i quit
sohappytobe
53 Posts
I work in a hospital as Human Resource Director. I had three complaints from CNA's, all african american, older women, regarding discrimination, preferential treatment and harassment by one RN. I presented the complaints to administration as a possible liablity to the hospital. The CEO said that if I had time to listen to complaints, I must not have enough to do. I asked hiim to clarify that what I was hearing was correct, that when three african american older CNA's come to me with complaints of discrimination and harassment, that he doesn't want to know about it. He answered that it was my obligation to report such things. I advised him that that is exactly what I had done and that I didn't understand why I was being reprimanded for a job well done. He said that he didn't care if all of the CNA's walked out today ... that they're a dime a dozen. He then added to my Human Resource duties, credentialing duties and payroll duties the following:
Accounts Payable
Administrative Assistant
Five jobs for one person ... You guessed it ... I'm a one man band - the only person in the administrative office other than the billing coordinator, CEO, CFO and the CNO.
So I quit. Now ... do I really want to go back into Human Resources? Wal Mart is looking really good these days.
Thanks for the sounding board.
Accounts Payable
Administrative Assistant
Five jobs for one person ... You guessed it ... I'm a one man band - the only person in the administrative office other than the billing coordinator, CEO, CFO and the CNO.
So I quit. Now ... do I really want to go back into Human Resources? Wal Mart is looking really good these days.
Thanks for the sounding board.
Comments
You were not a Human Resources Director. You were a dumping ground for all the stuff that no one else wanted to do and they didn't want to hire someone to do it. So...give it to Human Resources.
Good for you! At least you can look at yourself in the mirror every day!
Now go pamper yourself with a massage, manicure, and pedicure; then find a job where you'll be appreciated for who you are!
Cheryl C.
So, file your claws and get ready to get in the ring, sohappytobe. I would say your forum name has just taken on a whole new meaning. To borrow a phrase, this "could be your finest hour".
Have fun, good luck, and if you need a good "cut man", I'll be in your corner.
God, what an opportunity!!!
Other than that, the only way she might prevail with that claim would be at the UI office.
I agree with Larry. I did not read his post as "running right now to an attorney". I read it as staying on the job and moving things along to fruition and self praise for a job well done. Then after much hard and determined work "happytobehere" gets canned for doing her job as HR. Now she joins the lawsuit if there was in fact a discriminating atmosphere surrounding minority and senior employees with a ligitmate complaint which is documented and resolution by the CEO was to terminate all complainers including the HR.
You are right to do a lawsuit now, would be wrong; but two years down the road and a firm history of running aging minority female complainers off, rather than fixing the real issues/problems, which could be partly or wholely placed with the CEO's negative attitude, certainly has merit. If I could not do my job then I would not stick around; setting up a strong employee/employer communication chain to benefit the company and the employees is key to being a successful HR. Without it an HR is a just another overpaid staffer that the company does not need. A good payroll clerk can administer to the administrative needs of most organizations.
PORK
To bring a successful constructive discharge claim, an ee must prove that 1:) they quit due to mistreatment, 2.) that the mistreatment was so intolerable a reasonable person would have quit, and 3.) the mistreatment was based on a protected category. I don't think that sohappytobe would have a constructive discharge claim because the CEO is a jerk and gave her more work. As Don correctly stated, this is not discriminatory (on its face). Additionally, hanging around to create a claim would not add to his/her credibility.
Your CEO is a fool to react to your report of complaints the way he did, and his reaction to the possible loss of CNAs reinforces that description, but, Wal Mart? Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back on the horse. HR needs people like you who employees can come to with their complaints.
The discussion about sticking around for the lawsuit, etc. is interesting and some of the points that have been made have merit. However, if I understood your post correctly, the deed is done. "Quit" is one of those confusing verbs that are the same in both the present and past tense, so I'm not sure. But if that's the case and you've already hit the bricks, then I say good luck and Godspeed. Depending on finances, I would've done the same thing. That CEO will be brought down by his own actions sooner or later, with you or without you, and you had no ethical obligation to stick around to eventually either go down with the ship or lead the mutiny.
Walmart greeter sounds pretty good to me on some days too. Take a job that interests you and you feel you can do well at, regardless of the category or title. As you well know, HR doesn't always mean HR anyway.
I also feel YOUR pain! Human Resources in healthcare is a whole different animal than any other career choice. You are very correct about the kind of people who are drawn to this profession and many are not the kind hearted, Florence Nightingale types!
My job is very challenging (28 physician practice), but I enjoy working with my management team which is a big plus. I worked in two hospitals prior to going with this practice and I, too, will never work in another hospital because of many of the reasons you reiterated.
Some days, though, I wish I had stayed in banking!
Next, I believe he was brewing this idea of adding duties to your plate for some time. Did those duties recently become availabe because someone else was fired or quit? We obviously do not know much about the environment in your company.
I would trust your judgement in this matter. Getting these extra duties dumped on your desk is a prelude for termination for non-performance. If you wanted to have a little fun with it, it might be interesting to see if these duties would cause you to be non-exempt. If so, the daily requests for overtime pay and the daily drama of forcing the CEO to assign priorities to your duties might give you perverse pleasure, while you looked for a better situation.
But I digress - go on to a work for a better company - take this as a growth experience that has made you stronger and wiser.
Good luck with your decision(s).
By the way Gillian3, good to see you. Thought you were lounging under a sombrero by now.
No, I'm not under a sombrero yet. That probably occurs after my mother is no longer here. We are planning her 100th birthday party which will be in July. I'm back at the Transit District which has the membership.
Simply being an overburdened, berated and mistreated HR Manager held in low esteem is not going to fly, even though it could be constructive discharge. Constructive discharge by itself is largely a hollow buzz phrase having little if any value.
You were never the HR Director. A good CEO wants HR to focus on hiring/retaining/training good personnel to carry on the service/function of the organization. Also, they want to utilize the HR Director in a manner that is consistent with their wages, namely strategic thinking about personnel and placement, how to keep the company out of legal hot water & how to train the supervisors with this insight. They want this person to really be involved in the compensation side of the business to add value (read: reduce/manage labor $), etc., etc., etc. - NOT answering their phones or typing letters for the other "more important" people in the office. You could stay and work your way through it - but I tell you, you've already described an incident with the CEO that outlines his viewpoint of HR & it sounds a lot like administrative assistant. In fact, I wonder if maybe he just finally got around to telling you how he really feels - you're an administrative assistant & you sometimes, at his discretion, perform the duties of the position: HR Director.?.? It will take a very long time and a great deal of patience on your part to overcome his viewpoint, let alone change it & life is just too darn short.
Finally & most importantly, don't give up HR. HR is a great profession and you have a talent with it. Just give up working for idiots. x:D
I'll keep you all posted on my whereabouts.
I think you will find that life is better on the outside and encourge you to give HR another try. One bad apple shouldn't ruin it for you.
Good luck.
E Wart
Further, I don't think I would want to be doing HR in ANY hospital these days. But not all HR jobs are like the one you just left... or like the HR function in hospitals in general. So don't despair! It is possible to find an HR job where you can function as a real HR person, and do so w/ some integrity.
Best of luck, and be well.
Stay with HR but find a company that appreciates you. Any CEO that says that any category of employees "are a dime a dozen" is a jerk and he doesn't deserve you. I work for a major university and one of our operations is a health sciences center and hospital and I often have difficulty in dealing with the doctors but not the CEO. He fully understands and supports my role. So look around, good HR people are in demand and we perform a very valuable service even if we are not always appreciated.
JJ