by ximena
(winston-salem, north carolina)
I was performing the duties of a Family Advocate in a pre-k program I just started going to school for a degree in Human Services, and I have not have any formal training from my employer either.
I had 2 specific families. With one of them, several times I scheduled appointments to take her to obtain help, and she never showed up. Always something happened, but yet she would complain against me when things would no go her way.
The other family, broke the rules right and left and my boss then basically said to me “baby her”, the more I did the worst it got. Then I get a new boss. Things then are really bad. I explained new my boss about these situation with both women and asked her to intervene. My new boss was always too busy to do so. So I took action in my own hands and let this woman know very clearly that I was tired of her games and it ended right then and there. Certainly I was suspended for not knowing how to treat people (I never yelled or cursed)I just put my foot down. When I come back to work, one of my clients with whom I have been working all year in different issues, come to me to say that he is desperate because he has been unable to find a job I asked him if he wanted to mow my grass, he agreed, I paid him with a personal check and he used my check information and paid his bills. I charged him with fraud. The mother of the child dropped the child out of the program because she was embarrassed. Also ended up that the dropping of this child from the program was certainly my fault.
At that time I did not know I couldn’t have anyone performing any kind of job for me, I just wanted to help that family.
In this company, when any employee has a question or issue to be resolved, the management plainly disappears and leave you to defend for yourself, but if something goes wrong, certainly it is your fault. But I was fired for poor performance.
Hi Ximena,
Ya know, sometimes I just have to tell people that all they can do is file and see how it goes .. and if necessary file an appeal and let a hearing officer sort everything out.
I’m having a hard time believing that the employer did not have a policy about letting clients perform work for you personally. Even if an employer states the reason for discharge is performance, it could be a series of rule violations.
Your best hope lies in your argument that when you asked for assistance form management as to how you should handle certain situation .. they didn’t bother to give any direction .. leaving you to fend for yourself. If you can establish that your discharge was primarily caused by a “lack of training” which you did ask for .. you may stand a chance. My fear for you is that you did break some definitive rules that you should have been made aware of.
Employer’s prove awareness of rules by providing the acknowledgment you sign stating you received the rules.