at least someone gave me a rose today, so that's okay

[foxtongue]

porphyreleap by jason c meyers

In the hopes of impressing my office enough to finally garner full employee status and get new health plan discounted glasses, I spent a significant amount of my holiday signed in to work remotely, meticulously going through everything I could think of, so all our files would be perfectly updated for the coming year, with no more clients slipping through the cracks or being misplaced due to spelling mistakes. (The number of people who sign up with commas for periods in their e-mail addresses is simply ridiculous). I signed in when I got up and again after dinner almost every day of the holiday, without fail. "Notice what a shiny, industrious little go getter you've got on your hands," I hoped. "See how I've gone through the worst of our dreary lists with a fine tooth comb, straightening everything up!" Even through the weekend, it turns out, because who pays attention to what day it is when on holiday, when what I really wanted to be doing was deleriously playing out in the snow.

Guess what backfired.

I filed my hours today and got a letter back, "Can you account for these hours?" Bafflement turned to shock turned to hurt when the term "honor system" was mentioned. I immediately saw what the problem was: Holidays are for Days You Do Not Have To Pay Your Employees. Apparently we were only ever meant to check in, not actively seek out what else we could manage to do, so now not only did it turn out that I worked those weekends for free, my employers might be questioning my work ethic! I don't know if there's any office accusation as depressing. Bah. Argh. Hate. I'm not one of those flaky "my word is my bond" types, but damn do I hate being even slightly accused of being a liar. I still occasionally feel terrible about how I misremembered who was in a story about spilling coffee on William Gibson from when I was fifteen. That's how much it galls me. Going back on Monday is not going to be fun.

I'm still glad about what I accomplished, but now, instead of being pleased to be back, I'm simply morose.

Comments

[sr-smith.livejournal.com]

That can't feel good. My only suggestion when you get back to work is to sit down with your boss and say "Ok - I understand that I won't get paid for holidays, which I lost track of but that's ok. Here, let me go through what I accomplished with you. I didn't take notes, because - hey - I was on holidays." Be open and up front, and keep your expectations low, but hopefully if your boss has any sense at all, he or she will realize that you did do a lot of work that needed doing when everyone else was getting pie eyed on rum balls and eggnog, and even if it turns out they can't pay you for all of those hours, at least they can appreciate what you've done.

[drcuriosity]

That's a good suggestion.

I hate being accused of being a liar, too. That's one insult that's fightin' words for me. In that situation, though, all you can really do is grit your teeth and try to make the best of it.

Pragmatically speaking, it is pretty much the perfect time to be doing that kind of work, seeing as no-one else will be working on the files over the holiday period and so there would be minimal disruption.

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to know you think similarly. Ah well.

Now I know better.

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

That's the e-mail I sent back, yeah. The free weekend was the compromise I suggested, as I was the dummy who didn't understand what vacation time is meant to be. I'm sure it won't be that big a deal, it's just that it struck such a bad chord, one that particularly resonates.

[kylecassidy.livejournal.com]

wait, you spilled coffee on william gibson?!

[ericastratton.livejournal.com]

yes, we must hear more about this coffee incident.

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

I refuse to verify the veractiy of that statement on the grounds that some things are just downright embarassing.

[coffeeman.livejournal.com]

Fuck those douchebags.

I would play this as "well, I'm willing to tkae one for the team this one and not bill for those hours, but here's what I was doing at that time"

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

They're not bad people, there was just a misunderstanding. We were rally only meant to just check in. Take some time off. Have a real holiday. It's just that every time I've been out of office, I've been travelling somewhere and working from there, as many hours as I can spare. I'm not accustomed to offices, I'm still figuring out how they tick.

[tashamonster.livejournal.com]

uh, that's crappy. I was going to suggest something like what other folks have mentioned but it sounds like you have it under control. *hugs*

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

Monday's actually turning out to be not so bad.

[superjill.livejournal.com]

In addition to the great suggestion of the first commentator:

Hopefully also they'll start to notice how much better everything works now that you've fixed it all.

Good luck.

I feel better reading this post knowing that I'm not the only one who makes faux pas having had the best of intentions.

:)

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

Heh. I hope so. There's been some restructuring lately, so I really hope this helps.

[bunnihead.livejournal.com]

I've had that issue happen in the past, and I let my indignation and temper get the better of me. The results were unpleasant and led me to the cynical work ethic of don't slack but also don't excel because it simply won't be appreciated. Which is crap. Frankly I'd have lost it on them. I have a hard time accepting that there is no way for them to track the amount of time you were logged in. The 'honor system' is simply a method for an employer to take advantage of their employee. I hope your cooler head prevails and everything works out.

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

Well, there sort of isn't, you know? We don't track people. That's far too police state for this office. It's nice here, laid back but effective, you know?

At any rate, paycheque should happen today, which means rent should be alright, and we don't have to hide from the landlord anymore.

[michel-lacombe.livejournal.com]

But if you did do stuff then you *can* account for these hours by pointing to the stuff... I am confused.

Keeping track of people is not "police state" when you pay by the hour.

[porphyre.livejournal.com]

What David and I were talking about, and not entirely on-line, so I can see where it might seem a bit random, are actions like keyboard tracking and going through browser histories.