Computer lab tech blows a gasket (language)

[ladyklack]

background:

The computer lab at my school employs student workers that pretty much sit there and answer the phone. Recently, the guy in charge of the lab left, and a new guy took over. This new manager guy is much nicer than the old one, and wanted to change some of the ways the old manager had things set up.

So, the other morning, I'm sitting in the lab at 8am, the girl on staff looks at her schedule and sees that she is barely scheduled for the next week. The following freak-out ensues:

G: tech girl
M: manager

G: Why am I only working one shift this week?
M: I told everyone that I'd be sending them an email asking for their availability, you were the only person that didn't get back to me. I didn't know when to schedule you for.
G: (getting very shouty, very quickly) What? You know I don't check my email, I left a note for you to come and ask me in person!

(my thoughts here: you work in a school, you have a school email address, and you work in the computer lab of all places and you don't check your email ever? what?)

M: I didn't see a note, that’s why I asked people to communicate via email.
G: (screaming at this point) This is B*** S***! I can't believe this B*** S***! What the F***! (and on and on flipping out swearing.)
M: Hey, watch the language.
G: F*** YOU.

at this point the girl punches out and storms out, not more than 10 minutes into her shift. You'd think it was over, but no. All student employment is run through the financial aid department, and any on the job student misconduct is required to be reported to the head of financial aid. So the manager calls up and makes the report, and then writes up the employee.

A few minutes after he places the call, the tech girl comes storming back in yelling.

G: Why the F*** did you call (financial aid lady)? Do you know how bad this makes me look?
M: I had to inform her of what happened, it's policy.
G: No you F***ing didn't! This is B*** S***! I can't believe you F*** told on me you A** H***!
M: Not another word! You WILL not come into my computer lab and speak this way anymore! Go, calm down, and if you still want to talk come back AFTER open lab hours!
G: (looks like she's just been slapped in the face) starts to cry and runs off.

I really don't see this girl being an employee for very much longer. I kinda hope, for her sake, that they make her go see the on campus councilor or something.

[Geek King]

Yeah, it is always tragic when someone who has never been told no and held accountable runs up against someone who refuses to coddle them. Reality is a harsh mistress.

[Banrion]

A few minutes after he places the call, the tech girl comes storming back in yelling.

Looks like that's incident #2. I doubt she'll be back.

[sms001]

You know I don't check my email, I left a note for you to come and ask me in person!

Wow! I wanna live in the little fantasy world where my boss not only ASKS me about my scheduling, but tracks me down to do it in person instead of doing it the way he requested.

Does he feed her grapes and fan her with an ostrich plume while delicately inquiring which shifts she might prefer?

[protege]

G: Why the F*** did you call (financial aid lady)? Do you know how bad this makes me look?
M: I had to inform her of what happened, it's policy.
G: No you F***ing didn't! This is B*** S***! I can't believe you F*** told on me you A** H***!

What a bitch. If she called me an asshole, I would have calmly repeated the facts...similar to "I don't know why you're upset. *You* chose not to reply to the message. *You* chose not to check your email. *You* chose to get nasty over it. See a theme here?" But, I'm an evil bastard like that

[FenigDurak]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but since Work Study is typically Federally funded, she can get in some serious trouble for being fired.

[Bright_Star]

What's so difficult about checking her e-mail?

[Sliceanddice]

maybe she forgot her password?

[gregmaddux17]

Maybe if she had bothered to let her boss know that she didn't check her email he could have called instead of emailing?

[Yfandes]

IMHO its very reasonable to require all communications be via email where accounts and computer time are FREE! I prefer to communicate via email - a lot less "he said, she said..."

[myswtghst]

IMHO its very reasonable to require all communications be via email where accounts and computer time are FREE! I prefer to communicate via email - a lot less "he said, she said..."

Exactly. Via email, you have a written record of everything said. It's much easier to verify things that way, and have proof in a complaint/dismissal sitauation.

And in response to this:

G: Why the F*** did you call (financial aid lady)? Do you know how bad this makes me look?

Does she know how bad it makes her look to cuss out the boss, when there are witnesses present? Does she know that in the real world, we don't let $hit like that slide? What an idiot.

[blas]

Don't hold your breaths. She may not return to that job, but she'll still be haunting the campus. Oooh, the power of mommy and daddy's money. It's what gets all the college kids around here exactly what they want, when they want it, and how they want it.

[Giggle Goose]

Oooh, the power of mommy and daddy's money. It's what gets all the college kids around here exactly what they want, when they want it, and how they want it.

That could explain why she acts like such a self-entitled brat, but then why does she even need to work? Much less for financial aid?

At my school we are held accountable for not checking our email from professors. I'm surprised she hasn't failed out by now.

[blas]

Kind of off topic, but the reason I stated "around here" meaning where I live, is parents do try to make an attempt to force their kids to work for a living, just to try to make an effort to prove that you do need to work for what you want. I've noticed with some of my trainees at the factory, when they tell me their stories about McDonalds or wherever (like I really give a shit that they were "the king" at their last job) is they talk about how much work sucked and they hate having to work.

I give all the parents of college kids around here a C for effort. Eventually you must cut off the money and actually truly force them to work for what they want. Be there for support if an emergency happens and loans are needed, but don't just keep paying for their college and allow them to keep job hopping and acruing a very bad employment record.

[Geek King]

You know, one thing I do wonder about is the scheduling. When I was a computer lab assistant (we actually did light tech support too), we would register for classes (or get our class schedule if you did it the semester before), take care of any conflicts, then make the next stop the IT department so we could let the boss know when we could work. You worked the same schedule all semester, unless you switched with another worker. It wasn't exactly rocket surgery.