Perpetual Ruminations

Wednesday

Yesterday I had three days off, but with it, a lot of work to do from home. So, the plan was simple, do the work, get it all done, then have today and tomorrow off without interruption. That's just what I did, too. I updated some time corrections, I processed and faxed a resignation form, filled out personnel action requests, made the needed corrections to the next schedule, and sent my e-report.

After, I figured up bank accounts and sent off some bills, planned out the next few payments, and made plans for today. Mostly, going in sometime this morning to post the next schedule, and go over changes in it, do to someone quitting on December 7.

Today she calls in and wakes me from a sound sleep. She's not feeling well and can't make her shift. So much for a day off for me, and glad I'm not in Minnesota, as we had originally planned. She didn't sound sick, and when I asked about it, she said she was up all night puking.

About this time, I hear a long string of vulgarness over the phone. A male voice, but not in the background, it's right there at the phone. My guess would be he's on the same phone, or listening in on a second phone. F*@# this, f*@# that; you get the idea.

I ask the caller, "What the hell is that?"

"It's my fiance."

"Why do I have to listen to this?"
"Sorry."

Meanwhile, I'm having a difficult time hearing her, because she is speaking softly, and he is continuing the string of profanity and cussing.

I feel my blood pressure rising and voice my opinion. "If I had to listen to that, I'd prefer to be at work."

She speak louder now. "That's uncalled for."

"No, that's uncalled for." I begin to explain that she called me, woke me up and then I get to listen to some dick go off on me?

I don't get a chance to finish explaining to her that if she cannot call and control her moron there, she can fill her shift as scheduled, or she can shut him up so we can have a discussion about trying to fill her shift. No, I don't get a chance to talk to her at all, because this moron is now on the phone telling me about my job.

I say moron, because it's true. The female employee informed me that he lost his job and a convenience store do to sexual comments and accusations. She also informed me that she was taking this job because he wouldn't get one. She also had to call in a couple of times because she couldn't leave her infant son with this person.

She is the same person who just put in her two week notice, telling me she took a better paying job that gives her more hours. Only, I have tried to give her more hours, but she can't work mornings, she can't work nights, and she can't work and leave her kid with her fiance. I also found out through her job counselor that she does not have a new job.

See, she is working through a state program that helps people with vocational rehabilitation to find work. She has a job counselor that works very closely with me. If she can't get to work because of transportation, or if she needs training, anything that could put her employment at risk is discussed with her job counselor. So, he called to see what the issues were with her not being able to work more hours.

I explained how she turns down every attempt I have made to give her more hours, how she foolishly inquires about how it works if she gets sick and needs to call in, or needs a babysitter and has to call in, etc... and then the next day she is scheduled to work she does just that.

I also informed him that she is leaving to take a higher paying job. He informed me she does not have another job, but is anticipating assistance through another program, since she does not make enough to justify her working. Only, now that he knows she has turned me down on working more hours and days, she will not qualify.

And why? She does a decent job, she's just not very dependable. Even so, it's by her own confession that her fiance is the cause of her needed to stay with a sick kid, or crabby, or anything else, because he won't help out at home. He can't hold a job, and she is now quitting her's because she don't want to leave her son with him.

So, when she finds out she will not be able to qualify for any other help through this program for refusing to work enough hours, she will likely come to me and want to hold on to her job. Only her calling in, this incident with her fiance on the phone, and her dishonesty tell me I should find someone I can rely on to fill the position. In other words, she just called in and with her fiance's assistance, cut her last lifeline.

When she gave me her notice, I was relieved because I knew, in time, I would have to terminate her. She's unable to work anything except her scheduled shifts, and then it's almost every week she is trying to get out of one of one of them days. I think she's only actually worked one or two weeks without requesting time off. Also, we have been finding things missing at work.

Little things, items we bring in outside of required supplies. Things like hand-wipes, since we do not have access to a sink for washing our hands. Tissues for our noses, and even some hard candy. We were also bringing in bottled water, just in case someone forgot something to drink, or when it was real hot, needed more.

We had to stop bringing in water, she drank it all. She would go through a couple of bottles a day, and when the supply ran out, left a note for me saying we needed more brought in. I had explained that I pay for this, and it's there if you need it, but you should provide your own food and drink.

Next it was a package of wipes, that vanished. Then we began to go through tissues almost weekly, and the wipes also vanished very fast. Yard traffic is slower, so things should be lasting longer, with the exception of tissues. But, even if they had colds, we would not be going through so many. It's apparent that someone is taking items home. Since she informed me that she could not get any gloves for work, she had to spend every penny on stuff for her son, I of course began to suspect she is taking these items home for that purpose, her son.

It's reached a point that I was going to have to begin reviewing the security cameras to see who was taking items, and have them removed. I didn't want to, but it's my job. Now, I have a gut instinct telling me the problem resolved itself. I could be wrong, but I doubt it, and if things stop vanishing now that she is gone, I'll have the answer.

Well, have to get ready for work, hopefully the night person can come in a little early and I can salvage some of this day. I have things I really want to do today, and I've been trying to get over a bad cold all week.