Work Ethic and Other Protestant Expectations

Towards the end of November in the year 2009.
Saturday


Work Ethic and Other Protestant Expectations

It’s Pat-Me-On-the-Back Day! Nearly two months of successful employment. Read my fingers—those are TWO—two fingers for two months.

Still like the job even as I have deep concerns about my employer’s wage and compensation policies. For example: we are REQUIRED to drive to BF Nebraska in order to provide services for families; we don’t, HOWEVER, get “drive-time” pay—just mileage. So, for a family for which we provide two hours of face-to-face time but have to drive two hours roundtrip for the privilege of delivering said services in the comfort of their home, we are only compensated for the two hours of “sitting in the living room while I count the ways I am so glad I have my problems and not theirs.”

We are not paid for the 6 to 7 hours of additional documentation time it takes to properly document the lives of the people we serve and the magnificent activities I plan and carry out while with them.

Never mind the twenty three phone calls per day we get from the office in the mad rush to fill schedules: the Johnson family needs supervised visitation with transportation, what is your availability? Great! By the way, you need to pick up one child in Columbus and drive to Schuyler for the visit and then return the child to Columbus, well actually a little place just outside Columbus, about 11 miles or so outside Columbus.
I’ve put a call into the Nebraska Department of Labor, and not to file a complaint but to get a copy of current rules and regulations for wage and compensation. (Settle down there sister, don't get your panties all up in a bunch--I've been through an audit by the Department of Labor and I would not wish that upon anyone--not even my worst enemy.) I want to be a part of the solution and not the problem so I’m volunteering my time to do the research: exactly what is legal and not legal when it comes to demanding from your employees ‘X’ amount of work and then deciding for which of those demands you will pay. Following the “I’ve got an issue with policy” protocol, I had a short meeting with the Lincoln branch Office Director. I understand it’s all out of her hands. Still, I offered to help. After listing my immediate concerns, I volunteered to either serve on any existing committee overseeing wage, compensation and other HR issues or volunteer to organize such a committee.

I suppose it wouldn’t bother me so much if I were young, unattached to children and their needs and wants (like food, tennis lessons, shampoo and conditioner, feminine products and the occasional movie with popcorn, soda and a box of Junior Mints.) I have three children for which I must provide. I have a sister who currently subsidizes my life.  She charges for rent the equivalent of what a pod of Thai twelve year olds make in a month sewing Tommy Hilfiger jeans. This insignificant amount I pay my sister is also meant to cover utilities.

Absolutely it bothers me. It’s not that I am opposed to volunteer work but I want to decide to whom and to where I dole that volunteer work. If I have to arrange for someone else to pick up my children from school and transport them to their activities then I better be getting paid. If I have to further outsource the care of my children because I must work a second or third job in order to bankroll our needs because I’m only paid for 40 of the 50 plus hours I work…well, that is just not right.

If I wanted to continue the role of underpaid and underemployed, I’d go back to ONE WHO MUST BE RESPECTED and live under his roof and hoof.
Christ almighty!