mustangsally Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 So, here's the deal. I am working at a summer camp and was hired to do two specific jobs. We change jobs each session. During the first session, I noticed the head of the camp was having a hard time filling a certain job that wasn't on my contract, so I decided to take one for the team and do it and that I might like it. I neither like nor dislike the job, I would just prefer not to do it. So, one of my superiors came to me and asked if I would like to repeat the job next session. I said I wouldn't like to, but if he absolutely needed me I would. On two more occasions, I made it very clear to him I really did NOT want to do it unless there was no way to find anyone else. For four days, there was a back and fourth about who was doing the job...this one girl was assigned the position and as little as one day ago, she was told she wasn't doing it any more. In the midst of the confusion (others in charge of scheduling had heard very different things and had no idea), I asked what was going on to my boss. He told me I would be taking the job again. I told him I would really prefer not to and that I made it clear that I did not want to do it. He told me by the time I made it clear, it was already too late and it's not fair to the others because he asked me and I said yes (which I did not...and it magically wasn't too late yesterday for this girl to get switched?). I stated to him that I did not say yes, that I said I would prefer not to do it. However, he became irate with me, saying he gave me an option and I "didn't say absolutely no." I told him this job is not what I signed on to do and I was being helpful by volunteering and I was told that by volunteering once, it puts it on my contract (I don't know in whose universe). I tried to keep the conversation very civil, but his voice was actually raised at me when I was the one manipulated into it...as though I was doing something wrong by expressing that I said no three times. What makes me angry is that I DID say no, but it was twisted to a yes to be convenient. I would have gladly done the job if I was told they had looked and couldn't find anyone, but it was just assumed I would do it even though I said I would strongly prefer not to. I am very upset right now and am not sure what to do. I'm sure they know I'm not going to quit because I can't go anywhere...it's just the principle. I don't know if I should just let it go or tell them how badly the conversation made me feel. I was just trying to be polite and now I'm just SO pissed. I also thought it would be rude to say an outright no to a request by a superior to do a job, so I thought by saying "I would prefer not to," would be more respectful than saying "I will not do this."
Author mustangsally Posted August 1, 2011 Author Posted August 1, 2011 Wow. Thanks for the spam. It really helps my issue.
Zapbasket Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 Wow. Thanks for the spam. It really helps my issue. Well, it seems you have all the advice you really need--I know I always find that a very nice hotel in Israel solves most of my problems.... Sounds like unfortunate miscommunication on both sides. Your employer shouldn't have asked your preference if you ultimately were going to be required to do the job...and you shouldn't have said you'd do the job if they couldn't find anyone else, if you ultimately did not want to do it. It was lovely of you to be polite and willing to take one for the team; both of those qualities serve a person well both in personal and in professional life. But you have to learn to balance that with an ability to look out first and foremost for your own interests, and be assertive. Since you're not in a position to quit or threaten to quit on principle, I would certainly let your boss know how that conversation made you feel. It probably won't change things at this late date...but you'll have taught him that he cannot so glibly walk over you a second time.
Hot Chick Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 (edited) I would just do it with a smile on your face. Since you were difficult about it with your boss, you may have already signed on for a bad reference for a future job. It sounds like this job is no big deal, you said you didn't like it nor dislike it, so there's really no problem in you doing this job duty. Most people would do the job in order to make a good impression to their bosses, but you argued to get out of it. So now the good impression you originally made by volunteering to do a job duty is negated and you now have given your boss a negative view of you. A lot of contracts/job duties have the little clause "and other duties as assigned" so you may not even have a case at all in getting upset...don't know what your contract says though. I think the young people are getting attitudes about working. My sister owns a business and she has problems with young people out of high school and into their 20s and 30s griping about doing basic job duties and thinking it is a huge injustice to them to do the job they were paid to do. Yes, you say "but I wasn't paid to do that duty it is not on my contract, this other girl is supposed to do it, waaaaahhhhhhh!"...well you are paid to work at a camp, so work and do it with a smile. that is called work ethic and there is no injustice being done to you. In this economy, this is not good. You say you "can't quit" and you think you are irreplaceable and they won't fire you, but sorry, don't flatter yourself. In this economy, you are very replaceable...just some words of advice to those who have jobs and are griping! Edited August 1, 2011 by Hot Chick
Lucky_One Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 You offered to take the job over. You don't dislike the job - you just would prefer not to do it. You said you would continue the job if no one else could be found to do it. They had a girl, and possibly she did not do it to standard, just as your boss was unable to do it to standard, or possibly she hated it. So they gave it to you, as you said point-blank you would do it and that you don't dislike it. You learned a valuable lesson. If you volunteer for a job, you may get the job. In the future, if you don't want the job, then don't tell someone that you would take it if they can't find anyone else.
Star Gazer Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 You offered to take the job over. You don't dislike the job - you just would prefer not to do it. You said you would continue the job if no one else could be found to do it. They had a girl, and possibly she did not do it to standard, just as your boss was unable to do it to standard, or possibly she hated it. So they gave it to you, as you said point-blank you would do it and that you don't dislike it. You learned a valuable lesson. If you volunteer for a job, you may get the job. In the future, if you don't want the job, then don't tell someone that you would take it if they can't find anyone else. Just what I wanted to say.
Author mustangsally Posted August 1, 2011 Author Posted August 1, 2011 Honestly, it isn't about the job, it is how it was handled. I volunteered to take over for ONE session and I never verbally agreed to take over for the entire summer. There was no "other duties as assigned" clause. With this job, I do not get to work with kids, whereas others come to work drunk and are allowed to continue to work with the kids. This is a job that no one wants to do, so I did them a favor by volunteering in the first place. To be told I was given an option when I said no is enraging. The other girl argued her way out of it and told them she would either go home or do any other job but this, even though she was contracted to do it and I wasn't...I had simply verbally agreed to volunteer for one session. There was no effort made to seek out others who actually have the job on their contract and the guy in the middle basically lied to the boss to make sure I was continuing the job.
Author mustangsally Posted August 1, 2011 Author Posted August 1, 2011 Starting out your working life with a strict attitude about performing only those duties written out in your contract is a very bad idea that I've seen hundreds of times. During normal working hours, you should be willing to do pretty much any task your employer asks you to do that is within the general nature of the job, and if you find you do not like performing the duties, find another job. Summer camp work is beyond easy compared to other work, and that's why the pay is far below minimum wage on a per hour basis. The purpose of even having a contract is to establish you as an independent contractor instead of an employee, as far as it being there to protect you or give you rights in some way, dream on. This job is not within the realm of "normal summer camp" jobs. They hire a specific staff to do the job and them contract one or two people within the rest of the staff of 120 to do it. I was not contracted.
Author mustangsally Posted August 1, 2011 Author Posted August 1, 2011 You offered to take the job over. You don't dislike the job - you just would prefer not to do it. You said you would continue the job if no one else could be found to do it. They had a girl, and possibly she did not do it to standard, just as your boss was unable to do it to standard, or possibly she hated it. So they gave it to you, as you said point-blank you would do it and that you don't dislike it. You learned a valuable lesson. If you volunteer for a job, you may get the job. In the future, if you don't want the job, then don't tell someone that you would take it if they can't find anyone else. True, but it was also made clear later (three times to be exact) that I did not want to do the job, even as a last resort. The girl evidently threatened them in between.
Author mustangsally Posted August 1, 2011 Author Posted August 1, 2011 (edited) I would just do it with a smile on your face. Since you were difficult about it with your boss, you may have already signed on for a bad reference for a future job. It sounds like this job is no big deal, you said you didn't like it nor dislike it, so there's really no problem in you doing this job duty. Most people would do the job in order to make a good impression to their bosses, but you argued to get out of it. So now the good impression you originally made by volunteering to do a job duty is negated and you now have given your boss a negative view of you. A lot of contracts/job duties have the little clause "and other duties as assigned" so you may not even have a case at all in getting upset...don't know what your contract says though. I think the young people are getting attitudes about working. My sister owns a business and she has problems with young people out of high school and into their 20s and 30s griping about doing basic job duties and thinking it is a huge injustice to them to do the job they were paid to do. Yes, you say "but I wasn't paid to do that duty it is not on my contract, this other girl is supposed to do it, waaaaahhhhhhh!"...well you are paid to work at a camp, so work and do it with a smile. that is called work ethic and there is no injustice being done to you. In this economy, this is not good. You say you "can't quit" and you think you are irreplaceable and they won't fire you, but sorry, don't flatter yourself. In this economy, you are very replaceable...just some words of advice to those who have jobs and are griping! It's not about a specific duty. It is about an entire other job that has nothing to do with kids that another staff is hired in for. Most people would not do the job if asked...in fact, they have issues with everyone arguing their way out of it and even crying, even if they had signed a contract stating they would do the job. No one wants to take it because it means you have to work nights and most people are here to party and get drunk. I, however, am here to work with kids and this job puts me out of contact with them for most of the summer. Remember, this is not a simple "Make copies" or "Take the dog for a walk" or "Make sure the kids are in bed" thing. This is a completely different job than what I signed on for and was hired to do. I volunteered as a favor to them because I knew they were having such trouble finding staff doing the job. I didn't volunteer to become part of the staff permanently, and I said that to them several times. And actually, you are not replaceable at a summer camp. They hire exactly how many people they need. People have done far worse things than arguing out of a job and are still here (like showing up to work drunk repeatedly or threatening to quit if they are told to do a specific job or leaving children unattended regularly). Edited August 1, 2011 by mustangsally
D-Lish Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 You've made me curious what the job is. In any job there will be extra duties your employer will ask you to do that aren't a part of your job description.
Lucky_One Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 I'm now curious as to what sort of freaking summer camp you are at that the supervisory staff is so incompetent that they allow workers to come in drunk to work with kids.
Author mustangsally Posted August 1, 2011 Author Posted August 1, 2011 You've made me curious what the job is. In any job there will be extra duties your employer will ask you to do that aren't a part of your job description. um, obviously. However, I was hired to teach a class in which I have a degree in (and do other activities as necessary). I did it once and received favorable reviews from the staff and students. I noticed they were having issues filling this particular position, so I volunteered to do it with the expectation that I wouldn't be doing it again and was doing a favor because it is such a difficult job to find people for. The job is to sit up all night in the children's hallway and give them medication during the night if they need it since the counsellors do not sleep with the kids. I am not a big partier, but that's the reason why most people argue their way out of the job: it prevents you from "partying." I am angry that I was forced to do the job again because it wasn't on my contract to begin with and it limits my ability to be with the kids, which is why I came to camp. The staff doesn't KNOW the workers are drunk coming into work, but it happens a lot. The same guy that turned my "No unless it's a last resort" into a "yes" also encouraged a couple of people with my job to "blow off work and come party" because they are two of his favorites. As I said, I am not the only person to ever say I didn't want to do this job. Others have cried, threatened to quit, etc. if they did it, even though they signed a contract with it.
D-Lish Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 um, obviously. However, I was hired to teach a class in which I have a degree in (and do other activities as necessary). I did it once and received favorable reviews from the staff and students. I noticed they were having issues filling this particular position, so I volunteered to do it with the expectation that I wouldn't be doing it again and was doing a favor because it is such a difficult job to find people for. The job is to sit up all night in the children's hallway and give them medication during the night if they need it since the counsellors do not sleep with the kids. I am not a big partier, but that's the reason why most people argue their way out of the job: it prevents you from "partying." I am angry that I was forced to do the job again because it wasn't on my contract to begin with and it limits my ability to be with the kids, which is why I came to camp. The staff doesn't KNOW the workers are drunk coming into work, but it happens a lot. The same guy that turned my "No unless it's a last resort" into a "yes" also encouraged a couple of people with my job to "blow off work and come party" because they are two of his favorites. As I said, I am not the only person to ever say I didn't want to do this job. Others have cried, threatened to quit, etc. if they did it, even though they signed a contract with it. I'd be pissed too. And you say they have told you that you'll be doing this for the rest of the summer instead of teaching the class they hired you to teach? If the main reason you came to camp was to interact with the kids and that's not going to be happening... I would want to quit, but you're not going to find another job mid-summer. Can't you go back to your boss and reason with him?
Author mustangsally Posted August 1, 2011 Author Posted August 1, 2011 I'd be pissed too. And you say they have told you that you'll be doing this for the rest of the summer instead of teaching the class they hired you to teach? If the main reason you came to camp was to interact with the kids and that's not going to be happening... I would want to quit, but you're not going to find another job mid-summer. Can't you go back to your boss and reason with him? No. As I told you, I was yelled at and told I was "making him angry" by questioning his decisions and that I should be grateful. I was also told that by volunteering once, I was verbally agreeing to do it whenever, which is not the case. There was also some debate on whether I was doing it or not, but the girl who it was on her contract was so upset that they decided to shaft me instead. So she gets to work with kids the entire summer and I only get to 1/3 because she won't compromise and do a little bit of this job. She has known about it for six months, and then at the last minute, I was put on it because she won't bend and my words were twisted. I can't quit...there are a multitude of reasons.
Hot Chick Posted August 1, 2011 Posted August 1, 2011 Oh my gosh, that job sounds so easy, and you do get to interact with kids to some extent (who need meds), just live with it or quit.
Author mustangsally Posted August 2, 2011 Author Posted August 2, 2011 Oh my gosh, that job sounds so easy, and you do get to interact with kids to some extent (who need meds), just live with it or quit. Not the point. It's not the job I was hired to do. You yammered on about doing things that are not part of your job description. When I was hired initially to teach a class, I was asked to do many things that are not part of my job description and I didn't care (such as organize non-related activities). But I travelled far to be here so I can't just quit. And I'm pretty pissed that others won't sacrifice any of their time after I sacrificed mine willingly. And I'm pissed that I got treated like a child and yelled at after saying no to the position at least four times (once initially and then made it clear later).
Author mustangsally Posted August 2, 2011 Author Posted August 2, 2011 And the easy thing is annoying because there is no challenge to the job...which is partly why I decided to come here.
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