At the Job

(original blog was deleted on accident)
I sent my supervisor and the president of the college this letter this morning.

Dear Scott and Dr.J,

First this is to inform you Scott, I will be leaving early today. In the last 48 hours I have had around maybe 4-6 hours of sleep, and I feel horrible because of it. I have the sick leave, and am about to use it.

The reason I have had such little sleep, is because recently I have had a lot on my mind. I have made the decision to play a more proactive role in my life. It seems for the first 27 years of my life, I have sat back row, waiting for things to happen, instead of making them happen. I have decided recently that this needs to change, and the only way that is going to happen is to make it change. Which brings me to the point of this letter.

I have been applying to several different positions around the state. Mostly I have been applying for computer tech positions in the Little Rock/Conway area. For some reason I have a strong feeling I would enjoy living in this area. However, it is not my wish to leave Ozarka College. I love my job here, and take pride in doing the work here. As an ex-student, I know how important this College is, and how much of an impact on one’s life it can have. However, the financial situation is one of a few reasons I wish to seek employment elsewhere. I have been a employee of this college, 4 years coming this August. I have helped in many tasks in improving the quality of education we give to our students, that we give to the community, and it is work I take great pride in. However, in these last 4 years, I have never received a substantial raise. As listed by O.P.M., the starting pay for my position is 7.67 an hour (15,964 a year). My current hourly pay is 7.98, which on a 26 pay period year comes out to about 16,600 dollars a year. So, in 3 years I have accumulated around a .31 raise. In the aspect of the business world, that is kind of a miniscule raise don’t you think?

For the last two years now, I have asked for a raise, and the last two years I have been denied. I can understand this last year, my attendance has been less then acceptable. This is something I am willing to admit, something I have confessed to Scott is an issue, and something I have been working on improving. An explanation for some of my lack of attendance can be explained, but excuses still will not make up for the issue. Yet, I still plan on explaining.

In order for a person to work, he needs to know that he can advance, to know that he is not only working to improve the productivity of the business as a whole, but he is working to advance that career, to obtain a higher status. When, I was turned down for the first raise, I will admit I was down trotted. I felt like I was knocked off my horse. Twice, and it was even more of a moral breaker. I have always given my tasks 110%, done my best to get the job done, and done correctly. Things don’t always work that way, but I always gave my best effort to do what needed to be done. But after having taken a few blows to your moral, giving 110% isn’t always as easy as it used to be. It’s hard to dust yourself off, and get back up on that horse, when you feel your going end up face down again.

Another reason, I have slowly come to feel ill at ease with a fellow co-worker. If this gets me fired then so be it, but I am going to say it. The fellow co-worker I feel ill at ease around is ####. #### has a problem, and I don’t know if anyone is brave enough to tell him he has one. Since I have began working here, I have been subjected to his problem. In one instance, we went to one of his friends houses, in a company vehicle, on company time, to retrieve Prescription Medication, a medication not prescribed to ####, for his own personal use. I have been solicited by Mr. #### to obtain from a friend of mine prescription medication not prescribed to Mr. ####, in exchange for an illegal substance. I have worked with Mr. #### or been exposed to him while he is under influence of prescription medication, whether the medication was actually prescribed to him or not I cannot determine, one time I know for sure it was a medication not prescribed to Mr. ####. I have also been solicited by Mr. #### on one or more occasion to take trips out to his home, and partake in using so said illegal substance. Mr. #### has told me these things in confidence, knowing damn well that what he was doing is against company policy, but there is only so much one person can take, before he no longer feels comfortable around an individual, especially when the individual is someone you work with/under.

The combination of the aforementioned reasons, is why I am seeking employment elsewhere. As I have stated, I do not wish to leave, but as I feel I am in a situation where I have no choice, I am going to do so. As soon as I receive a confirmation that I am to receive a position at one of the businesses I have applied for I will be giving both of you my two-weeks’ notice.

I am sending out this e-mail as one last attempt of giving my position here at Ozarka. As I have stated I do not wish to leave my position here, but unless things are changed, I cannot not honestly agree on too staying on as an employee. This is my outcry, and outcry of a normally quiet and laid back employee, but enough is enough, and something needs to change, and if it does not, as I said I will be leaving.

Sincerely,

JB

Yes I should have proof read it before sending it. I was extremely tired when I typed out, not to mention nervous as hell.

Luckily I wasn't fired for it, in fact when I spoke to my supervisor after sending it, he agreed with me totally and completely. I haven't heard from the President as of yet, but my supervisor assured me I was not going to get fired over it.

As for the people who posted comments before, saying that I was too personal in the letter. Welcome to Rural Arkansas, where everyone knows everybody. Nothing happens here without it being personal. Working here is less like working for a company, and more like working with a family of friends, so yeah it was personal.

And as for the Psycho comment, I'll take it as a compliment.

Posted by elvendarkmage on Tue Jun 3, 2008 @ 3:40 pm EDT | 5 Comments