Tuesday was a most trying day. It started out easy enough. Wake up, check my email, do some internet surfing, get ready for work. It looked like I would get to work early, then we slowed down three exits before mine. Bah!
My sister called me just as I got to the parking lot. Our aunt was having emergency surgery, which just made me all nervous as I walked into the building. I kept saying the most simple prayer. “Don’t go.”
When I got through the North-South Corridor, the door to the front of the building was being worked on so I had to go through a different section. By the time I got to the locker room I had about 3 minutes to dress. I didn’t get to my desk on time.
About fifteen minutes into my shift, the sergeant called me into his office to give me a memo from the commander at payroll. The sgt told me I needed to watch out about dealing with a commander, etc. I agreed, said my peace and walked out with the commander’s memo in hand. When I read it, I was STEAMED.
“I apologize for the error and have taken steps to correct your pay.” Etc. No big deal.
Then we get to the next paragraph:
“While researching these issues I noticed your submitted timesheet had been altered from the master timesheet… Specifically, the timesheet had the shaded areas colored and typing appeared at the bottom of the timesheet. While these are relatively minor issues and are in no way offered as excuses for payroll’s failure to record your time properly, I would appreciate it if you would not alter your timesheet in the future.”
HOLD ON. Of course my timesheet is altered from the master timesheet. I have to put my name on it. I have to put my hours on it. I have to put the times I work. We’re getting a little petty, aren’t we, bringing up the “shaded areas” that are “colored.” So what if I changed the color? I didn’t realize it wasn’t allowed.
Now here’s the paragraph that got me MAD. The “tone” of my memo. Read on:
“Now, I would like to address a more important issue and that is the tone of your memo. While I understand your frustration caused by Payroll’s error, I would like to remind you that you are expected to treat others with courtesy and respect when attempting to resolve work related issues. Your memo does not do that. In fact, your memo is demanding and disrespectful.”
So, how should I take his “tone” in that paragraph? First he brings up petty shit about the shaded areas being colored and now it’s the “demanding and disrespectful” TONE of my memo? I didn’t realize I was supposed to kiss ass when inquiring about my rightful pay.
I will concede that I was demanding. But I WAS NOT disrespectful. I did not call the payroll clerks a bunch of freakin’ idiots. I did not cuss or do anything of the like. Okay, I used four capital-lettered words: TIMELY, ESPECIALLY, ALWAYS, and LATEST. Perhaps I was wrong to state that I expected a timely resolution to Payroll’s error. It’s obvious that I shouldn’t expect shit from them even if I do my timesheet perfectly. But hey, I don’t expect them to be perfect. But I do expect a correction in a timely manner. A month or more IS NOT TIMELY! Is it? And why shouldn’t I be frustrated? This is the fourth or fifth time this has happened. The last time it took over a month to resolve.
But what gets me is that I wrote from a position of FRUSTRATION. I know I have no power over how or when they resolve their mistakes. I cannot believe that this man, this COMMANDER, took the time to write a page long memo to me about the tone of my memo.
Do I respond with how insulting his memo was? And how is he going to respond to my second memo? I had to send one because I hadn’t heard anything from anyone in payroll until today. Will I suffer repercussions from my memo, which was perceived in the wrong light?
Hmm, we shall see.
Oh, and here’s the part of my memo that he probably thought was demanding and disrespectful:
I expect a swift and TIMELY resolution to this situation, ESPECIALLY in light of the fact that the error belongs to Payroll, not to me. As my timesheet clearly shows, I worked shift 2 for all hours, as ALWAYS. I expect the difference paid to me by pay period 04-02, at the LATEST.
Who did I disrespect? I’ll admit I was demanding, but I’m sure no one was cowering in their boots because of my memo.
So, do I respond? I dunno…
AND WORK SUCKED!
In general, it was a sucky day at work. I hauled ass all day and managed to finish right on time. But I’m so tired. And so mad still.
My sister called with an update about our aunt. She came through the surgery and is doing all right. I’m so glad. 🙂
another one from The Life
If any of you actually read all my rantings, I’d be surprised. 😉 But if you did, thanks. I really needed to vent…
