I have been working at my current workplace, a hospital downtown, for a little over a year now as full-time. As of Monday I will transfer to part-time because I am starting a new job closer to home. Both managers are aware.
This afternoon I received a phone call from my current manager scheduling a meeting with her, human resources and a union representative on Monday. She would not give me any details except that it was SERIOUS, which is what worries me most, and she would pay me for my time (odd but nice). I asked if it was about a patient (which is my #1 concern) and she said no. But that's all she would tell me. I know this will be at the back of my mind all weekend long, stressing me out! This is the first time I've been asked to come in on my day off and meet with people other than her. Any ideas what it could be about?
Although I don't think this behind the reason and if it was I will tell her the truth. I called in sick yesterday. I don't call in often ... maybe a handful the entire year. This time it was legitimate, I had schedule conflicts at both workplaces and couldn't find anyone to pick-up my shift. It left me with no choice. I can't be at 2 places at once. I called in really early so they a good amount of time to call or a replacement.
hmmmm......sounds like administration 101......IMO, you are definately in trouble and will be disciplined. they are not going to like you calling in sick especially if they know you are working part time somewhere else....you will never really be "sick" in their minds again. i know you are trying to do the right thing....keep both places happy by working at both but......it's not going to work. the end. don't stress. you already know in your heart you are in trouble. don't let them blow your weekend off. it is what it is and you won't change a thing by worrying. take solace in the fact that you already have another job in your hand. good luck to you. let us know how it goes.
Being a union rep myself I am curious why the union rep did not contact you. I insist the manager tell me what the meeting is about. Then I call the nurse and talk to them about the subject of the meeting. Talk to your union rep., they can move the meeting if you want it sooner or later.
If it is serious, the manager is OBLIGATED to place you on administrative leave (called investigative suspension some places). That is, if the manager is acusing you of a serious breach of practice, she cannot allow you to work until your practice is validated as safe. That you worked in the interim makes me believe, it is highly unlikely you will be terminated.
i am sure that HR is not in on the w/e, but it wouldnt surprise me that the timing was still on purpose....
Karen, you are right that the rep. wouldn't be there on a weekend, of course, maybe someone on call, but all that could have been avoided if her director had taken a few minutes when she was making all these other calls to HR, union rep, and any others she notified. You can bet that the manager/director person isn't at home stressing, anxious about what is going to happen in the meeting when she goes back to work.
And, morte, you are probably right about the timing. I'd be willing to bet that was on purpose. Just my opinion.
And back to your union contract, as I mentioned in my post above I worked a unionized facility. You may want to talk with your union, our contract had a clause to the effect that when we were calling off they could not ask why were were calling off it was none of their business. Something you might want to get put in to the next one.
Being a union rep myself I am curious why the union rep did not contact you. I insist the manager tell me what the meeting is about. Then I call the nurse and talk to them about the subject of the meeting. Talk to your union rep., they can move the meeting if you want it sooner or later.
If it is serious, the manager is OBLIGATED to place you on administrative leave (called investigative suspension some places). That is, if the manager is acusing you of a serious breach of practice, she cannot allow you to work until your practice is validated as safe. That you worked in the interim makes me believe, it is highly unlikely you will be terminated.
Exactly! That is what I had been wondering myself!! In our home state, we don't have the union reps and such, but these are some of the thoughts that I had been wondering about. And, another point you make, is also my thought, they have her working the weekend before her meeting, it can't be THAT bad, or you'd think they would have relieved her of the weekend duties, if nothing else, to CYA.
1. Your union rep is supposed to be on YOUR side, not the management's - and so should only be attending at your request. Which presupposes you need to know the agenda.
2. No manager worth the title should launch straight into a (quasi) disciplinary meeting without having an informal meeting first to discuss said problem and then inform you that it will be taken up a step, thereby giving YOU the opportunity to call in the union rep.
3. Sometime meetings can't be arranged for some days because of all the participants' schedules.
4. In the UK there is a line in one's contract citing a conflict of interest in having two jobs at once, which is not to say people still don't do it, but as a manager, I would have been mightily ticked off if one of my staff had take a 'sickie' to go work somewhere else. Taking time of sick infers that you ARE sick!
5. If this is indeed an official disciplinary meeting then she should have let you know in writing with a declaration of what the problem is. You should make an official complaint about HER handling of this.
Okay let me get the facts right. Your presently working 2 jobs, one fulltime, one part time. You were scheduled to work both places and choose to call out sick to the full time job. If these facts r right then this is my opinion.
You shouldn't have started the part time job until your obligation to the full time job was fulfilled unless you were willing to fulfill your obligation to both, which seems difficult. That being said why did you give a months notice. Although I think most would believe two weeks notice would be adequate, or whatever time you have left for vacation some people use as a rule, ie if you have 3 weeks vacation, give three weeks notice. My rule of thumb since have been recently shown the door is that I look out for what is best for myself. If I find another job and I feel no obligation towards my previous employer I give one weeks notice. Now I know I'll hear a lot about that but remember most in most states you are an employee at will which means without any just cause your employer can tell you to pack your bags. So seeing as an employer has no regard for my financial obligations I now do what is best for me. That includes not worrying if they have a relacement for me as I need to worry about my peace of mind and my families welfare.Enough said there.
Now if you called out sick in order to honor your obligation at the other work place you may be in trouble but my question would be do they know this or are they going on a fishing expedition. In saying that when you go into this meeting be careful of the questions they ask you. If the question doesn't refer to exactly, and I mean exactly what happened you can answer honestly in your favor. For instance, did you call out sick? If you did then you have to answer honestly yes. If they ask did you call out sick in order to work your other job? Then you have to examine the question is that truly what you did. Or was one job an am shift that you called out sick to and by the time the pm shift came around you felt as if you could go to work then you could honestly answer no to that question. Many would say this is lying but it's not it's dissecting the question prior to giving an immediate answer. I myself have called out sick because I felt to exhausted to go into work that morning, but after having slept in for an hour or two longer felt as if I could now go to work. I've even been tempted to call back and say you know what I just needed a few more hours of sleep I feel much better do you need me. Of course I didn't, because that wouldn't have been understood. So anyway maybe this mess you caused yourself because your trying to satisfy to many people. You should have negotiated your start date with your new employer based in your notice date with your old employer, and again I'm sure I'll hear about this, without any regard for your old employer unless of course you felt you would one day return there. There is nothing wrong with putting your needs first, in fact that unfortunately is becoming the american way.
Good luck and remember only answer the questions and don't expand on your answer unless prompted to. Keep it to yes, no, only.And if the question isn't asked correctly you can answer no without any guilt feelings.
I am working p/t at both places now. I thought I could handle it but apparently not. At the time, I felt like calling in sick was my only option and in retrospect maybe it was a selfish act, but I spent that "sick day" working not enjoying the nice long weekend. I know of a lot of nurses that juggle 2 jobs and I thought I could do it to, temporarily, until I decided which place was best for me. If this is what the issue is about then lesson learned. I won't do it again.
When I was in a union many years ago, it was in our contract that we could not moonlight. Perhaps that is the issue, not that you called in sick , but that you are currently working two jobs. It is only a guess on my part.
You are able to bring someone with you when you have your meeting. Ask a fellow member of your union, or trusted co-worker. You can explain they are there in a emotionally supportive role for you only.Two ears are better than one. That person would then sit in the room with you for emotional support. They would not be expected to answer any questions nor offer comment.
When I was in a union many years ago, it was in our contract that we could not moonlight. Perhaps that is the issue, not that you called in sick , but that you are currently working two jobs. It is only a guess on my part.
You are able to bring someone with you when you have your meeting. Ask a fellow member of your union, or trusted co-worker. You can explain they are there in a emotionally supportive role for you only.Two ears are better than one. That person would then sit in the room with you for emotional support. They would not be expected to answer any questions nor offer comment.
I'll second this. Techincally it doesn't matter if your "sick" or not when you take sick time since that's what it is there for. But many places look down upon you holding a job at another facility especially if they are "competetive" They would probably have wanted you to work another part time job in house than moonlighting.
The thing is she knows I am "moonlighting". I told her in person that I am working part-time at the new hospital because it is closer to home and would like to transfer to part-time here for the time being. If she had a problem with that wouldn't she have said something? This situation makes me lose a lot of respect for her and I will probably never see her the same again or this workplace for that matter for being so unsupportive.
I think if I were u I'd try to just forget out this till monday. Then first thing monday I thnk u should call YOUR union rep and find out what's up. It's my understanding that when you belong to a union the rep is there to help and protect u. I would then consider filing a grievance with the union regarding the actions of the rep. That person should know that the tactics used by your manager are inappropriate. What she did is no different,however is more offensive, then when a friend calls and says we got to talk but not right now. Now give me a break a tactic like that is for one purpose and one purpose only to unnerve the other person. How childish. Make sure to represent yourself professionally and stick to only the facts.
mpccrn, BSN, RN
527 Posts
hmmmm......sounds like administration 101......IMO, you are definately in trouble and will be disciplined. they are not going to like you calling in sick especially if they know you are working part time somewhere else....you will never really be "sick" in their minds again. i know you are trying to do the right thing....keep both places happy by working at both but......it's not going to work. the end. don't stress. you already know in your heart you are in trouble. don't let them blow your weekend off. it is what it is and you won't change a thing by worrying. take solace in the fact that you already have another job in your hand. good luck to you. let us know how it goes.