Transitions, part 1

How hard is it? Plenty, when you're dealing with Manglement at the Hotel.

Here's my transition plan as of this week:

1. Get e-mail from Second-in-command Assistant Chief Nurse Mangler:
Go right ahead and see X, since she's been running the clinic while we've been waiting for you to get hired. We'll let you know when your start date is later, because we're waiting for people to come back from sick leave and the new hires to start.

2. I discuss specifics with my department Nurse Mangler.
NM: "Sure. Set up time with X and let me know what's going on."

3. I call X, set up appointment, come in on day off. I have to do this since NM can't possibly let me leave for a minute to go up two floors to see X for one hour, even though some of his/her favorites park in the cafeteria three blocks away while on duty for longer time periods than that.

NM is okay with this plan and it's confirmed via e-mail and verbally by conversation in hall with several witnesses present.

4. Meet X on my day off and get items I need to set up for a learning plan in the Hotels' Learning System. Total time for this, including printout of manual: two hours. As a result of this meeting, also advise NM that I have to attend another quarterly department meeting this week before I work an evening shift.

NM: Fine, just get to work on time.

5. Now after investing this much time in meetings, learning plan setup, etc., NM tells me I will not be compensated for my time to attend meetings, etc., until I start in the new position (which is the same department, but a different "cost center" per accounting.) Otherwise, "if I let you off for comp time, you're stealing time from this unit." (yes, this was a direct quote)

6. WTF?! Express "concern about lack of compensation" with a straight face and proceed to assemble everything for HR.

7. Notify X that I will have to start training later, which sets off its own cascade of idiocy all the way up to the boss of the center.

8. Get call from center boss. Center boss says "hold tight and we'll straighten this out. You won't lose anything"

And they wonder why people are so frustrated! If this was not my dream job, I'd run straight out the door.

Stay tuned for the continuing saga, because drama at the Hotel is new everyday. 

Some types of compensation

You get right away, like your paycheck. Some organizations, in an effort to save money, give you time instead.

Since Madison makes this time expire, I was very fortunate to have to use some of it this week. Consequently, I have been enjoying a glorious Friday, with beautiful weather, going to lunch with the SU folks at their meeting. I even did some networking.

It is so warm I can actually go out and hose off some of the salt off my car. Since I got back, I have been lollygagging around the house reading some books for class and soon, Dahey and I will be celebrating the weekend and a babysitter by going out to dinner.

Some things are worth the wait. Don't let your good times expire. Stay tuned!