When the boss is a jerk

L A Daily News ^ | ELLEN SIMON

[CIB-173RDABN]

That, unfortunately, is the key to surviving a career in public school teaching these days. Teachers who start with a passion to teach children are soon confronted with so many obstacles to that goal that the only thing to do is quit or "check out" while continuing in the job. Initiative is buried under the stifling layers of local, state, and federal regulations that squeeze the joy out of teaching.

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Years ago I was a medical technician. I got a position at a VA Hospital. I already had five years expierence in the public sector and was totally unprepared for work as a public employee.

In the private sector the shifts were always fully staffed. In the VA Hospital I worked in, the shifts were always understaffed. There were more treatment request then could be handled by the staff on duty. So the treatment request were piled high on a table, and when you came on for your shift you would be expected to go through the stack and decide for yourself which treatments to do, or not do.

I had the misfortune to work with someone that has been with the VA for years, and he did not do anything but watch TV.

I finally complained to the Medical Director about the situation. Nothing was done, I got fed up after less then six months, and quit. Shortly after I left the medical field completely.

My skills, my knowledge, my expierece, and my passion, was not wanted. They just needed a body to fill the shift. It is a shame, but that is public service.

[Ditter]

Talking about your "heavy flow" is a good start but then you should describe it to him. Tell him what it looks like, smells like, feels like and when he tries to walk away, follow him still talking. You could give him a complete rundown of PMS and some of the awful things you have done to others while you are under it's influence. Like the time you put dog poop in the front seat of your ex boyfriends car but of course, you are not like that anymore. The medication helped but you need to see the doctor to get your prescription re filled. ;*)

[radar101]

You have an enviable signature:
Combat Infantry Badge--173 Airborne

An old phrase:
Bureacracy: The death of enthusiasm.

[CORedneck]

In my previous job, I had the boss from hell. He was such a micromanager and he didn't like his subordinates taking too much time off at once (vacation). Everyday, I am glad I don't work for that @$$hole.

Here are some of his stunts:

1. When I interviewed for a new job within the same company but different project, he said I had to ask him permission to take time off for the interview even though he never cared before when I came and gone.

2. He said that vacation is a company benefit but when and how you take it is considered a privilege. He basically said that you had to give at least a month's notice before taking time, reasonable and fair but he would never approve until a week before and don't even try to get it more than a week away. So much for getting plane fair cheaply.

3. In the facility I worked at, we didn't have enough bathrooms (toilets) for the number of people on the given floor (5th). I usually go to the 3rd floor bathroom when I needed to use the library option since there was never traffic there. One of his "favored" boys saw me and reported me and I was called into his office. I was chewed out and he asked why the 5th floor bathrooms are not good enough for me. He then told me to use the 5th floor bathroom from now on even if I had to wait 15 minutes for a toilet to open up.

4. I sometimes drive a beater truck and one day, I was told not to park the by the building since it is an eyesore or it will be towed.

I am curious from others concerning their bosses from hell....

[Volunteer]

I work in academia. No money, lots of ego, and very little work being done.

[true_blue_texican]

"I see you are leaving early two days this month for doctor appointments. Is there anything wrong? Why are you going to the doctor?"

"It's really my psychiatrist. I'm just discussing my homicidal fantasies with him."

[007girl]

I had a boss that always asked, "did you get the memo"?...

[wbill]

Remember that as a subordinate, you can either make your boss look really good, or really bad.

I had a POS boss at my last job. Guy used to have a Napolean Complex and would bully his subordinates regularly. He had hired a bunch of non-boat-rocking, co-dependent people that put up with his crap....then I came along.

Guy ALSO used to sleep everywhere...meetings, his car, his office. I covered for him at first, but after a few undeserved butt chewings, I stopped, and just answered questions truthfully. "Where's your boss?" "He's asleep in his office."

The guy didn't last long in his position. He got promoted (LOL!) but was not in charge of anyone - he worked 'special projects'. Not sure if he's still with the company.

[Hoodlum91]

My boss announced to all of us that she had a gyno appointment and was leaving for the day.

That's a bit TMI as well!

[gawatchman]

This sounds a lot like the company I presently work for-also a data storage company. A coworker of mine commited suicide by shooting himself in a customer's data center 2 years ago. It is still brutal in some places.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

My phrase is "covering ignorance with arrogance." I LOVE when managers try to tell me how to solve the IT problems. If they get cocky I simply tell them my poor skills are not match for theirs and go ahead and do it to their own satisfaction.

There are two types of people here... The ignorant who don't know what they are talking about and those who intentionally attempt setting you up for failure... it is important to distinguish between them...

[KarlInOhio]

I would just love it if a nosy person asked me questions like that. I would come up with the most disgusting set of diseases and symptoms that would make him vomit as I recalled each one.

The flip side of that is an employee who abuses sick leave. I had a job at a small office away from the main office. Because we were a remote office, we had to send in our time sheets early and estimate the last day or two's work for the pay period. One employee always seemed to get "sick" that last day of the pay period after time sheets were turned in so it wouldn't be put on his formal time record at HR. It was so regular that the other workers would say "It's the 31st so XXXXX is going to be off sick today."

[Sloth]

He cannot legally ask that question. It is a violation of the HIPA Law.

Nonsense. They can ask whatever they want. From the employer's position, HIPAA only applies to information obtained through their group health insurance, not information voluntarily provided by the employee.

[Sunshine Sister]

I'm in a unique position. No one else can do what I do. I can fill in in a lot of places so that makes me valuable.

I don't socialize with my coworkers either. When it's time to go home I leave. If someone else is in a pickle, I'm sorry but it's not my responsibility.

[ThomasThomas]

Most of my bosses have been pretty good. Mainly because the hire almost exclusively from with in the department. I do not travel much but once I rounded a tip up from a restaurant bill from .97 to a dollar on a expense report and he wouldn't pay the .03.

[Just another Joe]

something along the lines that burning bridges behind you ensures added dedication to your mission.

Boy did I burn bridges.
At my exit interview I had my boss (the manager), his boss (the regional manager), and the president of the company (because I knew him personally).

I told my manager that if I ever saw him getting mugged in an alley, I'd wait till they were done and then get my kicks in.
I told the regional manager that if I ever saw him getting mugged in an alley, I'd wait till they were done and then come and laugh in his face.
I told the president of the company that if he ever wanted me to work for his company again, he'd have to fire both of them and double whatever I was making at the time.

I didn't just burn bridges, I exploded bridges at that company.

[Clioman]

"I see you are leaving early two days this month for doctor appointments. Is there anything wrong? Why are you going to the doctor?"

Try this: "I used to be a postal worker, and I had to quit before the stress made me do something...horrible. I thought this job might not be as stressful, but..."

[sbMKE]

The term "mucus plug" devoid of any other context should shut down questioning bosses.

[Jaded]

Where to start?

[ladyjane]

whoa - you had to mention DEC. What a strange place.

I was brought in as a consultant there and could not believe what a socialist paradise it was. The group I worked with had one member who nobody had seen for 3 months. Supposedly computer screens gave him headaches. (yes, that and alcohol)

A friend of mine owned a lot of DEC stock and after a week out there I told him to SELL IMMEDIATELY. He did, fortunately.

The president of DEC Ken Olson didn't believe in desk top computers and stayed out of that market until it was too late. They had one incredibly good product, the VAX, and they frittered away those profits like a drunken lottery winner.

A perfect example socialism at its worst. After the company went under former employees had to hide the fact on their resumes. Nobody would touch them.