I have been working for an agency as a home health aide supervisor.
Yesterday a memo was placed anonymously on my desk, detailing concerns of staff who are organizing a union. One of their concerens is that the staff have been intimidated into falsifying time sheets for the Mediciad program, and other programs. This memo had apparently been faxed to the board of directors of the agency.
Now, I ask you, if such a memo crossed your desk, would you not express concern over being asked to open new cases? Especially when you have given your resignation, effective at the end of this week?
I was asked to detail all the issues I have been working on, then asked to open 2 new cases. I informed my director that I knew about the memo, and I had reservations about opening any new cases until the issues are resolved.
She asked me to wait until she got back, about 5 minutes or so she said, before I left for the field. Next thing I know, the exec director and my dept director come into my office, and the ex dir says, "If you are not able to do the job you were hired to do, you 'may as well pack it up' and leave now." I turned and looked her right in the eye and said, "That would be just fine with me." Then they watched me get my things, I guess so I wouldn't take anything from the office, like I am the CRIMINAL, and asked me for the key, access card to the building, and the pager. Which I gladly turned over. Unfortunately, my travel charts were home, the one and ONLY time I ever forgot them there, probably b/c my nerves have been so FRAZZLED by everything going down there the last few weeks, SO TENSE. So, I had to drive home, get that and drive them back. When I got back, I noticed a sign annoucing an emergency staff meeting, I guess so they can announce my leaving, among other things they want to finally acknowledge so they can cover their butts!
I am actually relieved. Going into that office every day in the last few weeks, since I shared my concerns with them about what I had heard, has just been unbearable.
The home health aides have been calling me all day since I called one (it only takes one!) to tell them what happened. They said the patients all want to write letters to make them give me my job make. How innocent they are! I advised them that please, I appreciate their kindness, but I just cannot work in that environment any longer. I will miss the aides. They are an extremely hard-working group of women, who have taken a lot from this employer. They are organizing a union. They told my situation to their union rep, and he called me too. All this in the space of three hours.
My head is POUNDING, my phones are now off the hook, and I am cracking open the bottle I just got from the liquor store. The aides wanted me to go to their union meeting at 4:30, and I had planned on it, just to show my support for them, but I need to drink MORE, so I called them and said I can't come, cause I can't drive after I drink, and I plan to have at least 2 glasses in by 4!! LOL!
I have notes for the last 6 weeks, everything is written down. I will mail them to myself after I show my husband some of the info I have this evening. My kids are shocked. My dtr said NO mom, they did NOT fire you, you quit and they just got mad and made you leave sooner. Gotta love her spirit!
