Filed a Grievance against my Manager....now I'm worried

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jul 3, 2008

Ohhh, bad move. Sure it's your right to file a grievance about most anything, but is it to your advantage? Not this time.

If you are wrong you've burned some bridges.

If you are right, you have made your boss look bad, and you are really depending on her and her staff to give you work.

Who's to say she won't cover her butt by saying she found some reason you wouldn't work out on her floor and decided not to add you to the list. Now that reason is on paper somewhere for everyone to see, along with the fact that you filed a grievance before you ever even started on the unit.

Even if you are totally right, and win, and get apologies all round this, was not a PC move. Now that the grievance is filed though, you can't take it back. Just let them come to their conclusions, and give the floor and your boss as much slack as you possibly can (assuming you still want to work there).

justme1972 · Jul 3, 2008

Ok...I have to be honest.

As a new nurse, who is just off orientation, it all boils down to the fact you filed a formal complaint against your manager because you essentially weren't getting called for overtime shifts.

Understand that in any workplace, employment laws for major corporations require that there be a formal policy for many things, but that doesn't always mean that it's not frowned upon if you use them.

You have to learn to pick your battles...and this wasn't one of them. You would have got called for the shifts in due-time...but jumping the gun and filing a formal complaint wasn't the way to do it.

For now, I wouldn't be discussing anything regarding it with co-workers, no matter how much you trust them or how well you know them....and let it ride out.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 3, 2008

I'm with the above posters - pick your battles carefully. This is one that is not winable for you.

By being casual - they don't HAVE to use you - its up to the hospital. Perhaps going part time or full time you can get the hours you need?

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 3, 2008

I agree with the above. Calling the manager to see if perhaps she'd forgotten to make the call to add you to the list would probably have been OK, done diplomatically. Filing a grievance? Well, let's just say that, if I were in her position, I wouldn't be in any hurry to call you.

Regarding filing the grievance: just as in other situations, remember, just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

suzy253, RN · Jul 3, 2008

I have to agree with the others. Filing a grievance was a hasty choice.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jul 3, 2008

9 days is NOT a lot of time in HR/ Managers world these days.

How about using some communication skills

a. contacting Mgr of med surg that orientation completed

b. contacting HR

c. letting staffing office know availability

In this electronic age, I have to fill out form for staff changes, await HR approval then my boss (who's CFO and email pro) signoff, then HR has to post info---usual 7-10 day turnaround time when I leave VM URGENT.........3 wks otherwise, especially if someone is out sick, day off or other urgent project delaying usual daily tasks.

Casual pool means just that....

You didn't show you could communicate to effectively problem solve this issue, Name might now just be on bottom of pool and stay there with this move based my my work experience.

I would try and rescind grievance.

Lori75 · Jul 3, 2008

I should have included the information that I was put on the call list, and she kinda admitted that she made a mistake. I now have scheduled shifts. When I mentioned that I spoke to my union she said it was my right. BUT yes I agree with the posts above, I regret this, but this manager has proved herself to be very scattered and forgetful on other occasions. I can't be denied work on this floor, the worst that can happen is I will be under stronger scrutiny for a while. Where I live my union is very strong, and even casuals have lots of rights. I have already been an employee of this hospital since Aug 06, so I am not brand shiny new here...just to this floor. It is a small city hospital, and I have already heard that she is being more careful with the way she is taking care of the orientating people. She is actually a very nice person, (I've seen and heard from others) so I am not to scared big evil things will happen. I also am not breaking precedence here, filing grievances in our hospital is far from uncommon. Nevertheless, it still feels as if it was the wrong move, but too late now.

justme1972 · Jul 3, 2008

I can't be denied work on this floor, the worst that can happen is I will be under stronger scrutiny for a while. Where I live my union is very strong, and even casuals have lots of rights.

Not trying to be mean, but this is something else you need to work on.

Being a member of a union doesn't give you the right to dump on management or just file formal papers every time something doesn't go your way.

I am 100% pro-union...however, employees with this outlook is the very reason why so many people hate unionized workers, because they have the reputation if you don't cater to their every whim, they'll just file a grievance against you.

40 hours plus is a long time to report to someone that may have changed feelings about you.

Just be very, very careful...unionized or not, if enough members of management wage a war to get rid of you, they can.

Batman24 · Jul 4, 2008

Before I filed a grievance here I would have spoken to her directly. I believe she deserved the benefit of the doubt here. You had the right to file a grievance but having the right to do something doesn't always make it the right thing to do. Only thing you can do now is learn from this mistake and be a better communicator in the future.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 4, 2008

I would be trying to "make things right" with the Manager. It sounds like the Manager simply made an honest mistake -- not that she was out to get you or hurt in some way. You should "kiss and make up."

Perhaps write a letter to the union saying that you have since spoken with the Manager and resolved the issue -- and admitting that you should have spoken to her in the first place, before filing the grievance. In effect, apologize for being so hasty to file a formal grievance when speaking with the Manager directly may well have resolved the situation peaceably. Copy the letter to the Manager. That's probably what I would be doing.

Jolie, BSN · Jul 4, 2008

You have gotten some very good advice here.

I would like to ask you a question to help put your actions into perspective. As a new LPN, if you were to make a minor mistake that did not harm a patient, would you want your co-workers to point that mistake out to you in private, and give you a chance to correct it yourself, or would you want them to file an incident report with administration and notify the BON?

Your manager deserves the same courtesy and respect you expect as a staff nurse. I can think of no situation other than gross negligence resulting in harm to a patient in which it is appropriate to "report" a situation without discussing it with the involved party first.

Lesson learned, I hope.