Do you think I could get terminated for this?

[mopar crazy]

It has been drilled into our heads by the management that we may NOT work any OT or work past our hours. OT is not approved at all. Basically, they are saying when you shift is done, you need to leave for the day, NO OT!

Everyone of us besides office staff (even though I am office staff PT) has to help clean the bathrooms, hallways, and windows. Today was the day we had to do it (the woman I work directly w/). I could not get all my cleaning done so as soon as my shift was over I headed out the door. Can I get fired for this? I HAD to get my children, they were waiting for me. So, I left when my shift was over like they always tell us to do.

If my supervisor questions why the hallways were not swept can I explain to her that since we are not suppose to work past our shift I had to leave when my shift was done w/o finishing the job? Or something similar? Plus, my kids were waiting for me at the school to come pick them up? I don't want to get into trouble for not finishing my job but yet I don't want to get into trouble for working past my shift. I am not going to work off the clock. We aren't suppose to do that anyhow. They would not know I was working off the clock but I am certaintly not going to work for free either.

 

What are your thoughts? My supervisor's shift ends a half an hour b4 mine does so she doesn't see how swamped we are the half an hour b4 our shift ends.

[curiousnycgirl]

I don't believe you could get fired for this, however you could get a written warning. There are a number of factors you did not include such as how much control you have over your schedule and what you work on.

 

When you get swamped during your last half hour is it due to customer issues? If so in your company do customer issues always come first? Are you on an assembly line? If so was there a quota to be hit? What are the ramifications of your not dealing with whatever makes you busy at the ned of the day (to you, your colleagues and to the company?) Do you manage your own tasks/time and could be perceived as simply not wanting to clean?

 

I would not get into the no OT thing - I would simply say I had to get my kids. They know their own rules, no need ot throw them in their faces.

[mopar crazy]

I don't believe you could get fired for this, however you could get a written warning. There are a number of factors you did not include such as how much control you have over your schedule and what you work on.

 

When you get swamped during your last half hour is it due to customer issues? If so in your company do customer issues always come first? Are you on an assembly line? If so was there a quota to be hit? What are the ramifications of your not dealing with whatever makes you busy at the ned of the day (to you, your colleagues and to the company?) Do you manage your own tasks/time and could be perceived as simply not wanting to clean?

 

I would not get into the no OT thing - I would simply say I had to get my kids. They know their own rules, no need ot throw them in their faces.

I work as a teacher aide. My class ends at 3:30. We can't do any of the outside of the classroom cleaning b/c there is always at least one or two children that are not picked up at 3:30. We always have a child that is still there around 3:45. My shift is over at 4:00. So, that only leaves us 15 minutes to get the bathrooms cleaned and mopped. The other one has to sweep the main hallway and wash the windows. There is no way we can get all that done in 15 minutes. Plus, we have to sweep, and vacuum, and clean the classroom.

[curiousnycgirl]

Well then I would doubt you could get fired for it - clearly the first priority is the children. So you are saying there is no cleaning crew in your school? Is this something new or was it part of the job description when you were hired? Feels to me like if it is to be part of your job they either need to pay you for a longer day - or get someone else to do it.

 

I'm so sorry for you! That just has to suck

[mopar crazy]

Well then I would doubt you could get fired for it - clearly the first priority is the children. So you are saying there is no cleaning crew in your school? Is this something new or was it part of the job description when you were hired? Feels to me like if it is to be part of your job they either need to pay you for a longer day - or get someone else to do it.

 

I'm so sorry for you! That just has to suck

 

B4 we moved into the current building last year and didn't have as many students it was the cook aide's responsibility to clean the bathrooms and vacuum the hallways. Now, teachers and aides have to do it b/c the cook aide claims she does not have time and she isn't physically able to do it b/c of her age.

 

The last cook aides that are now working in the classroom say they had plenty of time to do it. My supervisor said they are also 30+years younger also.

 

There is someone that comes in and deep cleans once a week but that is it. I don't even know who does it as she comes in after the school is closed so I never see her.

 

When I was hired my job description does state I must help clean the classrooms but nothing is stated in there about having to do the bathrooms, clean entry way windows, or the main hallways.

 

I don't know if our supervisor will be around tomorrow as she has meetings and a public speaking appointment so who knows if anything will be said to her. I doubt anyone is going to tell her that the hallways weren't cleaned. If they do I will simply explain to her I ran out of time and it's this way every day it's our turn to do the cleaning outside of the classroom.

 

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

[D-Lish]

I think it's perfectly okay to talk to your supervisor when you next run into her and tell her yourself what the situation was. Apologize for it and tell her you did your best to get everything done with the time you had.

 

If you work in a school- she has to realize that picking up kids are important.

 

If you're worried you could get in trouble- talking to her first before she hears it from someone else will diffuse any written warnings or chastising. When I owned my store- I always appreciated it when my staff alerted me to something that didn't get done or if something happened. The only time I got upset was if they tried to hide it from me.

 

I don't think not cleaning the hallways is a big deal....

They can't tell you on one hand not to work OT- then blast you for not staying late... Unless they mean they want you to stay late but not put in for OT...

[johan]

If they try to fire you, just grab a kid and start shaking. They'll back off.

[mopar crazy]

If they try to fire you, just grab a kid and start shaking. They'll back off.

 

I know you were trying to be funny and lighten up the situation but I failed to find any humor in it, sorry. I have seen way too many abuse situations to find it humorous. I tried, just can't do it. Sorry.

 

If I did shake a child, I would definitely be fired and be thrown in jail.

I could never do that to a child even though they can irritate me some days.

 

I talked to my supervisor this morning and explained to her what I did and was not able to get done and why. She said that was ok, I tried. I don't think she was too happy w/ it by her tone and expression but I don't think she is going to put up a stink about it either.

 

My supervisor and I hang out once in awhile outside of work. We have a good time together. We get along really well.