Saturday, October 15, 2005

Oh, such unglamourous work.

I just got back from the pre-employment orientation at the new Remote Encoding Center. This is a rundown of what I can expect:

  • Overtime will be paid only after the accumulation of 40 hours, which could happen as early as the fourth day in. I could be mandated to work as many as 12 hours on an 8-hour schedule. Of course, I should have at least a couple of days notice.
  • I could be mandated to work Saturdays, Sundays, or both during any given week.
  • I will be unable to call in sick or otherwise miss a day of work for the first 90 days, which is a probabtionary period.
  • I will be given two (2) personal days (which I could use for sick days) that I can use until the end of this year.
  • No benefits, including insurance or others, will be given until after one year of employment has passed. The only benefit I will be elligible for is one hour of vacation for every 20 hours worked.
  • I will go through 52 hours of paid training, which I have to pass, including a two-day orientation after hiring, one day in a classroom, and computer training on the fourth day.
  • I will be allowed a five minute break every hour, alternating each hour with a ten minute break, during which I will be able to drink from a water fountain and use the restroom, if needed.
  • The use of cell phones on or near the facility is prohibited.
  • Those who write down the addresses of celebrities, local or otherwise, and take them (or attempt to) out of the facility will be terminated.
  • After my training is complete, and I am able to work independently, I will be able to bring music or books on tape to listen to as long as I use headphones and keep the volume low.
  • No food, drinks or gum are allowed on the work floor.
  • On the plus side, pay starts at $12.43 per hour, with $1.02 being added for every hour worked after 6 p.m.
  • I will be allowed and expected to take a 30-minute lunch break if I work eight or more hours per day, which is more than my previous employer allowed.
  • It will be full-time work of between 35 and 40 hours per week, and more than likely more, especially with Christmas coming up.
  • Since the REC is open 365 days per year, I will be expected to be flexible enough to work weekends and holidays at any hour of the night or early morning. Failure to be able to do so, especially in the first 90 days, will not be tolerated and could lead to permanent dismissal.

So, after learning all of that, and knowing that I am going to take the job, any suggestions of how to keep myself from going completely insane or hating myself for accepting the job after Tuesday's interview?

UPDATE: After consulting with my husband, he told me not to take it. We don't need the money so badly that I have to compromise myself, our family time, church and school.

So, I guess I'm on the job hunt again.

5 comments:

Devona said...

Good advice, not-so-terrible-swede.

That sounded like slave labor to me.

Keep looking, the right job is out there.

I promise.

John H said...

Sounds like you made the right decision.

Let me hazard a guess here: this was an un-unionized workforce...?

[Also, glancing rather quickly at one item on the list, I thought it said, "No food, drinks or guns are allowed on the work floor." Which was only confirming my worst suspicions about the US ;-).]

Mommy's Resource Closet said...

Whether unionized or not, I am not sure, although the lady who presented the orientation spoke of one.

As for the "guns," I could see how after working under these mandates and restrictions for a long time would make one think about bringing one!

Also, a question: How am I to convince my mom, who, by the way thinks I should take the job for the sole reason that it is a job, that I should NOT take it? I can pray that telling her to kiss me goodbye because she'll never see me again would work, but I can't be so sure.

I know the right job is out there, but I'm getting tired of looking for it.

Anonymous said...

Ewww. I was very glad to read the update at the end of your post, Erica!

Mommy's Resource Closet said...

And I'm so thankful that I have the support I do from all of you in this decision.

It's not easy to turn down a job when you know that the search will take a long time. I lost my job with the Eagle at the end of July.

Thank you, all of you!