind of bullshit official business could you be on at 6:30 at a fast food restaurant?
Me: Well, I'm travelling on state business, I'm 500 miles from home, where am I supposed to eat?
RP: You should stop wasting tax money and take care of yourself instead of expecting us to take care of you.
Me: If you don't like state employee's eating, I suggest you take it up with your representative.


Speaking of my problems at the hotel. The employee started out as not being bad, just a bit over zealous on enforcing policy (that I've since found out isn't actually their policy), but devolved into being outright rude.
Counter Girl: Hi, welcome to (hotel), do you have a reservation?
Me: yes, it's under (name).
CG: Great, just need your credit card, ID, and proof that you are a state employee.
ME: Here's my credit card and ID, but I'm sorry, I wasn't told I needed my employee ID, it is still at the office.
CG: Well, how did you expect to get the state rate without proving your are an employee?
Me: Well, when the office secretary booked the reservation, she was told that my status was already confirmed and that I was all set, only needed an ID and credit card.
CG: Well, do you have any proof you're a state employee?
Me: Well, if you have internet access on that computer, you can look up my entry on the state directory?
CG: No, I can't do that.
Me: Well, there's a business center, can I print off my entry in the employee directory.
CG: No, that is only for honest paying guests.
Me: Fine, I have a state car parked outside, if you go out and see the motorpool logo on it will you believe me, or are you going to accuse me of stealing it? (okay, that was a bit across the line, but so was the honest guest line).
Oh, and as an added bonus, I found out from the desk manager when I checked out at the end of the week that their policy was to check in state employees who's confirmation emails are sent to .gov addresses without question. So, she wasn't even enforcing the company's policy, she was just going on a power trip.

[seigus]

I've run into that "what are you doing in a state car at a restaurant?" thing before. Geez. I can't call pizza into my hotel room every meal for a week.
I once had a car rental difficulty because I didn't have my state ID. My coworker failed to pick me up from the airport so I had to get one without a previous reservation. I had them call my work number and listen to my out of office message and they let me have a car!

[Catwoman2965]

The car thing pisses me off. not everyone driving state vehicles are slacking off.

Same goes for similar situations; after Superstorm Sandy, crews from out of state and local power companies work around the clock to restore power. I was lucky; mine was only out for 3 days but some people were out for several weeks.

I kept an eye on my power companies' FB page and you would not believe how many people were pissing and moaning about how long it was taking, but more importantly the number of comments about how:

Trucks were just parked and employess "standing around" chatting when there was work to be done! Um, how about maybe they are discussing the day's strategy and schedule?

How DARE power company employees park in the trucks, and go into restaurants? Because again, there are tens of thousands without power, and they need to get going ASAP!

Um, they are people too and as such, need to eat, AND sleep. Do you really want your power being restored by someone who is starving and sleep deprived???????

Talk about entitled.

[Monterey Jack]

It's the same as people who are SHOCKED!!! when they see school teachers having a drink in a bar. It's like, as long as they don't show up for work drunk or with a hangover, they should be allowed to do whatever the hell they want in their free time. But noooooooooooooo, it's a "bad example" to imbibe at any time if you have a job where you're in contact with children.

[An Haddock]

It's the same as people who are SHOCKED!!! when they see school teachers having a drink in a bar. It's like, as long as they don't show up for work drunk or with a hangover, they should be allowed to do whatever the hell they want in their free time. But noooooooooooooo, it's a "bad example" to imbibe at any time if you have a job where you're in contact with children.

Or teachers who *GASP* wear swimsuits at the beach. THE VERY NERVE!

[eltf177]

Oh, and as an added bonus, I found out from the desk manager when I checked out at the end of the week that their policy was to check in state employees who's confirmation emails are sent to .gov addresses without question. So, she wasn't even enforcing the company's policy, she was just going on a power trip.

I hope you filed a complaint, this needs to be addressed...

[RealUnimportant]

Had major disruption on my line today, luckily after years of careful handling my customers have been trained to accept that me leaving the office mid-morning usually means "crippled clerk needs food badly" and they need to part like the Red Sea, otherwise they're not going to get my best service; I might even get angry... And you wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

It's the same as people who are SHOCKED!!! when they see school teachers having a drink in a bar. It's like, as long as they don't show up for work drunk or with a hangover, they should be allowed to do whatever the hell they want in their free time. But noooooooooooooo, it's a "bad example" to imbibe at any time if you have a job where you're in contact with children.

I thought teachers slept in coffins all summer....

[Argabarga]

I saw a Sheriff's car at the GARAGE the other day, how DARE they use tax money to keep their own cars running!

Wouldn't put it past some people....

[protege]

Wouldn't put it past some people....

...and I'm sure those same people would bitch when Joe Crackhead and Co. broke into their home, and the cops had no way to get there

[bainsidhe]

Still, I have to admit that getting flown out and given a company car makes you sound so important and fancy.

[BlaqueKatt]

It's the same as people who are SHOCKED!!! when they see school teachers having a drink in a bar.

well in new jersey the busybodies complained because security guards in uniform were stopping at restaurants that serve alcohol to pick up lunch.

yes, not staying, not actually drinking, just stepping in to pick up a to go order.

It's now illegal for any new jersey security guard to enter ANY establishment that sells intoxicating beverages, while in uniform. yes that includes the pharmacy of green walls which sells wine, and pretty much any restaurant that isn't fast food.

[notalwaysright]

This same attitude shows up big time when it's really busy at my work and I try to go on break. I'm walking to the break room, and someone stops me with a long drawn out question. If it's just a 15 minute break, I still am on the clock so I am still getting paid and could technically help them. However, the break schedule is usually pretty tight. So if I spend 15 minutes helping that person, later it might mean that someone is on break when some else needs to clock out for lunch, or clock out to go home.

People don't know or care about this. They just see an employee and pounce. If I try to suggest pulling a number they get extremely put out, and have no concept of the idea that although I'm an employee, I'm not available to help them. Novel concept, I know.

[gremcint]

my strategy for going on break is to just tell people I'm already helping someone and keep going, not even giving a chance.

[nutraxfornerves]

I saw a Sheriff's car at the GARAGE the other day, how DARE they use tax money to keep their own cars running

Back in the early 1970s, I had a job where I worked with government officials in a number of rather rural locations. One of them told me about an official's bright idea, that didn't last very long. A lot of county staff has permanently assigned cars. The county had their own gas station, because at the time it was cheaper than buying from regular stations.

The bright idea was "Hey! If we can save money by having employees pump their own gas, we can save even more by having them do their own routine maintenance--oil changes, top off coolant, etc." It never occurred to him and his cronies that not everyone knew how to do this or was willing to make a special trip when they weren't driving around in their formal business clotheS. The result was predictable. Engines damaged because drivers never checked the oil, much less changed it. Tires that blew out because the pressure wasn't checked. And so on.

When I was a supervisor in a government agency, my orientation for new employees included a reminder to always check where you are parking. Even if you are going to an innocent restaurant, make sure you haven't parked in front of a liquor store or a porn shop. The people who inspected ski lifts had to be given undercover cars, because of all the complaints about somebody driving up to the mountains with skis on top of a government car. I had to deal with a complaint about staff "fishing." They were researchers collecting bugs with nets.