What should I do with a confused situation

[Christinez]

I'm a LPN currently working in a private school as a school nurse. Our school was taken over by a big organization which has many locations throughout US. Most of their other locations does not have a school nurse. 

I had a meeting with the principal today, and I was told that the new management does not think having a school nurse is necessary for such a small school like us, so I should start looking what's out there. But then principal wants to have me promoted and try to negotiate with HR and give me a raise. I will need to send her an email and states what I have accomplished, how much efforts I've put into the school. I can indicate that I've received an offer, and I should request our school to match my offer. The principal will forward my email to HR and try to negotiate with what I've requested.

I'm confused which direction is the principal heading? The problem is I've booked 2 vacations for the short school breaks. If HR declined my request, they may tell me to just take "my offer" and leave. Then I will have to find a new job. 

By then, either I will end up cancelling the expensive vacations or out of job for 2 months until I come back from vacation to look for a new job. 

Can anyone give me a thorough advice please? Many thanks!

[JKL33]

I'm sorry; would like to be of help here, but your principal's suggestion to request a promotion/raise from corporate higher-ups who don't think your position is necessary at all is not making a lot of sense to me.

You may have to have another conversation to make sure there hasn't been a miscommunication (or misunderstanding); you might have to ask the principal directly, especially if you have a good working relationship. Just say something along the lines, "I'm concerned that pretending to have better offer to a group of people who think having a nurse is unnecessary in the first place will just give them an easy way to eliminate the position (by telling me to take the offer)..."

Maybe what your principal meant was to just advocate for the position you currently have by highlighting the work you are doing/have done to show why it would be good to keep you.

I think lying to say that you have a better offer and asking for a raise based on that other (non-existent) offer is a real bad idea. If you choose to do that be fully prepared for them to excuse you from your duties and advise you to take the offer that you don't have.

In any case your best bet is to start a search for another position regardless of how you handle your principal's current suggestions.

Good luck!

 

[Christinez]

Thank you so much for your valuable thoughts of my situation. I have the same concerns as you have already pointed out. If the big organization don't want a nurse in school, how much the current principal would do to prevent that happening? Even though I kept a good relationship with the principal. Like you mentioned, lying about having a new offer would just speed up the process and give them a good reason to eliminate the position faster. 

Consider as a nurse, I think it's going to be hard to find a new job. It's just happening at the wrong time right before my vacation, especially the hotels and airfares has been paid off. Budget of spending would be very tight for the upcoming 2 trips. 

Not sure if anyone knows any per-diem job opportunities to just work for a month? 

[kp2016]

Do you have any trip insurance for the holidays? I would try to cancel them and focus on getting a new job. Even if you lose money on the hotels and flights you will loose more if you go.

Even if you have no insurance I would call the airlines and hotels personally, explain that you have lost your job and ask (beg)  if they could maybe give you a refund or a credit to use when your situation improves. It never hurts to ask. 
 

I would also put some time into writing the submission your principle asked for showing your value in your current role. I think it's a little unlikely the new company will retain your role but again it can't hurt to try.