. ...I DON'T like my job.
The work itself is easy. The people are very nice. Well, what could be wrong, you ask? The irregular hours and unpredictable late nights. Today I performed 2.25 hours of work but sat and twiddled my thumbs from 10:30 am to 7:30 pm, when I left.
The work flow will always be like this, I am told. It's either pretty dead or so busy they spend half the night. And they keep telling me it's going to get very, very busy very soon.
I hate it. You can't try to have a personal life during the work week, at all, because how late you'll be at the office is completely beyond your control. I never know if I'll be leaving the office at 5 pm or 8 pm.
My big game plan to ask for permanent employee status so I could get on on the health plan was probably wishful thinking. I learned through another conversation today with a coworker that most of the people there are "permanent freelancers," I think was the term he used. Meaning, all but possibly 2 people in addition to the owners are perm employees. The rest work as contract workers, like me, except they are paid directly by the employer whereas I'm paid through the recruiting agency that found me.
So is this, then, an illegal business practice? While I know that at least a few of the employees work remotely, others must be at the office becus, according to the same colleague I spoke with about the other stuff, they want a really quick turnaround and feel they can get it faster if you're there then if you're marking up a PDF or PowerPoint deck online and then emailing it. I don't see the difference, but that's what he said.
He also said the proofreader before me brought a book to read there. I will do that tomorrow. I can only check messages on my phone so many times, and scan online news sites.
So if most of them are contract workers, then I guess they don't have health coverage either. Maybe they just hop on their spouse's plan. I don't know.
I'm feeling totally disgusted by the whole thing. I was trying to figure out a way to make this job work, but it seems more than likely it won't, becus if they can't even offer me health insurance, I'll have to go elsewhere. Unless they paid so well it would make it worthwhile enough to just pay the high cost of health insurance thru the healthcare exchange. I'm guessing that would cost me at least $9,000 a year. I'll know in a week when open enrollment starts.
I can't even quit this job if I wanted to, because then I wouldn't qualify for unemployment benefits. I mean, I wouldn't quit anyway, I guess, becus some money coming in is better than no money. (Except that I'd qualify for health exchange benefits if I was making no money, and with this job, I wouldn't get subsidies.)
The whole thing just sucks.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record....
October 27th, 2017 at 12:56 am
October 27th, 2017 at 01:58 am 1509069480
October 27th, 2017 at 02:07 am 1509070076
October 27th, 2017 at 12:09 pm 1509106143
What I would do is look for another job with better benefits. As you have previously discovered, those jobs are hard to find. In the meantime, keep plugging away at this job and show up with a smile on your face and a positive attitude.
October 27th, 2017 at 12:15 pm 1509106521
I did not show "contempt" for my prior job. I was laid off becus the bank was going public and they needed to cut jobs to become lean and mean so shareholders would get a good price. I was one of 90 to be cut. Never met the person responsible for laying me off. She worked in another state.
October 27th, 2017 at 12:48 pm 1509108486
October 27th, 2017 at 01:41 pm 1509111666
Do you care to listen to audio book from your local library? Have you looked at exploratory, on-line questionaries that examine where your skill sets might be suitable for some other career? I too have a lot of 'wait time' and enjoy listening to Hacks on my phone. I've listed and used those that relate to our lifestyle and try out new ideas. You demonstrate significant photographic skills, are there any opportunities for a side hustle?
I saw some very positive figures about increasing house sale numbers and wonder if you've tracked 'sells' in your community. Do you still anticipate choosing a condo as a retiree?
October 27th, 2017 at 03:11 pm 1509117097
October 27th, 2017 at 05:55 pm 1509126904
October 27th, 2017 at 06:16 pm 1509128209
PS--I understand your frustration so well. It is something that people without major medical issues in their life will never understand. I'm sorry the job is such a bummer and doesn't have consistent hours or consistent work for you to do. At least if you can read there, that will help some. Hopefully another job will come along while you are working here.
October 27th, 2017 at 06:38 pm 1509129493
October 27th, 2017 at 07:21 pm 1509132063
As far as keeping yourself occupied, besides reading and looking at your phone, do you do anything like knitting or crocheting? It's different than reading and keeps your hands busy. I love to read; I'm on my 83rd book so far this year, but I have to have a break from reading and the computer and doing something with my hands keeps both my mind and hands busy.
October 28th, 2017 at 01:32 am 1509154332
I like the books on tape idea, too; there's a fancy pants one with that comedian woman, I forget her name, I heard that was very good. Maybe my library has it.
Cassie, THANK YOU.
Snafu, I'm leaning toward just staying put here and may just end up staying put thru inertia.
October 29th, 2017 at 04:31 pm 1509294697
October 29th, 2017 at 05:15 pm 1509297326
October 29th, 2017 at 10:40 pm 1509316840
October 30th, 2017 at 11:21 pm 1509405676
October 30th, 2017 at 11:40 pm 1509406826
October 31st, 2017 at 05:33 pm 1509471188
October 31st, 2017 at 06:51 pm 1509475899
And yes, if the other workers are 1099 independent contractors BUT have to be on site, that IS shady. The IRS has a 20-point test for telling the difference between an employee (W-2) and an independent contractor (1099), but the key is control. If the employer is controlling where and when you work, and if the employer is providing the tools/equipment you work on, those are all indications that the person is an employee and should be paid by W2, but a lot of small business will pay 1099 so that the worker rather then the employer is responsible for all of the FICA taxes. Many small businesses get away with it for a long time since the workers want the jobs. But it just takes one disgruntled worker to file a form SS-8, the IRS misclassification form, to start an audit, which can then land the employer in tax trouble. Of course, most people aren't aware of this and even if aware, would not want to do it until they were laid off, since they want to keep their jobs.
October 31st, 2017 at 10:52 pm 1509490353
I much prefer being paid with W2 since taxes are deducted by the employer, simplifying that particular calculation at tax time, and it also goes toward my Social Security earnings, whereas 1099 work is not. Same for unemployment credits.
But wasn't the controversy also about whether those employees should get benefits too?
I probably wouldn't delve into it since I do want to keep the job (until I'm ready to leave).
November 1st, 2017 at 03:08 pm 1509548883