"If you are not prepared to resign or be fired for what you believe in, then you are not a worker, let alone a professional. You are a slave." (Gardener, 2007).
My work year is 202 days so we return to work, three weeks before the teachers. On the first day back to work my supervisor was available for questions and concerns and we even had a brief staff meeting. The second week she did not come to work nor did she return for the third week. She attends a lot of conferences throughout the school weeks (or at least that what we assume) so we thought she was at a conference or workshop. But after after a few days and work related problems would arise, we began to ask the secretary if our boss would be in for the day and the response was, "you can reach her by email or cell phone. If she doesn't answer your call, she will return the call". This went on for two weeks, eventually we began to stop calling and emailing and started problem solving the situations as a department. Once my supervisor returned, the week that school started, instead of praising us for working registration and maintaining the department without her, she began to place demands that had never been placed on us before. For example, if you have to leave for more than an hour (family doctor's appointments, parent/teacher conference, on foreseen situations, etc.) call in half a day.
I found this demand to be odd since she was the one MIA for two weeks. This demand does not apply to her (my supervisor) or the secretary (she is hourly and can make up her hours missed). The problem is that it would be impossible for the secretary to make up her missed hours during a work week. She doesn't clock out for the time that she is away from the office and if she does clock out, it is for the hour that she is at the job and then once she clocks back in, she is gone for the majority of the day (basically my boss and the secretary cover for each other). When the secretary is there is is on the computer, work phone, or her cell phone. Things that we need are not been done (daily mail, filing paperwork, making copies). We never know when our boss will be in the office or not, we share our calendar with her but her whereabouts are secret (between the sec. and herself). Ethically I believe that this is very wrong but who am I to discuss this with my supervisor? Of course we discuss our concerns amongst ourselves behind closed doors but it has been stated that it is really none of our concern. I beg to differ; Ethically, I know that falsifying information is wrong but who am I to have this conversation with my boss and blowing the whistle is out of the question. I read the quote, from Gardner, to my husband this weekend and if I apply my work situation to Gardner's quote, I am a slave LOL. On a serious note, the inconsistent accountability (for all staff members) is really affecting the department and bringing down the moral of the group. I don't feel comfortable and don't feel that I would get support from blowing the whistle so I believe that it is time for me to reflect, pray and listen to God's direction for my future.
