h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

K picked me up yesterday and we discussed the situation. I've written my boss a letter and will see how he responds. If he continues to scream and yell and make me feel backed into a corner, I will do what I have to do to put a stop to it, even if that means leaving. But at least this way I've tried and he can't go behind my back and tell the unemployment adjudicators that I'd been guilty of misconduct. Here's the letter:

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Dear xxxx;

I am writing this letter in anticipation of our morning briefing for Friday, February 4th, 2005. I feel better able to communicate my perception of some issues I know we both would like to see addressed if I am able to do so in a clear, concise manner which allows you the opportunity to give me feedback without distraction and without taking up time which could be spent servicing customers.

There has apparently been some misunderstanding or misinterpretation on my part of various responsibilities and aspects of the day-to-day operations of the company. Bearing in mind that while I have extensive experience in purchasing, merchandising, stock replenishment, etc, most of this experience has been with large companies with well-documented mission statements and policies, and Profit and Loss systems based on quarterly or even annual earnings. It is an adjustment, then, for me to learn the ins and outs of a business that needs to maintain its progress on the basis of daily income and expenditures.

It causes me a great deal of pain and frustration to feel that you might think I have, or even that I would, waste the company’s- and ultimately your- hard-earned money through indiscriminate and/or frivolous expenditures. I am actually extremely careful and frugal with my personal expenditures and can function very well on a structured budget. And I am conscientious enough that when I am givenn directions I will follow them, to the best of my ability, to the very letter. But while I am perfectly capable of working well without guidance and supervision, I realize that working for a smaller business means I need to seek direction frequently. I feel that I do not have all of the necessary tools and guidelines to do this effectively a great deal of the time.

I’m more than willing to do whatever is necessary to alleviate parts issues and spending problems. I would be happy to obtain your consent in writing- even if it is just your signature on the Call List next to the purchase price- before making any purchase for an item not for stock replenishment, if this would ensure that you have approved the expenditure and that I have understood you correctly. I in no way want to do anything that creates hardship for you, myself, or any other company employee. Quite the contrary; I want to contribute in ways that are mutually beneficial and make everyone’s job easier.

If there are to be set guidelines for purchasing and pricing of items that I am unable to supply from inventory or obtain, fairly inexpensively, from salvage, then I need to know exactly what those guidelines are. I can assure you that if I have a policy to work with, I will not deviate from that policy without your given consent.

I am sorry if you feel that I’ve been careless in pricing or outsourcing parts and/or harnesses. I assure you I am only trying to work under what I thought was a policy of never losing a job or turning down a sale. It was not my intention to cause financial hardship or to seem irresponsible or uncaring. All I’ve wanted is to help, and to make everyone happy.

While I make every effort to respect you and your wishes, I do feel a need to let you know how upsetting it is to be shouted at and cursed at. I do not think it would be appropriate, under any circumstances, for me to treat you in this manner, and I think it only reasonable that I should be able to expect the same from you. To be shouted at, cursed at, or humiliated, is hurtful, demeaning, and humiliating. It is even more so when it is done in front of other employees, even if only on speakerphone. Verbal intimidation and profanity constitutes harassment, and is something I do not take kindly to and will not allow myself to be subjected to. I hope that, moving forward, you and I can communicate with each other in a professional, mutually respectful fashion.

I know that I am a conscientious, hard-working, intelligent person, and believe that with the proper support and guidance from you, I can help you accomplish all of the things you want to with your business. And I would love to be the person to do this. If, however, you do not feel confident that we can work together in a way that is mutually supportive and beneficial, then perhaps it would be in both our best interests if we were to part ways as amicably as possible. Should you find that this is the best possible solution to the issues at hand, I will do everything in my power to ensure a smooth transition for you and will continue to perform my duties to the best of my abilities until you have found a suitable replacement. I certainly do not want to leave you, James, or your customers, “holding the bag”, so to speak. My only request, should this be the route you choose to take, is that you bear in mind that I will also need to seek other employment opportunities and ask your cooperation in allowing me to communicate and/or meet with prospective employers in the interim.

I really do hope that we can work to resolve these issues involving purchasing and stock replenishment to both of our satisfaction and can move forward in an atmosphere of teamwork and good communication, and that I can help the business flourish and gain an impeccable reputation industry-wide.

Thank you for your time and consideration to my concerns. I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
xxxxxxxxx
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I porbably won't be online from work today because I need to use any chance I have to check email and get in touch with K. I'll let you all know when I get home- whatever time that may be- how things went today.

Its a great letter and more than he deserves. I would have mentioned the money you lent him, just to be bitchy, but I guess they may not be constructive. I will be waiting to hear how this goes for you.

Good luck.

I'd say that's one well covered ass.

The boss has apparently read my letter. He did come out and apologize to J and myself for "going off". And announced a meeting at 11:00 for "delegation of responsibilities". So, I'll get through the day all right.

But this in no way means that I am not going to keep looking for a better opportunity elsewhere.

At least I've got my ass well covered in the meantime. It's much too cold out to have it exposed.

Take the bugger to court if he doesn't stop being so stupid.

Keep a diary of all the evidence of unlawful abuse of an employee.

Make sure you have bank statements to prove you lent the swine money and if the paycheck bounces, act quickly.

Monitor the temperature in the workplace, try and get someone neutral to witness this.

Certainly keep looking for another (decent!) job meanwhile.

Tell him "Hey mister, you can't seem to run your company very well, shall i do it instead? If so, i set my own salary, terms and conditions."

As for penguin killer....don't forget, i have his email

zdt*in militant mode, now being hunted by the debt collectors 'cos of the old battle with Bloody Tiscali, if anyone can find the thread on here where i discussed it with half the world, please do, i need the evidence and it got lost when my old beast died*

Oh gawd, well I'm glad he read the letter and sort of apologised in a very meagre way.

with better opportunties...stuff him..make some voodoo dollies...I know a good witch or two

Er...did i hear my name being mentioned????



*wanders off to find a few suitable pins*

zdt

I've been saving lumps of wax when I burn my candles. It's funny, because the other day K asked me why I was saving the wax, when I can't re-use it for candles (it lowers the flash point and can cause dangerous combustion problems). He actually asked me if I was using it to make voodoo dolls. (I'm actually using it for something else.)

A voodoo doll, however, sounds like an excellent idea.

Uh oh...remind me not to piss any of you lot off..

Whats wrong with saving wax, I collect it up and then melt it into new candle pots. I've been doing it for years and never had a problem.

Not that there's anything wrong with saving wax in and of itself. Reusing burnt candle wax lowers its flash point, and I'm far too accident prone to mess with anything more combustible than absolutely necessary.

Vix, I assure you that you could never p*ss me off enough to warrant a voodoo doll. That's reserved for ignorant employers and ex-boyfriends.

Speaking of employers... our meeting today was at least constructive. I don't have to quit in the heat of a moment, and I'm not getting fired any time soon. In fact, he wants me to run an ad for someone to assist me and do the interviewing as well. We also set some guidelines for delegation of responsibility and pricing. He admitted that it was wrong to hire me as a supervisor and then leave me with no one in my department to supervise. He also admitted that most of the misunderstanding is HIS fault. I've every intention of finding another position elsewhere, but it still helps to have guidelines I can work within without having to worry about being guilty of misconduct or anything.

Sounds to me like he was eating humble pie for the sake of it because he doesn't want to be left up sh!t creek without a paddle - namely you, and still needs a swift kick up the jacksie..or two..three or four, or perhaps you know - a run o' the mill beating with a two by four by pissy hootoo'ers.

Fingers and eyes crossed that you get outa there quick...

Aw, fanx, luv. I hope so, too, but... it feels SOOOOOOOOOO much better to hear folks I love and respect say so.

That sounds as though your boss is seeing sense. If he does hire an assistant for you though, will he be able to afford to pay them? It also sounds as though he has lost a lot of business this past week due to money mis-management, so will the business keep going anyway?

Anyway, I hope you find something wonderful soon PC, lots and lots of luck!

So PC did the check go through and was the loan re-payed by your boss?

Yes, that's the main point. You shouldn't be left out of pocket. good that he seems to be crawling out of the hole he dug for himself, but make sure it's backed up by action.

Wax. Interesting stuff. You know those babybel cheeses, wrapped up in nice coochy coo wax, we save the wax and RK creates little figures from them, we have a nice little group of musicians on top of the stereo now.

Just made a new box, well, it's not really a box at all, it's a birdcage i found in the street. Now lined with red velvet and containing a mannikin and various strange spiky and vaguely phallic plantlife. Mannikin is in fact symbolically womankin and has its own rope to escape with. Box is framed in goat fur of course, as you would expect.


*ah, RK arrives with......

of all things, a candle. Which I have constructed carefully out of aforementioned babybel wax, using a bit of rolled tissue for a wick. It's a pity it won't get made into the final musician for the group, which would have been the drummer but I felt like making a fully-functional light source instead. Yesterday, headphones. Today, candles. Tomorrow, the bomb. There's no stopping me now.

*ahem* Yeeeeessss, hmmm, this person resides in my attic, plus i have stray vikings lurking in my bedroom. Honestly, it's not surprising sometimes people are concerned about visiting here.

zdt

Hello everybody! Not much to say today ... only, PC I hope your work situation improves or that you find something better. Your boss really did behave like an a**hole.

The birdcage sounds cool Terri.

It does Terri !

It looks like the pay check didn't bounce, and our book keeper reimbursed me for $5 of the $5.43 that my boss borrowed last week. Doesn't change the fact that I cannot afford to live on what he's paying me: I wish he'd just told me the truth and we both could've found better matches.

Had a nice weekend, though. Bought a few books yesterday (K had a gift certificate he got for Xmas and used it up, I got three books for myself as well), went to the grocery store, and watched a couple of DVDs. Saturday we hung out at his place and played with Herman, listened to some tunes, then went out for Japanese food. Yummy! We had adamames (steamed soy beans lightly salted) and suki yaki.

Only three more hours till it's time to go home! K's not working yet, so has offered to pick me up. I'll be able to check back while he's at band practice; I'll just be washing clothes. Hope everyone else is doing all right.

Terri, love the bird cage idea. I've shown a few people my cheese box and everyone has loved it thus far.