A Case Of The Mondays: Vent Your Work Spleen Here

[ParadoxLost]

My company has sites where they have to hire a falconer to run off the seagulls that dive bomb people in the head.  Its a line item in the annual budget.

[hoosier80]

Today was interesting.  Asshat1 was back; Asshat2 was out.  A1 was trying to figure out where we were with this damned project (boss didn't do A1's multiple charts and lists).  A1 proceed to tell me well we have to get going on abcd.  I said well the processing area said they need 1234 to work first, and it's not configured.  A1 - that makes no sense (of course they're an expert- not - about how this group does its job).  Well it came out like A1 was jumping on me.  I said very tersely, I am doing the best I can.  I cannot handle all of this - I have to take care of this shit, plus the regular shit, and then all the shitty updates for this damned client because no one else knows how to do it.  I then teared up big time - the dam almost burst.  A1 backtracks - oh it's not you, are you ok?  Yep.  A1 was nice as could be.  The one item I got my shit jumped for last week, yeah it wasn't working right, the tech gurus were wrong.  Something wasn't running correctly.   Imagine that.

Then I get someone asking me (a processor) I have a question about this process.  I'm like well, I'm not handling the routine questions, drop in a ticket and someone will get back with you.  Yep, here comes in the ticket, after my fab co-workers vamoosed at 2:30 today.  They get in at the crack of dawn where there's virtually no work, then leave as shit piles up.  I read what is written.  This clueless processor wanted someone on our team to review her work.  WTF.  Then her equally clueless boss, approved it, and sent an urgent email.  I sent them the processing manual, and did look at it.  I then passed along to my boss, saying this isn't our job.  He can deal with chewing out some asses.  He responded they wanted us to do what?? I then sent him the actual request - long delay in response.  He finally said sorry, I literally laughed out loud at that stuff.  Sadly, they've dumbed down a lot of areas (hired cheap) and no cross training.  

I still am doing updates galore, via an automated process, but today alone it was roughly 75,000 lines of data.  Then I tell the Dip that some manual stuff may need to be done (I have since sort of figured out a way around that).  Of course Dip started complaining.  Give me a break.  I have worked the past two weekend while your sorry ass sat at home.  When we bring this new client online in a few weeks, Dip has already asked - do I have to work?  No you shit.  You stay home and pick your lazy ass.  Dip already schedule vacation time before and after new client launches.  How lovely.  Ass.  Most people are walking around like the walking dead, so tired from working on all this shit.  I hear Dip sighing about regular everyday items today.  If I had the energy, I would've reached over and slapped him.

I'm going to just get the rest of my updates done (hopefully tomorrow) and hopefully be able to handle the rest on my own.  Dip had reviewed shit I'd set up back in June for this client.  More of the same stuff just set up.  Oh I found an error.  I said well it's the same as the other stuff you reviewed a month or so ago.  Deer in headlights look.  Then I would write down I'm updating B, C, D, E.  Dip came back - I see there's an A.  Yeah that was done two months ago - which you checked!!!  Just stupidity.  And went through a bunch of paperwork - half filled out by the Dip.  I put it all back on their desk, saying fill out the forms correctly.  Tired so tired of it.  How hard is it to put your initials in every space where it says initial?  The reason I'm being particular is we get audited.  We will get dinged for even that kind of sloppiness.  I'm not going down with the Diptanic.  

[bilgistic]

Minor quibble: I submitted my parking reimbursement to work yesterday; it covers the month of August. The glorified office manager is rejecting it due to my being on leave. My leave is "scheduled" to end in the middle of August, hence I would theoretically be parking in the deck in August.

I figured they'd reject it, but I hoped it'd go through. I'm cancelling my parking contract today. I think parking management requires 30 days' notice, but I'm not above crying over $160. I probably will reflexively cry over losing $160 (well, actually $320. Jesus!).

[bilgistic]

Good news, everyone! The deck management didn't make me pay an extra month for cancellation! I celebrated by going to Target to buy cat litter.

I cancelled my parking deck contract!!!! No going back now!

[BookWoman56]

6 hours ago, bilgistic said:

Good news, everyone! The deck management didn't make me pay an extra month for cancellation! I celebrated by going to Target to buy cat litter.

I cancelled my parking deck contract!!!! No going back now!

Good for you! Every job I have ever left, no matter what the circumstances (hated the job, loved the job but was relocating or something, was neutral on the job but ready for a change), there has been this incredible sense of freedom once I made some irrevocable step in the process of leaving. It can be temporary, such as a couple of days before the usual concern about either finding or settling into a new job sets in, but while it lasts, it's great. Especially when it's a job where the people sucked, the relief at not having to deal with those people again can be truly invigorating, as can imagining how difficult it will be for them to find someone to do what you have been doing. On one occasion, I knew that I had seriously been overworked and underpaid when my sole position was converted to two full-time and two part-time positions after I left. Part of that was the difficulty they had in finding someone who had the different skills sets I'd been using in the job, but still...when you end up converting one full-time position to more or less three full-time positions, that should tell you something about the volume of work being done. 

[bilgistic]

I timed my drive home poorly such that I got caught in rush-hour traffic. I realized after about 15 minutes of driving how angry I was about the traffic and how I haven't had that in my life for the past 2.5 weeks. I was almost shocked at the realization, how easily the anger came back and how stupid it was to be mad about the traffic. Not that I'm going to be all peaceful about traffic from now on, because come on. But maybe I need to work from home a few days a week in my next job. There's a lesson in the experience other than "don't drive during rush hour".

[bilgistic]

19 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

Good for you! Every job I have ever left, no matter what the circumstances (hated the job, loved the job but was relocating or something, was neutral on the job but ready for a change), there has been this incredible sense of freedom once I made some irrevocable step in the process of leaving. It can be temporary, such as a couple of days before the usual concern about either finding or settling into a new job sets in, but while it lasts, it's great. Especially when it's a job where the people sucked, the relief at not having to deal with those people again can be truly invigorating, as can imagining how difficult it will be for them to find someone to do what you have been doing. On one occasion, I knew that I had seriously been overworked and underpaid when my sole position was converted to two full-time and two part-time positions after I left. Part of that was the difficulty they had in finding someone who had the different skills sets I'd been using in the job, but still...when you end up converting one full-time position to more or less three full-time positions, that should tell you something about the volume of work being done. 

I learned today that my (former) team has 1) hired a temp, 2) is using a new hire on another team to help and 3) is using support staff from all the other teams for more help! Oh, the validation and satisfaction!! Keep in mind there's still an intern on the team for another week or so; he's been there since July 1 and was doing the new kid's work while the new kid walked around all day, took 20-minute breaks every hour, and just generally farted around.

What's also funny is that when there were only three of us before the new kid was hired, my coworker and I managed to get the work done. It was exhausting, but we did it. Now they need what? Ten people to do the job of three? The volume hasn't changed. My presence has.

Yet another broker (retail leasing) has left, as has the lead of the financing team. Rats abandoning a sinking ship.

My name is mud on my team. I "left them high and dry" instead of, "hey, she needs to take care of herself". What if I had been in a car accident and in the hospital for six weeks? How is it different? IT'S NOT. Healing is healing, and they can fuck right off.

I do know that there are some good folks that are proud if me and happy I'm taking time. So hooray for that, and I will focus on keeping in touch with them in the future after this is all over.

Edited August 10, 2017 by bilgistic

[Mindthinkr]

18 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

My name is mud on my team. I left them high and dry instead of, hey, she needs to take care of herself. What if I had been in a car accident and in the hospital for six weeks? How is it different? IT'S NOT. Healing is healing, and they can fuck right off.

That's correct. This is your me time. Time to lick your paws and catch up on a few behind the ear scratches! Their hiring and using so many ppl to do you job validates how much that you did on that job and how valuable you were. 

A Joni Mitchell song comes to mind: (paraphrasing) 

You don't know what you've got till its gone

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot 

[ABay]

@bilgistic, I laugh in their general direction.

You inspired me to take 2 weeks vacation, which ends Monday. My job isn't as stressful as yours (I'm sure I'm not alone, there) but I rarely take more than a day off at a time unless I have a big trip planned. This year, however, we finally ditched The Idiot in Charge after 9 years of incompetent, petty, management by hissy fit and it felt like all of the accumulated stress was trying to get out at once. I've spent the last 2 weeks daydreaming and day drinking and it's been fantastic. Going back on Monday will be hard but I think I would've ended up with medical leave by the spring if I hadn't taken the 2 weeks now. So all your suffering was totally worth it.

[bilgistic]

I'm glad, @ABay! It's well documented that we don't take enough vacation time in the U.S. (unless you're an executive, heh). Do something splendidly indulgent in the next 3.5 days!

[hoosier80]

@bilgistic, it warms the cockles of my old, tired heart to hear your old team is struggling.  I'd love to walk away from the mess I have at work.  I updated almost 250,000 records because the new client wants it this way.  Now why they didn't say that when it was originally set up and why someone didn't say we can do it, but it'll take a month or more is beyond me.  This is a project from hell.  I've never seen a more disengaged client.  Now they're freaking because they left everything ride until the last minute.  

Asshat1 was on me wanting this and that done.  Ok, I cannot do these updates, answer Dip's stupid questions, and also deal with another project all at once.  Again, I was brought into the project from Hell at the last damned minute, so I do not know what was agreed upon or most of the details.  I didn't attend her two meetings yesterday.  Then today, I was asked to enter test data by a tech person via email, then Asshat1 said oh I already had worker bee Susie Q enter the data.  I IM'd A1 and said nice to see I just wasted time, because I entered data too.  A1 says well just to warn you I'm close to blowing up today.  And what else is new?  A1 is known for being a big mouth, being rude, and pissing people off.  I have backed off dealing with A1.  I have my 250k records updated, so I'm on auto pilot the rest of the day.  I know next week will be hell, but I'll map out what I need to do.  Asshat1 & 2 both spazz out when it's close to "go time", so it'll be a treat dealing with them next week.

Dip has already stated they'll be out some days, as our boss wanted to know when the new client launches who will cover what.  New member to the team is also going to be out.  So tell me again who is covering what? They have carved out all the available time for August.  I put down for vacation time for whatever was still available for Sept.  Dip likes to take off every damned Friday in the month.  Basically, then no one else can take that day off - I called them on it last year.  Well,  you can take other days.  I DO NOT WANT TO TAKE OTHER DAYS.  I would prefer to take Friday off.  I should've written in a bunch of Fridays just to piss Dip off - I'll do that next year as soon as the calendar is out.  

We've actually had 5 or 6 of the leads on this damned project out, during critical times for their tasks.  I guess it doesn't matter if you're there or not - unless you're a peon.  Silly me.  I thought all time off was voided until the new client launched.  That's the way it always was before.  Next time, I'll know better. 

[theredhead77]

Finding out they had to hire more than one person to do your job is always vindicating.

[bilgistic]

2 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

 We've actually had 5 or 6 of the leads on this damned project out, during critical times for their tasks.  I guess it doesn't matter if you're there or not - unless you're a peon.  Silly me.  I thought all time off was voided until the new client launched.  That's the way it always was before.  Next time, I'll know better. 

Everyone on my team took vacation time throughout the winter and spring. I didn't. The kid took TWO vacations (three days on either side of Memorial Day and July 4th) and he only started March 20. How does a salaried employee take time off he hasn't accrued yet??

When others are taking vacation and you aren't, you need to take vacation! Learn from me! The "rules" aren't being enforced, clearly.

Edited August 11, 2017 by bilgistic

[ABay]

I've indulged myself so much during this time off that I'm beginning to worry about whether I'll fit into my work clothes on Monday. I also don't know how I'm going to make it through the entire work day without a siesta. 

[DeLurker]

Sure signs of effective utilization of time off.

[hoosier80]

Well, I blew up today.  Never been so angry in my life, I was shaking all over.  Dip & crew go to talk to one of the project managers about when everyone on the team should come into the office when this fucking project launches in on a weekend.  Did that without me.  I hear PM saying well I need her (me) to do this and that, which will be the only early task.  Dip then comes by and I said well that was nice of you to be so concerned now, not like you've been throughout any of this project, nice of you NOT to include me.  I should just let you do it ALL.  "Oh, we were just trying to help iron out the schedule and with you being so busy......."  No, you wanted to come in early so you'd have the rest of the weekend to do your stuff, and stick me with the rest of the time to do the actual work.  Dip has pulled this shit before and thinks that they're our boss or cruise director....likes to act in charge and tell everyone what to do.  Nope.  Not buying into your schemes any more.  Dip has been trying to schedule meetings for the team, so we could write out a schedule.  I had asked, do you know what needs to be done?  No.  Do you remember what we've done or you've done previously?  No.  How in the hell do you know what needs to be done then this time?  Plus, it's always the PM who has a project plan to say what needs to be completed.  

PM then calls us all back as they're making out an official schedule.  PM says to me well I need you early.  Fine.  Dip says well boss wanted me in by at least 8.  PM says there will be no one here at 8.  Well, he wanted me here.  Dip then says they have to leave by 1 ish.  WTF.  PM asks me and I said I'll do whatever time  you need me.  PM says thank you.  Then another person thought they'd be not having to do anything - nope we need someone for the next day.  

My network password expired by the time I was ready to logout.  Stupid corporate systems.  I got an email this morning saying it would expire in 24 hours.  It was 10 hours later.......so I had to call a global help desk and get it reset.  Still didn't work for one system, so I was like screw it, and left - at the early time of 8 p.m.  

I'm so sick of the rest of the team (Dip & Co) walking out every day on time.  Dip asked - while I was in the middle of doing updates, can I help?  I'm in the middle, and having someone else do some updates - which I'd have to "train" them on how to update (I could show a 10 year old and they'd catch on faster) is not an efficient way to do shit.  I have a whole list of stuff I have to do and I don't have time to babysit you.  Had you maybe shown an interest say, a month or so ago, then maybe I could have trained you on what needed done.  The thing is, Dip has been with the company for over 20 years, bouncing from job to job, with people I think just passing them to the next unsuspecting area, only to find out they know less than squat.  

[Mindthinkr]

@hoosier80  I would be very upset if I walked in and all this happened without my knowledge on a weekend.  That password snafu...bites. Take a deep breathe. You will get through this. Sorry that you are working with floaters who sail without really learning what it takes to be a thunder bolt of knowledge. 

[DeLurker]

You need to celebrate each week you don't murder Dip.

[Petunia13]

My work wife quit this week. 

[Quof]

I have to go to a meeting, about an hour away from my office.  Is it bad I'm hoping there is a really bad accident on the highway on my way back to the office?   I don't want anyone to be hurt, I just want traffic to be delayed so much that I don't get back in town until it's time to go home anyway.   

[ParadoxLost]

I've been dreaming for the last couple hours about what a mess work is right now.  I've given up on sleep and am heading to work.

I'm going to regret this later because I know that my job is like whack a mole and this won't really fix anything but I never learn.

And this will give me two hours to work before my eight hours of conference calls start.  Wahoo!

[DeLurker]

5 hours ago, Quof said:

I have to go to a meeting, about an hour away from my office.  Is it bad I'm hoping there is a really bad accident on the highway on my way back to the office?   I don't want anyone to be hurt, I just want traffic to be delayed so much that I don't get back in town until it's time to go home anyway.   

Yes it is bad.  You might hear an odd noise or feel a weird shimmy when you start your car to go home and it would be most prudent to start your return trip until you've had it looked into.  It might be something as simple as an oil change...

[ParadoxLost]

I truly wonder if the people in charge off companies realize the amount of freaked out frenzy and workload they cause throughout their organizations by virtue of uttering words.

[theredhead77]

22 hours ago, Petunia13 said:

My work wife quit this week. 

I'm sorry for your loss :(

------

My replacement started yesterday and they layed chatterbox off this afternoon. 

[Cherry Bomb]

So some of you may have read in my other posts I am starting my first year of teaching Kindergarten in a few weeks. Well today I had the opportunity to meet my mentor for some coffee and a get together this afternoon. I just have to say if all of my co-workers are going to be like her I am really going to love it in my new job. She has been a Elementary teacher for 25 years and a Kindergarten teacher for 20 of those years so she does have quite a bit of experience to help me along in my new journey. She was in her upper 40's, but really it was like talking to someone my age. She was so much fun. The weirdest thing is she had a daughter who just recently turned 23 and that is older than me which we got a good laugh about. Her 23 year old is her oldest daughter  and she also has a 17 year old daughter and a 14 year old son. We did talk a lot about my goals for the year and her main point to me was to keep the fun in it. She said with this age group I will have the willingness to learn so just keep it fresh and fun for both myself and them and the year will be great. Right there was great advice because I was going into this pretty damn nervous and just talking to her I feel somewhat more relaxed already. It was a good start to what I believe is going to be a great first year of teaching.

 

Next up for me is going to the new hire orientation at the end of the month and then the fun will begin.

Edited August 17, 2017 by Cherry Bomb

[hoosier80]

O.M.G.  I am going to kill the Dip.  We are working this weekend, and it started with me being on call to add shit early this morning.  I hung out and ready to log out when - can you add 1234.  Sure.  I get logged out ready to relax for a few and I get a series of texts.  Dip asking if they should do abc and what about xyz?  Leave it and me alone!!!

Now Dip is an early, early, early bird.  Comes in before 6 a.m. and leaves early.  The deal is that they can surf the net or do whatever because we have little or no work at 6 a.m.  Dip was Jonesing to work early early early over the weekend.  Problem is, no one would be in yet.  Nothing to do per Project Manager, plus everyone was to stay the fuck out of the system at that time anyhow.  So it got pushed back to 10 a.m., which Dip decided on their own to come in at 9.  WTF.  Now texting me over shit that can wait.  Again, WTF.  Do your own fucking work.  I can handle my shit.  Do not try to take on my shit.  Please do not or I will have to strangle you.

I just said no I'm not doing a thing until IT is done, completely done.  Oh, ok.  You dumbass.  Why would you get into the system when you are told NO.  I'm sure as hell not doing a thing during that time.

On previous times where everyone had to be in on a weekend, Dip whined and moaned.  Dip wanted to come in and leave early, per their regular shit.  I was so pissed yesterday, got a lot of late items, which our newer team members are doing the same early shift.  That shit will come to an end.  I'm not doing it all by myself.  Dip took days off at the end of this week, only to be told, yeah your ass has to come into the office ,too.  Dip's plot to get out of working was foiled.  I laughed so hard.  Ass.  I'm sure they'll whine and moan, as they're already trying to do shit to get out of there.  I have 2 hours before I have to report into the office, and I'm not going in early.  Screw that shit.  

I may need bail money.  

[Moose135]

3 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

I may need bail money.  

I got you covered! ;-)

[DeLurker]

3 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

I may need bail money.

Start a pre-emptive Go Fund Me - I'll kick in some rubles.

[ABay]

We've got your back, @hoosier80. I'll pitch in, too. 

[hoosier80]

Aww thanks for offering to help with bail money.  Well I didn't strangle anyone.  I left around 7 p.m.  What a cluster.  Did hardly anything, just tried to stay awake.  Then I see on updates to management, one item was held up due to updates.  Uh, wait a minute Asshats 1 & 2, those updates were per YOUR request.  I really didn't like how they were reporting the whole deal - it was a bullet point type update.

The kicker - the one thing we were to cover, nothing was being put into that system until Monday.  So they paid me OT for nothing.  Nice planning there A1 & A2.  

Someone else has to cover the shit tomorrow, so I am going to try and relax, because the upcoming week is looking to be BAD.

[Mindthinkr]

1 hour ago, hoosier80 said:

Someone else has to cover the shit tomorrow, so I am going to try and relax, because the upcoming week is looking to be BAD.

Please do. Relax, sleep late and if worst comes to worst this week I'll throw a few bucks into the bail fund as well. 

Sounds like you are going to need a mental health day this week. 

[ennui]

My job is so discouraging, I spent the past few days analyzing whether I can afford to quit (which would be foolish). Decided to be more proactive in searching for a new job. 

[hoosier80]

If I had a nickel for each time the Dip asked me a question today, I may have been able to retire starting tomorrow.  Just stupid shit, too.  Shit the Dip should know from being on this team almost 3 years!  Three years and a new person has had to show them stuff!!!   AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Then a manager calls me.  Yeah new client, one field was left blank.  My bad it was me, but Dip was to review EVERYTHING.  And this was a critical piece of information.  I said something and I got the "is it on the review sheet?"  I'm like well if it isn't, that is a problem, and I may put it in bold and highlight it.  I hear, like a minute or so later, yeah it's on the review sheet.  Then............."well we need someone else to also review!!"  I didn't even respond.  In my mind, thinking LOUDLY, I was like you are not kidding, I need someone to review with a brain!  Then I was like how was I the main review person for two years, and I got it done (person who did majority of set ups retired).  I caught a good amount of stuff, and it was corrected before stuff was implemented.  Sure there may have been a few things that snuck through, but nothing critical.  I know that much.   Dip is on an extended vacation starting later this week.  Thank God.    I asked the manager who notified me about the missing data, how bad was it?  Luckily, no data came in where it'd be impacted by that field.  I said I was just so pissed off about it, and manager was like - not like you didn't have a million things going on all at once.  What kills me is I try to be very thorough, detailed, and careful.  I have also thought about the possibility of the Dip sandbagging me - erasing what was there.  Yes, they are that stupid.  I am checking the system history tomorrow.  If I see that they erased or deleted something, I'm going to my boss.  

I had one dingbat tell me I did something to the system because they couldn't get into a field.  Yeah, it's a field we never use, not applicable to what we do.  Argued with me, then their co-worker said, no we don't ever update that field.  Had another person, who clearly didn't have enough to do, disappear for a good hour and a half during the eclipse.  Came back to their desk and said that was the lamest eclipse ever, holding their special glasses.  WTF.  

I just want to get to the weekend.  I have nothing planned.  Yay!

[Mindthinkr]

15 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

I just want to get to the weekend.  I have nothing planned.  Yay!

Keep it that way. 

[bilgistic]

I'm drafting my resignation letter that I'm sending tomorrow...

[Quof]

Make sure the first letter of each paragraph spells something meaningful.

[DeLurker]

B I T E M E?

[bilgistic]

You know, I thought about that! "F Y O U"

I sent it to my sister the HR rep for her review. I'm sure she'll chop it down to "I resign. Sincerely, Bilgistic"

I wrote a couple paragraphs about the culture and office being unhealthy and despite my many attempts to improve the situation by talking to persons X, Y and Z, I felt I had no choice but to leave. I mentioned the male dominance and nepotism. I think it's important to address those things.

I also said I appreciate the knowledge and skills I gained and wish them continued success, blah, blah.

I'll post the final version tomorrow when I send it.

By the way, they've hired ANOTHER person to serve as "general support" for the brokers. So that's yet another person they needed to do my job. Fuck them, for real.

[ennui]

19 minutes ago, bilgistic said:

I'm sure she'll chop it down to "I resign. Sincerely, Bilgistic"

That's usually best. Never put anything in writing. 

There's always the Wizard of Oz version: "Auntie Em: hate you, hate Kansas, took the dog. Dorothy"

My current employer has a form -- check off the boxes, enter a date, sign the bottom. 

Edited August 24, 2017 by ennui

[bilgistic]

My ultimate goal is to be eligible for unemployment pay, and to show the reason for it via the letter, i.e., the environment forced me to leave. I could talk to my divisional supervisor after my resignation and see if he'll make sure the folks in HR approve the pay request, but that might be a long shot.

[ennui]

I think there are only a couple of reasons (maybe even one) that will allow you to quit a job and collect unemployment. Did you look into that?

[Bastet]

It varies by state, but there are several reasons for quitting that allow the employee to collect unemployment.  Almost all states allow for unemployment benefits in the event of "constructive discharge," which is the case bilgistic will make.

[Moose135]

3 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I'm drafting my resignation letter that I'm sending tomorrow...

I know it's scary right now, but you'll be better off in the long run.  Know that you have friends to lean on if you need it!

[BookWoman56]

3 hours ago, bilgistic said:

You know, I thought about that! "F Y O U"

I sent it to my sister the HR rep for her review. I'm sure she'll chop it down to "I resign. Sincerely, Bilgistic"

I wrote a couple paragraphs about the culture and office being unhealthy and despite my many attempts to improve the situation by talking to persons X, Y and Z, I felt I had no choice but to leave. I mentioned the male dominance and nepotism. I think it's important to address those things.

I also said I appreciate the knowledge and skills I gained and wish them continued success, blah, blah.

I'll post the final version tomorrow when I send it.

By the way, they've hired ANOTHER person to serve as "general support" for the brokers. So that's yet another person they needed to do my job. Fuck them, for real.

Very early in my career, I wrote a two-page letter of resignation in which I laid out all the reasons for leaving:

• Having been duped while I was still part-time into putting in extra hours that I was not paid for. 
• Having a manager whose sole focus was not the educational institution he oversaw but his own reputation (seriously, a good third of my job was filling out paperwork to have him nominated for one damn award or another).
• My manager's overt preference for people of certain national origins: This was S. Florida and my boss, who was Cuban-American, openly stated in many internal meetings that he wanted to hire primarily Cuban-Americans; I was the token Anglo he had on his immediate staff; and if you were from another country, such as Jamaica, you might be hired but would not advance in any significant way. He had two people on his staff who were doing the exact same job, but the Cuban-American employee was making $10K a year more than the Jamaican employee, despite the fact that on paper they had the exact same credentials; when I pointed this out, the reaction was like, "oh, no, we are totally not discriminating in any way," yet two weeks later the Jamaican employee's salary had been adjusted to match the Cuban-American employee's.  African-American employees there were definitely treated as second-class citizens.
• My manager's deliberate lack of adherence to official guidance on using enrollment figures: We were supposed to add up all hours taken by students in a given semester and divide by the number of hours required to be classified as a full-time student, to obtain an enrollment figure that was full-time equivalent; he instead insisted on using (and I swear I am not making this up) the number of students who took a class in fall semester plus the number of students who took a class in spring semester; so if we had 10,000 students in fall and 9,000 students in spring, he would claim we had an enrollment of 19,000 students, completely ignoring the fact that many spring students were the same students from fall semester and the whole full-time equivalency issue. This was a deliberate choice; I raised the issue once in an article I was writing, and pointed to the official policy, only to be told that he didn't care what the policy said).  He applied the same kind of math to other things, and I saw a grant application to a state agency on which I knew for a fact the numbers he was using were fabricated. 

I look back sometimes and cringe at how naive I was, thinking that my letter might change anything, but at the same time, somebody needed to say those things to him and so ultimately I have no regrets about it.  I obviously couldn't use my manager as a reference, but other colleagues in fairly high positions volunteered to be references for me, so no real harm done.

These days, I generally stick to the generic "I'm pursuing a new opportunity; thanks, bye" letter because I just can't be bothered to write the real reasons. Most of the time, though, it has been simply that a different opportunity has arisen and there are no hard feelings. I'm not sure what I'd do in  your case, @bilgistic, but if you are trying to make a case for unemployment, you need to include the description of the working environment as @Bastet stated.

[AgentRXS]

I have no idea how unemployment benefits works when you're quitting, but I'm wishing all the best for you @bilgistic.

2 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

My manager's overt preference for people of certain national origins: This was S. Florida and my boss, who was Cuban-American, openly stated in many internal meetings that he wanted to hire primarily Cuban-Americans; I was the token Anglo he had on his immediate staff; and if you were from another country, such as Jamaica, you might be hired but would not advance in any significant way.

I had the exact same experience at my last office job,except the bosses were Trinidadian, not Cuban. They favored any POC of Caribbean descent; I was one of 3 white folks on the staff, and there were 3-4 Black American staff members also. My immediate boss straight up told me that the Americans were the tokens of the office, so that visitors would get the impression that we were a multi-cultural company.  The Caribbean staff members had free reign to talk to the Americans  as disrespectfully as they wanted to and no corrective action would be taken. In fact, you would get in trouble if you complained about the treatment. They could some and go as they pleased; if the American staff members were even less than 5 minutes late, they would get a write up. Calling out sick also resulted in a write up, if you couldn't provide a doctors note every single time you called out.....even if you explicitly told the supervisors it was a non-medical issue  (car broke down, family issue, needing to be home to deal with service repairs, etc).

My boss constantly made fun of my weight (I was too skinny at the time according to her) , complained that although I met the office dress code, I wasn't wearing designer label outfits, complained if I repeated outfits within a span of two weeks, hated that I tied my hair back in a ponytail (I literally can't do anything else with my hair---its that difficult to manage), and took offense that I didn't want to discuss my personal life with her.

So one Friday, I came into the office and she told me I was fired because "she was tired of seeing my face".  She blatantly stated that she had no problem with my work ethic, but she just didn't like me as person, and didn't want me on her team anymore. She also admitted that she cleared it with her bosses to allow me to receive unemployment compensation so I wouldn't sue for discrimination. She also promised not to badmouth me to future employers. Since FL is a right-to-work state, I'm assuming what she did was completely legal.

Since I was young and broke, I told the unemployment compensation and parted ways. Part of me always wonders if I had an actual case on my hands. But it worked out in the long run, because she was making me miserable and decimating my self-esteem, and I got paid to get away from her.

Edited August 24, 2017 by AgentRXS

[BookWoman56]

@AgentRXS, that situation sucked but glad you were able to move past it. For my job, some of my best work experiences in my entire career occurred with that job, so I have fond memories of parts of it. But ultimately, workplace discrimination is discrimination whether it's based on national origin or other factors, and it can be disturbing to see it so blatantly practiced in the workplace. I just wish there were more managers who focused on actual work performance rather than favoritism of any kind to decide who gets paid what, and who advances up the career ladder at the company and who falls off/is shoved off the ladder.  I don't think that's too damn much to ask.

[walnutqueen]

Bilgistic - I hope you have thoroughly researched the unemployment laws in your area, and have properly laid a solid foundation for your case.  It is very difficult to claim unemployment benefits if you resign.

[ennui]

3 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

@AgentRXS, that situation sucked but glad you were able to move past it. For my job, some of my best work experiences in my entire career occurred with that job, so I have fond memories of parts of it. But ultimately, workplace discrimination is discrimination whether it's based on national origin or other factors, and it can be disturbing to see it so blatantly practiced in the workplace. I just wish there were more managers who focused on actual work performance rather than favoritism of any kind to decide who gets paid what, and who advances up the career ladder at the company and who falls off/is shoved off the ladder.  I don't think that's too damn much to ask.

At my current employer, nepotism reigns. Relatives get all the plum assignments and job security. It's a privately owned company, so they can do whatever they want. 

We haven't mentioned age discrimination. I was at a job site today, and started to create a profile. They had a drop-down menu to select the year you graduated high school (I don't think they can ask that, but bear with me). The menu ended before my year. Clearly, a subtle way to screen out the older workers. And, I am assuredly not a senior citizen. 

[BookWoman56]

@ennui, when I teach what amounts to a business writing class online for college students, many of whom are well into their career, I now tell them to go back typically no more than roughly 10 years on their resume in terms of listing the dates for their previous employment, and not to list dates for graduation from high school or college. Obviously, situations will vary, but the current thinking seems to be that the hiring manager doesn't care about jobs more than a decade old, because they're probably not relevant to the job being sought.  I don't necessarily agree with that thinking, but I emphasize that they should treat their age the same way they do political or religious affiliation: those do not belong on a resume, as having them there opens the door to discrimination.  Other than being old enough to work, your age shouldn't be an issue for most employment. 

[ennui]

Oh, I'm familiar with the 10-year rule for resumes. But the drop-down menu was something new to me. I don't remember if I could have skipped the question, but I'm not going back to that site.