The Struggle to Be Respected at Work
by Paul WysockiLink to article
My name is Paul Wysocki, and I was a teacher for over 30 years. Once I left teaching I discovered the inequality and discrimination that still persists in our society and country. It is very much alive.
Most of my teaching years were spent in the Catholic School System. After 17 years in one particular diocese, the Phoenix Diocese in Arizona, I was finally making $40,000.
There comes a time when we have to say that enough abuse is enough. This happened to me 3 years ago when I decided to leave education. I moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to live with my partner. Since that time, I have had over 300 applications completed, sent, handed over, and most were never heard from again.
There have only been about 5 interviews, and each time it seems I was never good enough. How did I ever complete 30 years of successful teaching? This rejection really does a job on my self-esteem.
I was offered a part time job with Kohl’s. Pay would be $6.50 per hour and no benefits. It was SO DEGRADING that I flatly refused. Since then, I have written Kohl’s asking them to address the salary situation. They sent a letter stating they have a wonderful policy of nondiscrimination. It never answered my question about how a person is supposed to live on such a sinful salary! Subsequent letters have proven useless as they will not respond.
Since I was “trainable,” I received a job in the Health Information Management Dept. at Flagstaff Medical Center. I have the email that states this. As a teacher, it sounded like I was mentally handicapped. I accepted the job because I truly needed one, but left after 15 months. The treatment was that of a slave. I was told several times that I was to be a servant to the doctors. This meant that we were to accept abuses such as: cruel words and/or actions, demands, expectations, etc. I thought slavery was abolished, and told my supervisor that.
While there, directors would lie, loudly scold people in front of others, reverse actions that were approved by my immediate supervisor, send emails that were mean, attacking, or degrading, etc. I was afraid to say anything for fear of losing my job. At my exit interview I told all, but wonder if the information sits nicely in a file cabinet.
I am now a contract worker for the government making half what I earned as a teacher. I work for the U.S. Geological Survey, but am not treated like an employee. I have minimal insurance coverage, federal holidays, and two weeks vacation after each year of service. I DO NOT have any sick days, credit hours/leave, no hourly pay increase, and no retirement plan that I can afford.
At Christmas time the government sent an email reminding employees of certain rules for the holidays. In it, contractors were given the prestigious title of being a “prohibited source.” It was also stated that Federal Employees are to have an arm’s distance relationship with us. Doesn’t that make one feel like being a team member? Wouldn’t that be in the realm of discrimination?
Through all my interviews, the few I had, I always felt there was discrimination. I believe it was AGE, but how do you prove it?
I’ve received many post cards or letters stating that I wasn’t chosen for an interview because they were looking for a certain set of skills. When I questioned them about what this set of skills was, I was not answered. It is a form letter that is worded basically the same. There is no truth to it other than Human Resources going through the motions to cover themselves from being sued. Often, so I have been told, they already have a person in mind for the job!
For the past 19 months, I have been eating my lunch sometime between 2PM and 2:45PM. Suddenly, I was told yesterday, on my way to lunch, that I am to bump up my lunch time. Surprised, I asked why. Someone had complained about my going to lunch so late. Is it any of their business?
I was going to take my lunch at about 2:15PM (half hour earlier) the next day, but just before that my on-site task master came out of her office to tell me she really needed me to go to lunch earlier. I stated that I knew that, and then asked what the big deal was about going earlier. I became angry because I know that this is due to the fact that I am a contractor, and contractors have no rights. So, I became silent, and went to lunch. While eating, I kept thinking what I should do, and so upon my return I asked for clarification. Once again I was told of the complaint. I was also told that the lunch period, according to Government Regulations, is from 11:30AM to 2PM. Lunch is to be taken sometime between that time period. I was not happy with this change after so many months, and I became silent.
Because of my silence (my attitude), I was punished like a little school boy. Lunch is to be at 1:30PM, and it is to be strictly a half hour (sometimes it was longer). No longer am I allowed to work on paid holidays (I was allowed so I could take that day later — I was able to take ONE EXTRA day to be with my family the day after Christmas). If the weather is bad, I have the choice to work (real concern for my safety). If I go to the doctor (or other important appointment), I cannot make up that time (no concern for my health). I simply will not get paid.
However, as a Federal Employee, the supervisor can take long lunch breaks, read in her office, take walks with her coworkers, do crossword puzzles at the circulation desk, do “find an item hidden in a bigger picture” puzzles, have many conversations on the phone that last a long time, have many people come to visit her for long periods of time, and hold many long conversations.
Yet, I have to eat at a certain time and be punished because I disagreed with it.
At age 55, I thought that I would have a little respect, but it is not to be found. I believe it does not exist. The struggle continues to be valued as a seasoned employee.
Tags: contract-worker, respect, retirement-plan
March 2nd, 2007 at 5:58 pm
I have known Paul for over 8 years and there couldn’t be a person more honest, and respectful. Teaching religious education and steadfastly bringing me back to face the basic truths of those spiritual lessons, it breaks my heart to see anyone, but especially Paul, to be treated with such disrespect. He is discounted and trivialized.
I know that today’s world and economy is anything but user-friendly, but after years of the job hunt and application, it’s inconceivable to me that he has not found gainful and fullfilling employment given his years of experience and work ethic. It’s not one employer and WalMart is not the only big business with a bad reputation lack of respect for workers, but rather WalMart only represent the majority of employers in our capitatlist society.
I believe Paul’s only hope is with a caring supervior who can see his skill. I have no faith in the state of today’s business practices. Even prayers seem to be insufficent to overcome the challenges….after 3+ years of stuggling and praying and dissappointment. The ultimate sadness is in knowing that Paul’s story is not a unique and isolated story. We are cloaked in technology, big words, and marketing facades. We are bankrupt in spirit. And yet we have our backs to the wall and must still keep on! It’s exhausting.
March 5th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
I can empathise with how you feel, Paul. I’m a federal contractor too. Except that I used to be a federal employee. (I switched from being a GS-6 secretary at the USGS to a research assistant contract employee because my degree was in science and I couldn’t stand typing paperwork when I knew that my brain could be put to better use.)
Even though I’ve been a contractor for almost 10 years now, I’m viewed as temporary and, from an emotional as well as legal perspective, the federal staff tends to stay, as you put it, at arms length.
There are lots of legal complications why contractors are treated as if they were guests rather than valued employees. Namely, under common law, the more it looks like an employee-employer relationship, the better the chances that the contractor can sue — and win. Sometimes just knowing why the arms-length treatment happens helps me deal with the negative feelings it illicits.
Ultimately, though, I’ve noticed that how you’re treated as a contractor depends on your supervisor. Good supervisors bend the rules so that a better sense of fairness is achieved. Good supervisors — and others who may recognize your value better than a supervisor — will go to the mat for you. (In my case, they ammended our workplace diversity committee bylaws so that contractors could become non-voting participants. I was in the right place in the right time — and I kept asking and asking and asking.)
Unfortunately, I think it also depends on the culture of the organization. I’ve noticed that some PhD scientists have a tendency to look down their noses at those of us who don’t have PhD’s or who are in support positions. Some fit science-geek stereotypes and might have difficulty recognizing when they are hurting other’s feelings. Another sticky but not-often-discussed topic about organizational culture is how tollerant and accepting people are of people with differing religious and political beliefs, especially if there isn’t much diversity of beliefs within the group. But intollerance doesn’t have to be about the tradtional EEO factors (age, race, etc). It can be about more mundane things like, for instance, how a majority non-smoking workplace treats a long-time smoker.
If your workplace culture gets under your skin, you need to find another department or organization. Not fitting in can be extremely toxic.
It may not be age discrimination, as defined by EEO laws, but if it’s federal jobs you’re applying to, the emphasis is definitely on recruiting the next generation of federal workers. The gov’t (apparently) feels it can acquire enough experienced workers via contracting (for now), but is really worried about having enough experienced folks around after the Boomers have left the workforce. Hence, all the programs geared towards recent college grads and the intense competition for the federal jobs that haven’t been converted to contracts.
If you want to stick with gov’t work, you will probably have to accept being a contractor, at least for a few years. If you can align yourself with a great supervisor or coworker, there is a small chance that they can help you “get an in” to a federal position. If you can tollerate being a contractor for a while, if the differences don’t bug you too much, please realize that you can find better contracting companies. Talk to other contractors at your workplace and compare notes. Start dialogues with the better contracting companies and keep on top of the jobs they’re offering in your area. Surprisingly, there are more contract jobs out there than gov’t jobs. And, often, contracting companies need to find people in a hurry; making the contacts before hand helps put you in the right place at the right time.
March 23rd, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Dear Paul:
How you, or anyone, could mentally and emotionally endure submitting over 300 applications is more than my mind can fathom! You have so much to offer this community and this world. I hope you can always remember that you can make a difference in your own space on this planet. Being 55, healthy, and intelligent is a blessing that is sorely overlooked in our society, but for the life of me I simply cannot understand why.
It will never cease to amaze me that we doctors forget so often that the most important people in the world are NOT the doctors, but rather the “little people”, the housekeepers who clean up our messes and the librarians that make our search for information so incredibly easier.
I thank you for your place in my practice and in my life. I pray you find hope, peace and a worthy employer…for they are not worthy of you.
Peace, Love and Light,
Dr. Carrie
July 30th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
You’re not alone… unfortunately. Having worked “slave-labor” jobs for half my life, I can agree with your opinion about how people treat others who work below them.
I have had more than my share of bad experiences – with both co-workers and bosses, and not only in the government circle… but I have found that if your attitude does not sway in support of yourself, no matter what some assistant tells you about your application, you’ll make it. Believe in yourself!
Find your strength within, my brother… my advice to you as I type this from my federal computer. I too have suffered through government employment, first as a contractor, and now as a student employee. I may never have a permanent job with the Survey, but I have to contemplate, do I really want one?
As you say, you work and watch the few elite have all day play time with the other elite in the building. I have never quite understood how these types sleep at night after a long day of doing and accomplishing NOTHING at work (usually while we pick up the slack!).
But then again, who am I to judge these people? So I try not to, and I’ll tell you, it really makes for a better day at work… you know, you could picture them all in tutu’s and ballet shoes for a good inner laugh… I imagine monkey suits occasionally!
Hang in there and God bless!