Like the money, hate the administrative bs
I've been working for my old lab for two months now - on a very part-time basis - I work one morning a week (3-4 hours, except on the rare occasion when things get crazy). I like the break from my school work, the money puts gas in the car, and its the field I got my MS in which is so different from what I study now. Even with the little I work for them, the reminders of the why I left still nag at me. HR and employee relations have never been the company's strong suits. Things were pretty good the first year when we were still really small, but now that we have a parent company who last year bought our biggest rival (and we are all supposed to play nicely).
Yesterday was the case in point. We had a big conference call to go over the new changes to the employee manual. I guess it should have been expected - each of the labs our parent company owns has been operating under its own rules. Well, we're losing our good PTO system (replaced by sick and vacation days). I've always gotten a few hours of PTO, even though I was very part-time, and some holiday pay, both of which I'm losing under the new system. The more irritating changes are that they have instituted a drug testing policy and will start monitoring internet usage, which is pretty insulting - we're adults so have some faith in our judgment! In some of the smaller labs if the work is done for the day (and tomorrow) everyone checks their email, reads the news. I don't think anyone is stupid enough to be checking porn on company time.
The other minor stickler is the lack of bonus/christmas gift this year. I know things are a little tight (the bonus has been shrinking regularly every year), but there's not even been a mention of it this year (typical of my company, ignore it and hope the employees forget). Oh well, at least I have my couple hours a week (at decent pay), although my supervisor says he's had to justify keeping me a couple times. (It's nice he needs me).
In funnier news, went out with a friend and their three year old to look at the Christmas lights. He thought some were crooked - they were the icicle lights. How do you explain an icicle to a native Arizonan?
Yesterday was the case in point. We had a big conference call to go over the new changes to the employee manual. I guess it should have been expected - each of the labs our parent company owns has been operating under its own rules. Well, we're losing our good PTO system (replaced by sick and vacation days). I've always gotten a few hours of PTO, even though I was very part-time, and some holiday pay, both of which I'm losing under the new system. The more irritating changes are that they have instituted a drug testing policy and will start monitoring internet usage, which is pretty insulting - we're adults so have some faith in our judgment! In some of the smaller labs if the work is done for the day (and tomorrow) everyone checks their email, reads the news. I don't think anyone is stupid enough to be checking porn on company time.
The other minor stickler is the lack of bonus/christmas gift this year. I know things are a little tight (the bonus has been shrinking regularly every year), but there's not even been a mention of it this year (typical of my company, ignore it and hope the employees forget). Oh well, at least I have my couple hours a week (at decent pay), although my supervisor says he's had to justify keeping me a couple times. (It's nice he needs me).
In funnier news, went out with a friend and their three year old to look at the Christmas lights. He thought some were crooked - they were the icicle lights. How do you explain an icicle to a native Arizonan?