Bad employers

[CanAmAndMore]

They can be difficult to deal with, too. I heard one of the Feds went off on one of our helpdesk people because the training the Fed got wasn't good enough (new system with a new interface). As if the helpdesk person has any control over that. The Fed was instructed to bring the issue to their manager.

I'd *love* to find an IT job which isn't a Federal contract position, but finding one of those is difficult around here (Northern Virginia, which has an economy almost wholly dependent on Federal spending). (note: I did not choose to move here, I was dragged here by my parents back when I was 11, and they didn't move here for a Federal job or contract of any kind).

You're not 11 now, so can easily move.

 

[brianl703]

You're not 11 now, so can easily move.

No, I cannot. My elderly mother is not capable of taking care of herself. Until I figure out what to do about that situation, I am stuck here. Or I just move and let my brother deal with it--that's not right, I won't do it.

EDIT: If she needs to go into an elder care facility or nursing home, it won't be one in Virginia. They all seem to be overpriced and suck. Dad's already passed away.

 

[Chris142]

No, I cannot. My elderly mother is not capable of taking care of herself. Until I figure out what to do about that situation, I am stuck here. Or I just move and let my brother deal with it--that's not right, I won't do it.

EDIT: If she needs to go into an elder care facility or nursing home, it won't be one in Virginia. They all seem to be overpriced and suck. Dad's already passed away.

I was in the same boat. We had to put my father in a memory care facility. We spent my inheritance on his care as we were not able to take care of him with Alzheimer's. He lived 10 years in the facility which is very,very rare.

Once his $$ ran out I had to foot the bill for the place. Racking up nearly 100k in credit card debt which I'm still paying on 8 years after his death

 

[Lubener]

What makes the piece of paper useless? If part of the requirements for posting to a role/advancing is a college degree is a degree in a "useless" field better than not having the useless degree?

That degree would mean something for someone in a marketable field.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

They can be difficult to deal with, too. I heard one of the Feds went off on one of our helpdesk people because the training the Fed got wasn't good enough (new system with a new interface). As if the helpdesk person has any control over that. The Fed was instructed to bring the issue to their manager.

I'd *love* to find an IT job which isn't a Federal contract position, but finding one of those is difficult around here (Northern Virginia, which has an economy almost wholly dependent on Federal spending). (note: I did not choose to move here, I was dragged here by my parents back when I was 11, and they didn't move here for a Federal job or contract of any kind).

Well looking at USPS, USPS is always hiring.... My mailman-postmaster should get better treatment than some A´hole in Washington. Right now USPS is Amazon.com´s lap dog.... and we see the news how Amazon workers are treated!

 

[97prizm]

There is currently a thread about bad employees on here.
So its time for a thread about bad employers.

I had 7 jobs before becoming self employed.
4 were good places to work, 3 were terrible.

I'm sure that many of you have some horror stories about current or past jobs, and the idiots who ran the place, lets hear them.

I found the thread bashing employees for being stupid, really entertaining.

I worked for a dry cleaner, he was the most corrupt, crooked, lying, cheating, scumbag I ever met.
He treated us worse than slaves, sure not like valued employees.

Also worked at Subway, and that is why I'll never eat at a subway again. That guy cared nothing about sanitation, food quality, his customers, or us workers. Yuck!!!

Ran heavy equipment for a guy who would screw his own mother over for a nickel.
Maintenance was pathetic, he would short us hours on pay, always cutting corners, lied nonstop, and was a huge jerk.
If you own trucks and equipment, you should also own a nice shop, and have good mechanics on staff maintaining them. If you don't, you are the problem!

I'm self employed now, and remember well that a bad boss is destructive to moral, and the business. So I make sure to treat my staff how I would want to be treated.
They are paid well, treated well, and it makes for a happy and productive work environment. My staff turn over is also very low, because they are treated well. So in the end I also win, by not constantly having to hire and train newbies, and they are loyal to me.

If a corporation has a huge staff turn over, or a lot of bad employees, the boss needs to look at a mirror to see why.

I work security and unfortunately one of my co-workers is the most incompetent bozo that I've ever worked with. Your whole job is to pay attention yet he is off in Neverland and for some reason the management won't get rid of him. Just do the best you can with him is all we get.

 

[brianl703]

I was in the same boat. We had to put my father in a memory care facility. We spent my inheritance on his care as we were not able to take care of him with Alzheimer's. He lived 10 years in the facility which is very,very rare.

Once his $$ ran out I had to foot the bill for the place. Racking up nearly 100k in credit card debt which I'm still paying on 8 years after his death

One of the "nice features" of Virginia is that its one of the states that still has a filial responsibility law. That's yet another reason to get my mom out of here ASAP.

 

[brianl703]

Well looking at USPS, USPS is always hiring.... My mailman-postmaster should get better treatment than some A´hole in Washington. Right now USPS is Amazon.com´s lap dog.... and we see the news how Amazon workers are treated!

My cousin worked at USPS, he explained perfectly why "going postal" was a thing.

 

[CanAmAndMore]

The very first employee I ever hired, finally left last year, to retire. He will forever in my mind be considered a GREAT friend.
Every person who has retired I still consider a friend, and we keep in touch.
Stanley walked into my office about a month ago, handed me a paper, his letter of resignation to be exact.
Letting me know that as of Friday May 30th, 2025, @17:00 hours, he is done, and will not be returning to work.
He stood there as I read it, and told me that he and his wife have been discussing when to retire for years now.
Both are retired as of May 30 2025 at the end of the day.
With a tear in his eye, despite not going for 2 more years, Stanley said to me " I love working here, and its a difficult choice to leave, but it is time. Thanks for making my last 24 years of working something that was wonderful. "

I don't cry easily, but with tears i got up and walked over and hugged him.

Being good to my employees is its own reward, because of moments like that.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I was in the same boat. We had to put my father in a memory care facility. We spent my inheritance on his care as we were not able to take care of him with Alzheimer's. He lived 10 years in the facility which is very,very rare.

Once his $$ ran out I had to foot the bill for the place. Racking up nearly 100k in credit card debt which I'm still paying on 8 years after his death

Yikes!
Unfortunately we are almost there with my father. The Alz is getting pretty bad.

 

[John105]

Yeah that Obama care subsidy is the bomb until tax day where you get nailed for that cheap insurance. In the end it's cheaper to buy your own unless you have preexisting issues.

Maybe the govt should bring back the concept where you can make more not working, than at your full time job working (2020 was insanity, extra $600/week?). UChicago is extremely liberal, but even they were not liberal enough for that. They said it would permanently damage our economy. It has.

 

[John105]

The very first employee I ever hired, finally left last year, to retire. He will forever in my mind be considered a GREAT friend.
Every person who has retired I still consider a friend, and we keep in touch.
Stanley walked into my office about a month ago, handed me a paper, his letter of resignation to be exact.
Letting me know that as of Friday May 30th, 2025, @17:00 hours, he is done, and will not be returning to work.
He stood there as I read it, and told me that he and his wife have been discussing when to retire for years now.
Both are retired as of May 30 2025 at the end of the day.
With a tear in his eye, despite not going for 2 more years, Stanley said to me " I love working here, and its a difficult choice to leave, but it is time. Thanks for making my last 24 years of working something that was wonderful. "

I don't cry easily, but with tears i got up and walked over and hugged him.

Being good to my employees is its own reward, because of moments like that.

You should absolutely feel proud that you had that impact, on someone's life. Bravo.