MAJOR CONCERNS:
TUHS pays employees on a weekly basis, except for me. I have had to struggle every week to get HR to issue me my regular agreed upon compensation. HR has continually cited issues with the Kronos (which is out of my scope of control) or failed to perform the processes necessary in order to issue me a regular paycheck. I have finally been paid for the month of December 2014. However, we are now in the 3rd week of January 2015. HR also fights paying me for the mandatory OT I have been required to work.
Additionally, it has been almost intolerable to work with the principal I was hired to assist, the Chief Quality Officer. This Chief Executive made no attempt to meet me even halfway in building a professional working relationship, a conversational report, a system of working together, to be professional whatsoever, or to communicate effectively. He was absolutely unreasonable and he would not allow me to perform my job. This executive was difficult from day one and he never made any attempt to acclimate into this extremely specialized position. Instead he just tasked out work. It was a baptism by fire. I welcome a challenge but I was not permitted to perform my job. I take shorthand and I am an avid note taker, especially first coming into a new position. Upon approaching me with an assignment or multiple, detailed assignments, directions, etc. when I would go to grab my pen and steno pad, Dr. Pitt would bark/yell at me, 'STOP MOVING!' or 'DON'T MOVE!', 'DONT' LOOK THERE!' etc. and would continue with these types of commands until I complied. When I would try to communicate to him what I was doing, I would barely get two words out before he would begin snapping, 'BE QUIET!', 'DON'T SPEAK!', etc. I was not permitted to confer with this execute concerning any items of business. Dr. Pitt was not at all interested in two-way communication. Did not want to work with me. It is impossible to provide efficient or effective support to a principal that refuses to allow you to perform your duties or to develop or establish a system of communicate with the assistant.
Moreover, Dr. Pitt routinely had temper flares (temper tantrums) and was unable to effectively convey what he needed concisely to effectuate business affairs, and would routinely have outbursts when I was unable to understand what he was requesting. Note that I have never marketed myself as a mind-reader.
Example:
Dr. PItt: Deb, I need Mike Weaver's number (has his cell phone out presumably ready to take the number down).
Me: Certainly Dr. Pitt. Let me just pull up the Outlook. Here it is. Ready? --- --- ----.
Dr. Pitt: NO, NO!!! I NEED MIKE WEAVER'S NUMBER!! GIVE ME HIS NUMBER!!!! ARE YOU STUPID!!! HIS NUMBER!
Berating goes on and on.
Me: Okay, Dr. Pitt. What are you actually asking me for?
Dr. Pitt: GIVE ME MIKE WEAVER'S NUMBER!!!!! I TOLD YOU. I WANT THE NUMBER.
Me: That is Mike Weaver's number Dr. Pitt.
Dr. Pitt: THE MEETING NUMBER!!!!! I SAID THE MEETING NUMBER!!!!
Me: You want the conference room number Dr. Pitt?
Dr. PItt: No response.
Me: Ok, Dr. Pitt. The conference room number is ----.
I have had to deal with this character of unprofessionalism and outbursts on a daily basis and at every turn. Given the fact that the work environment is difficult at best and that TUHS continues to fail to pay me for my regular hours and that TUHS fights paying me for the mandatory OT that I have been and still am required to work, I do not see a future at TUHS. I have a very strong work ethic. I feel that it is necessary to be flexible and to be able to adapt to the fluctuating demands of work flow, especially when you are heading up an essential services department like Quality Assurance that effects so many. No one at TUHS ever disputed that the OT was necessary, or that working over 40 hours per week is considered OT. TUHS simply has not wanted to pay me for the OT, and I have had to spend unnecessary hours negotiating for my agreed upon pay and for OT ultimately being compensated for just a fraction of the OT I actually worked. So, on one hand I have HR giving me a fight and delaying compensation for regular hours and OT, and on the other hand I have Dr. Pitt demanding OT. On average I was working 45 - 50 hours per week.
Finally, I gave my formal written 2 weeks notice on December 15, 2014. However, thereafter I realized that we were approaching the holidays and the next two weeks would be short weeks, therefore I agreed to remain in this position until the 2nd week of January. Parties to this agreement being Dr. PItt and Janine Woodard from HR.
HR did present Dr. Pitt with a number of candidates and he met with numerous applicants. This is a position that pays well (high 50's) and has great benefits. HR made formal offers to two (2) candidates both of whom declined the position. Candidates both citing that they 'got a bad vibe'. No kidding. Before the holidays, I touched base with Dr. Pitt about the 2nd week of January being my last day and he said, 'Fine'.
My last day with TUHS was supposed to be January 16, 2015. I spoke with Dr. Pitt again on Monday, January 12, 2015 about my approaching 'last day' since I was no longer being kept in the loop regarding my replacement and I was only involved in scheduling the previous interviews. I did not know where he stood with hiring a new EA. Dr. Pitt's only response to me was exclaiming, 'YOU'RE GIVING ME ONE WEEK'S NOTICE!!' and he stormed away. We spoke again on Wednesday and Dr. Pitt asked me to extend my stay in the position for one more week since as he stated 'there has been a miscommunication'. I informed him that I could not commit to that and that I had no intention of languishing in this position any longer than I have to after a new EA has accepted the position. On Thursday, Dr. Pitt sat down with me again and again he requested that I stay until the next Wednesday and he stated to me that a candidate had accepted the position. He was actually very pleasant and I agreed to my last day being 1/21/15. He also offered me tickets to a Temple Basketball game scheduled for 1/22/15 that he, his lovely wife, and a number of colleagues were going to be attending, which I accepted.
During this past week since I made it clear to Dr. Pitt that I have no interest in working for him, he has been cooperative, professional, and even makes an effort to smile and be more aware of what he is actually communicating to me. He has also finally allowed me to do my job, ironically.
Nevertheless, this past Tuesday, January 20th, I approached Dr. Pitt to go over the calendar, meeting agendas, and items that would require attention in light of my last day being 1/21. Essentially, wrapping up affairs and readying information for the new EA, which he allowed me to do. However, he again took the position that he was not aware that I was leaving at all and that there must have been a miscommunication. He exclaimed, 'YOU'RE GIVING ME ONE DAYS NOTICE!'. He stated that when he offered me the basketball tickets last week and I accepted the invite, in his mind this was my implied consent to remain in this position. I'm paraphrasing. I am only detailing my experience at TUHS to this extent because the experience has been so incredibly bizarre on so many fronts. I am extremely relieved and happy to welcome the new EA and wish her the best of luck. This has been the most difficult job to quit.