I arrived at work tonight to find one of our managers waiting for a coworker and I. Into the office we were dragged. I am now under "formal investigation" for an incident which occured two nights ago, a third coworker is as well. This is being taken "extremely seriously" I really can't discuss it here, but of course, I'll plead my innocence. On the other side of things, I do see how I could have done things differently, and if I was to do it again, I would have tried a different approach... I still think this is over kill though. The clients accusing us, video taped us on their cell phones...without our consent.
We were not advised of our right not to say anything without a union rep present... thankfully our third coworker was and let us know that. Our executive director will be contacting us as he's spearheading the investigation. I did speak to one of our union reps this morning. She told me not to say a word without one of them present. This is serious. I can't believe this is happening. I'm not the kind of person who gets into trouble, and definitely not trouble like this.
I managed to survive the night, although one client might have seen a couple tears run down my cheek, this after my supervisor told my coworker and I off for something else...he was drunk at least and probably won't remember.
I had a panic attack when I walked through my door though. I can't even remember the last time I had a panic attack. But I picked up the Sophie cat and got through it, I calmed myself down pretty quickly. I just really, really, really hope this doesn't screw up my registration as a social worker, I don't think it can screw up my new job, unless I lose registration, which I require. This seriously cannot be that serious though, because nothing really happened! I wish I could talk about it, but I really, really can't. Just in case.
I keep telling myself it doesn't matter, that I'm leaving, that if I can't stay on the casual list so be it. It's just this horrible feeling sitting on me, telling me that I'm in trouble, just when things were looking up.
8 comments:
Yuck - I wish there was more I could say to help. Very much thinking of you and soon it'll all be in the past and you'll be able to move on. Take care.
thanks CB. that means a lot to me. There really isn't much to say, it's just sort of one of those things I guess... five more shifts till my full time position is over and I get to meet my new team in 10 days!
Good luck with everything. I'm sure it'll work out.
I wasn't going to comment here until you put me on your blogroll...petty i know :) anyway i've been through this sort of crap whenever i gave notice i was leaving a job. i think they just start looking for stuff you did wrong. probably if you were staying and they needed you they wouldn't have said anything about it. hopefully things will just blow over and you can be on your merry way. be sure you cover your own a**. oh, and i love your blog :)
So they hauled you in, told you it was very serious and then let you continue working?
Stay strong. Be honest and forthright. Keep close to your union rep. I think that if this was VERY serious, you would have been sent home.
Take care of yourself as much as you can.
I'm so sorry...it is scary. We had a case recently in our hospital where a patient's family was tape recording staff, presumably for the lawsuit they have planned. I was very anxious wondering if I had been recorded when I spoke to them and what could come of it. Stay strong and stick with your union rep! I'll be thinking of you.
OUCH! I know what it's like to be in trouble at the job and it's no fun. Stay strong!
I with you...
I just found out the States' response to an incident from last November when a client accused me of assault.
The client was hiding something and the staff on duty was attempting to handle it. The client was very defensive and shouting (it's what brought me out of the office). I got there just in time to see the client make a move to assault the staff. I stepped in between them to protect the staff and shorten the clients' wind-up.
I put my open hands on her shoulders to push her back... she claimed I hit her. She even had bruises to prove it. Problem... the bruises weren't on her shoulders. And all the eye witness accounts backed the account the staff and I gave.
It's as scary as hell... be truthful and honest. If there is a mentor in the field you can talk to, do so.
We're all in the trenches together.
Post a Comment