outsourcing questions

[carlotta6893]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Montana

I have worked for a company now as a medical staff/payer credentialing coordinator. The job was broken up into two areas...the credentialing portion of the job was outsourced, however, with a person to be hired to manage the current office. In the meantime, this was a job that I was told to be given to me...however, i now have one person who is making my life miserable and I need to know how to handle her. This person is now trying to ding me for missing time due to an automotive accident I was in about a week ago. I understand the outsourcing, but this place, in three years has not cooperated in giving me a job title or permanent job description, and all of my evaluations have been strong. I believe they are dangling me along and now are trying to force me out and stating that I now need to go to part-time on March 1st. Any advice I can get on this would be much appreciated as I am so stressed and don't know where to turn.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

As it appears, they likely have little use for someone filling half a position. Do you qualify for FMLA? Otherwise they can fire you.

 

[Chyvan]

I have worked for a company now as a medical staff/payer credentialing coordinator. The job was broken up into two areas . . . this was a job that I was told to be given to me . . . stating that I now need to go to part-time on March 1st.

If you're ok with collecting UI, you have the makings of a good cause quit because of what looks like are substantial changes to the employment arrangement. Say something if you're interested in exploring that aspect if the missed work from the accident doesn't accomplish that first.

 

[commentator]

How long have you worked at the current rate and nature of job? If you have accepted and worked at this job for a significant amount of time, that means this is your job's days, hours and shifts and rate of pay, and though they may have changed the job a while back, you are working at this job, you have accepted the terms of this job. You do not have a good chance of being able to receive benefits right now if you voluntarily quit this job based on a change in your working conditions, days, hours salary, etc. back when the contractor took over. Or because you were promised a new job and it hasn't happened yet. Or because there is this one person on the job who is giving you a lot of grief and not being nice to you.

But if they have informed you that you are going to part time effective March 1, don't say anything to them now, but on March 1, once you are sure that your hours are going to be cut to part time, that it's not all just rhetoric and idle threats that this person is trying to scare you with, you verify that your hours are going to be changed to part time, and then quit the job. At that time. Don't work a minute at the new arrangement.

They are trying to encourage you to quit. Your state is the only one in the union where if you are fired, you may really be able, under certain circumstances, to sue for wrongful discharge if fired. Of course they want you to voluntarily quit. They'll do all sorts of threats and mean stuff to you. Getting "dinged" (written up, charged, rebuked) for missing for a personal reason (even a car wreck or a dying child) isn't illegal, it's just mean. So why would you let anyone give you any grief or threaten you or make the job unhappy for you? This one person may actually have been told by their higher ups to get rid of you. Don't take any garbage off of them, if you work hard and do what you are supposed to, and they terminate you for some bogus reason, you're in the good, so to speak. So don't be intimidated, that is what I'm saying.

In the meantime, it sounds like you really do need another job. I would try my best to hang on to this job until I was able to find another one, or until March, when they cut your hours dramatically. If you can't hold on till you find another job, you'll still only get 26 weeks of unemployment, and that will end, and you will still need another job. It is a win if you can find that new position while you are still employed and make everybody happy by moving on and doing better.

 

[cbg]

Under Montana's laws, if they drop your hours to part time and you refuse to quit, you WILL be eligible for unemployment while working the part time hours. Good way to spike their guns...

 

[commentator]

Yes, if the amount she makes in unemployment weekly is not greater than twice the gross amount of wages she makes weekly working at the cut number hours, (Montana is a little weird on this) she could draw partial unemployment benefits. So less than about $900 a week, gross, if you are qualified for the max weekly benefit.

But frankly, what they'd likely do is cut her just enough to make sure she doesn't qualify for partial benefits, and if she's worked at the reduced hours, therefore accepting them, it'd be harder for her to quit and qualify.

I suspect they're threatening to force that quit, may have no real intentions of cutting her hours. If she hears the threat again anytime soon, she should ask them to put it in writing, and then, as I said, as soon as they make it definite, say it's coming into effect, she quits then. And gets a new job real soon.

She can't force them to make this into a good job where they treat her well and give her the promotions and hours she wants, just hold off possibly with unemployment benefits till she can find another better job.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

I think a better strategy would be to start trying to obtain new employment now. That appears to be what the employer is giving such early notice for.

 

[FlyingRon]

I think a better strategy would be to start trying to obtain new employment now. That appears to be what the employer is giving such early notice for.

First place I'd try is with the contracting company. Perhaps they need people to deal with the additional customer base.

 

[Chyvan]

I think a better strategy would be to start trying to obtain new employment now.

It depends on your life. I was always the second income, and NEVER tried to find a job to avoid being on UI. I LOVED being on UI especially when the kids were home during summer vacation. Between the savings on childcare, commuting expenses, and the progressivity of the tax table, our quality of life was way better not working until I drew that last UI check.

 

[Zigner]

It depends on your life. I was always the second income, and NEVER tried to find a job to avoid being on UI. I LOVED being on UI especially when the kids were home during summer vacation. Between the savings on childcare, commuting expenses, and the progressivity of the tax table, our quality of life was way better not working until I drew that last UI check.

In other words, you've cheated the system. And, before you go protesting, remember that folks on UI are supposed to be actively seeking employment.

 

[Chyvan]

In other words, you've cheated the system. And, before you go protesting, remember that folks on UI are supposed to be actively seeking employment.

Right, but the system doesn't usually tell us where we have to look for work. I looked for really GOOD jobs while on UI, and if I happened to get one, then lucky me. I didn't not resort to temp agencies, sweat shops, retail, part-time and a whole lot of other places that you go when you're desperate. I used the system exactly the way it was intended.

 

[Zigner]

Right, but the system doesn't usually tell us where we have to look for work. I looked for really GOOD jobs while on UI, and if I happened to get one, then lucky me. I didn't not resort to temp agencies, sweat shops, retail, part-time and a whole lot of other places that you go when you're desperate. I used the system exactly the way it was intended.

Nope, you scammed the system, and seem to be proud of it. I had tried (in my mind) to give you a little benefit of the doubt, but that's gone. You are EXACTLY the type of person that gives a bad name to those folks who truly have come upon bad times and are doing their best to find work. <spit>

 

[Chyvan]

Nope, you scammed the system, and seem to be proud of it.

You didn't see my work search log, so you just think what you want. It passed an examination twice. If you're one that will apply for anything, then that's on you. I set my sights to be put in the same condition or better than what I lost.

 

[commentator]

As I have always said, it is supposed to be a balanced system. It's a good idea in theory, but people who are really into cheating the system can misuse it just as much as employers who don't want to pay it in. I just hope it continues, so that people cannot be starved out of their rights to decent working conditions, as they were before it all was bought into being in the 1930's. And it is nice to have a little break and a little something coming it for a while, as many do, but it always ends, regardless of how you are doing when it ends, and it always isn't as much money as you could make working. So you always have to consider that. Moving on and doing better with a better job is always the best option in today's work world.

 

[cbg]

I didn't not resort to temp agencies,

More fool you. The two best jobs I ever had, including my current one, came about through temp agencies.