OT: Need advice about bad job-related situation

[Gigi22]

OP, I used to do a lot of staffing as part of my position. People who worked less than 13 hours a week were not considered to be "employees" within the definitions laid out by our contracts, and were not entitled to apply for positions through internal competitions. Could there be a definition of "employee" in your company that rules you out from applying?

 

[luvsJack]

Didn't you say it was in higher ed? At the college I work for, when a position is posted for internal transfer, EVERY person that applies for transfer is granted an interview. I have a friend that works in higher ed too and that is the way it is done at their school too.

I can't imagine them NOT wanting someone who had done the exact some job for the full time position. Knowing how time consuming it can be to train someone else in the college computer system, office policies and such and if your school is like our's there just isn't a lot of down time to do this training. Sounds like you could have just walked into the position with very little transitional time.

I would question it, especially since your supervisor didn't know why you weren't interviewed. I don't think that is an unreasonable question. You don't have to accuse them of losing your resume, just ask why you didn't get an interview.

 

[golfgal]

It's very possible that your manager did not want you to leave your spot, sad but true. It could be that your position is hard to fill and they didn't want to have to try to fill that spot. I know over the years that DH has "lost out" on certain jobs because his manager had other plans for him-not that those plans were bad, but it would have been nice to be IN on those plans

 

[DebbieB]

Since the person who was hired is an internal employee, my bet is she had the job before it was posted, they just had to go through the formality of posting it. I work for a large company and this is frequently the case when there's a job opening.

If they would have interviewed you and then hired her, you would have have been saying why was she more qualified? They avoided that by "losing" your application. Or for some reason, they did not want to hire you for that position.

I think your best bet would be to talk to your manager and express what you are interested in and ask what you need to do to get there.

 

[sparklynails23]

You should talk to the local union steward. Who cares if you piss a couple people off at a place where you work 5 hours a week. I would definitely not train the new person in any way.

 

[Missy1961]

I googled and found numerous articles that explain in PA the collective bargaining agreement applies ONLY to union members and not to at will employees at the same workplace. I think you have no leg at all to stand on there.

Personally, I think if you go in and make a stink about this you may find yourself with NO hours at the job. As others have said, you told the manger you were applying, if he wanted you he would have followed up when he did not see your resume (and honestly if he wanted you he probably would have asked you about it even with out you saying a word).

I hate to say this, but my first thought on reading the OP was that if they are creating a position with more hours which includes what you are doing now, is it possible that they are looking to get rid of you and your position and that is why they rolled what you are doing into another job? I hope not, but I wonder if once the new person is trained and on the job if you could find yourself without work.

That was my first thought as well.

 

[aprilfoolwed]

OP here with bit of an update:

I called HR this morning, but the director had a vacation day. She will be in tomorrow. I spoke with the HR assistant for some time, and explained the situation. She was very helpful and pulled the file for the position. My resume was not in there. She asked if I got confirmation about applying. I told her I did - from the director. She was very , very puzzled and said she really couldn't help me anymore, and that I would need to speak with the director personally since she (the assitant) did not understand why my resume wouldhave not been included. The assistant left a message for the director to call me tomorrow when she gets in.

To me, it really just sounds like the director of HR messed up. She forgot to put my resume in the file, and I was left out. Looking forward to hearing the HR director's take on this.

Additional info - as someone else pointed out, I have young children. I left my f/t job upon the birth of my first child, and accepted this position 6.5 years ago. I previously worked 25 hours a week (nights/weekends), but when I was expecting my 3rd child, my manager and I agreed to a new schedule. So since the birth of my youngest (now 5), I have worked just 5.5 hours a week (Saturdays).

Now that the kids are getting older, I am looking for a new situation. One of the main reasons I kept my little 5-hour job is to be able to move into something with more hours when the time was right. I have been watching the openings for nearly 2 years waiting for the right position, and then I applied.

My DH and I talked about this at length this weekend. We do not feel that this is an organization that I really want to work for anymore. DH is interested in looking into some side jobs in his field that would replace my little salary, and I am going to focus on either finding a full-time position or continuing with my schooling (I have been taking college classes for a year, with the intention of getting my teaching cert - but education is not a great field to try to get into right now).

I am going to talk with HR, get some answers, and hopefully see that someone higher up checks on the HR director to make sure she is doing her job as she should be. I do not have summer hours, so I am on break from my job right now. I will most likely be giving my notice this summer and making a break from this company.

I am going to request a time to view my personnel file as well.

At this point, I just want to get to my vacation in 20 days!

 

[Hoodie]

OP here with bit of an update:

I called HR this morning, but the director had a vacation day. She will be in tomorrow. I spoke with the HR assistant for some time, and explained the situation. She was very helpful and pulled the file for the position. My resume was not in there. She asked if I got confirmation about applying. I told her I did - from the director. She was very , very puzzled and said she really couldn't help me anymore, and that I would need to speak with the director personally since she (the assitant) did not understand why my resume wouldhave not been included. The assistant left a message for the director to call me tomorrow when she gets in.

To me, it really just sounds like the director of HR messed up. She forgot to put my resume in the file, and I was left out. Looking forward to hearing the HR director's take on this.

Additional info - as someone else pointed out, I have young children. I left my f/t job upon the birth of my first child, and accepted this position 6.5 years ago. I previously worked 25 hours a week (nights/weekends), but when I was expecting my 3rd child, my manager and I agreed to a new schedule. So since the birth of my youngest (now 5), I have worked just 5.5 hours a week (Saturdays).

Now that the kids are getting older, I am looking for a new situation. One of the main reasons I kept my little 5-hour job is to be able to move into something with more hours when the time was right. I have been watching the openings for nearly 2 years waiting for the right position, and then I applied.

My DH and I talked about this at length this weekend. We do not feel that this is an organization that I really want to work for anymore. DH is interested in looking into some side jobs in his field that would replace my little salary, and I am going to focus on either finding a full-time position or continuing with my schooling (I have been taking college classes for a year, with the intention of getting my teaching cert - but education is not a great field to try to get into right now).

I am going to talk with HR, get some answers, and hopefully see that someone higher up checks on the HR director to make sure she is doing her job as she should be. I do not have summer hours, so I am on break from my job right now. I will most likely be giving my notice this summer and making a break from this company.

I am going to request a time to view my personnel file as well.

At this point, I just want to get to my vacation in 20 days!

I'm sorry this is happening.

Unlike the other posters, I think it sounds like the HR director screwed up big time. They do owe you an explanation as to what happened. It probably won't end with anything really happening, but hopefully it will help them prevent making mistakes in the future. Definitely review your personnel file too. Our HR recently allowed access online and one employee found out that there was a statement of resignation in her file! She had never resigned and never even thought of resigning.

Of course, I'm slightly biased as our HR department is the biggest waste of space and resources that ever existed. I can post pages about their incompetence. HR in general is not known for having the brightest bulbs on staff.

 

[Feralpeg]

I also believe the HR director owes you an explanation. I worked for a very large company for 30 years. If a person applied for a position and they had been in their current position long enough (you had to stay in a position a minimum of one year), you got an interview. HR did not decide who should and should not be interviewed. That was left to the department head with the opening.

Good luck, OP.

 

[sharbear]

I'm so sorry for this situation. It sounds like the HR director screwed up. I'll bet she'll say that there was a mistake and she's sorry about that but there is nothing she can do about it now. And that will be the end. It really stinks.

 

[cm8]

I'm so sorry for this situation. It sounds like the HR director screwed up. I'll bet she'll say that there was a mistake and she's sorry about that but there is nothing she can do about it now. And that will be the end. It really stinks.

Exactly, it's not as if they can un-hire the person they have already given the position too. I'm also puzzled that the OP is not happy at this job yet she wants to get more hours. I think that you (op) should just pack up and go like you and your DH have discussed. I think you'll be a lot happier with your decision in the future Good luck with furthering your education

 

[npmommie]

OP I hope you get this resolved. good luck

 

[tlbwriter]

Looking for an update...

 

[aprilfoolwed]

Op here...

Sorry - I've had two busy days of errands, so I haven't been online much.

I did talk with the HR Director. She admits she made a mistake and did not include my resume. I am not covered by the union because I work less than 15 hours a week. The position was labeled "special term" so she told me I could apply for it next year when it is reviewed again. That will never work out, because why would they hire me if they already have someone in the position who has been doing it for a year.

She is supposed to follow up with me after she speaks with the union rep again, as well as my supervisors - to figure out why they didn't speak up about my missing resume when they knew I was interested.

I expressed my extreme displeasure with the situation, and thanked her for her apology but also said that it was unacceptable that this was allowed to happen and that an apology doesn't change my situation. She encouraged me to apply for other positions within the college - but there is nothing currently available that I am even remotely qualified to do (they need a custodian and a higher level admin position right now).

So, I am giving her this week to inquire about the situation more, and then I will contact her again.

In the meantime, I am planning on resigning this August before my hours start up again. If a job does become available, I may consider applying for it, but my confidence in the organization is not very high at this point. I am hoping to find an opportunity somewhere else.

 

[kwelch10377]

It sounds like this was a simple mistake, they happen sometimes. It stinks when it affects you, but such is life. I'm sorry it happened to you but I think you just need to move on. While her apology doesn't change anything, neither will dragging the situation out. Everyone who needs to be made aware of the situation has been and they will do what needs to be done to ensure it doesn't happen again to someone else.

I really can't understand what more you expect to happen by pushing the issue.

 

[aprilfoolwed]

I really can't understand what more you expect to happen by pushing the issue.

I just want some questions answered. HR apologized - I said I was unhappy. But she questioned my supervisors (as do I), and she is the one following up with them. She called the union - I did not.

i don't expect anything to be done. I am not dragging this out - I am simply following up with what she said she was going to check on. I am equally curious why my supervisors wouldn't have said "oh - where's so-and-so's application - she was interested in the job."

I know nothing is going to come out of it - just following up per my conversation with HR.

 

[Melmac]

Op here...

Sorry - I've had two busy days of errands, so I haven't been online much.

I did talk with the HR Director. She admits she made a mistake and did not include my resume. I am not covered by the union because I work less than 15 hours a week. The position was labeled "special term" so she told me I could apply for it next year when it is reviewed again. That will never work out, because why would they hire me if they already have someone in the position who has been doing it for a year.

She is supposed to follow up with me after she speaks with the union rep again, as well as my supervisors - to figure out why they didn't speak up about my missing resume when they knew I was interested.

I expressed my extreme displeasure with the situation, and thanked her for her apology but also said that it was unacceptable that this was allowed to happen and that an apology doesn't change my situation. She encouraged me to apply for other positions within the college - but there is nothing currently available that I am even remotely qualified to do (they need a custodian and a higher level admin position right now).

So, I am giving her this week to inquire about the situation more, and then I will contact her again.

In the meantime, I am planning on resigning this August before my hours start up again. If a job does become available, I may consider applying for it, but my confidence in the organization is not very high at this point. I am hoping to find an opportunity somewhere else.

I am sorry to hear that your resume wasn't included in the interviewed group. I hope you get the answers you are looking for. I agree that my confidence in my workplace would be shot at this point too.

 

[tlbwriter]

People keep telling you nothing can come of it, but the truth is, if someone made a mistake that hurt you, they often feel indebted to you and will try to make it up somehow. It may be that you get some special consideration if the opportunity comes up.

 

[gracie1]

I would just keep my eye out for a position that opens up. You may want to consider holding on to it until you find something else. Sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side. There is the possibility you get a new job somewhere else and their not as flexible or willing to accomodate special hours. I see it all the time.

 

[Missy1961]

I'm honestly surprised that someone in HR admitted to making a mistake. I know you aren't going to do anything more, but someone could possibly sue the company if a mistake like that was made. (not saying the case has merit, but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't cost the company money). My company's HR dept. would never say that.