I work in a small Emergency Room in the registration area.

Anonymous

December 12,2023 at 4:34AM UTC

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I work in a small Emergency Room in the registration area. I am an older worker and have been in this position for 15 months. My manager and I don't seem to be on the same page over several issues. I am not full time, but PRN. I usually get scheduled 30 hrs a week, but have made it known that I really want full-time. AS PRN you have no benefits, no PTO, and a rather random schedule.

It the recent past, the manager has hired 3 new employees, all full-time positions. I asked her directly if she was ever going to consider to hire me full time and she went on on how she had to hire the best for the company etc. Evidently that included a 19yr old with no work experience. Now she has told me I have to take another position, one I did not apply for or want to do - still as PRN. As a note I do my job well, have no negative reports in my HR file, get along great with the other staff and employees. I am very unhappy about it. It is difficult to find a job at my age, and feel they hired me as I hit 3 "Clicks" in HR, Older, female, ex-military. Quite often this manager will come into the area where 3 of us are working and will acknowledge the other two women and talk to them and never say a word to me. This last time I felt I should have asked her if somehow I had become invisible. I do not know what to do. I have advised - thru email - HR, but their response was what was my desired outcome for the ticket. If I did not have to work I would just walk out. I feel like she is trying to push me out. I could write a book about the other negative interactions.

I want to thank you all for reading this. I wish that all women would always be treated fairly in all parts of their life. I know lots of you have and still face discrimination for your color, sexual orientation, size, being female, domestic and sexual violence and on and on. I wish all of us and better and brighter future.

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AnonymousDecember 12,2023 at 5:55AM UTC
Ive been there. Felt invisible until there was a "problem " only I could fix (others busy chatting)
I'd start looking. You deserve better.
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 6:27AM UTC
Thank you. Sorry that happened to you as well.
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 11:00AM UTC
Sadly I'm used to it. But fortunately I learned to go after what I want so when (not if) the nonsense continues as no job is perfect, I've got something going for me
AnonymousDecember 12,2023 at 1:31PM UTC
As for the HR question about your desired outcome, you should respond, "I wish to be made full-time or transferred to another department where I could work full-time.
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 6:26AM UTC
Thank you. That's good advice.
Kimberly AnneDecember 12,2023 at 1:39PM UTC
I used to work in the ER with registration too. Is this a large healthcare system? Because you could apply directly to the job by passing her maybe? I also found some of the worst people in this job, it was so bad I had to quit.
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 6:29AM UTC
Unfortunately she is the manager at my location. All the jobs are through her.
AnonymousDecember 12,2023 at 8:10PM UTC
That's a horrible manager if you have worked there a while and do well and she's hiring full time outside of the company without giving you fair consideration for full time AND --excuse me, but WTF here-- telling you she has to "hire the best."
I wish I could tell her to pull her head out of her a$$ your your behalf if that's her response. In all seriousness, I would advise telling HR of your desire for full time AND how she has responded to your discussions about it AND that you are a good, loyal employee who wants to serve the organization long-term, and if there are areas you can develop further to be selected for a full time role, you need actionable steps (i.e. complete certification x within the next year) to achieve that goal vs nebulous feedback that boils down to "I'm running a popularity contest and make my own rules as I go."
I would also suggest applying for other roles in the organization and comparable roles in any other nearby health systems.
Your problem is your boss.
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 6:25AM UTC
Thank you for taking the time to respond . .Your advice is perfect about asking what I would need to do since I keep getting passed over. And I will look elsewhere
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 2:39PM UTC
I would speak with HR and apply for other registration areas. If this manager cannot appreciate you, leave.
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 3:07PM UTC
You desired outcome is to be treated with the same respect and courtesy as everyone else.
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 4:30PM UTC
Im so sorry this is happening to you as an older working woman myself I have experienced this as well
it’s a real shame some women have trouble supporting other women older or younger shouldn’t be an issue
is it possible to find another job? That may be your only recourse I would look for a new opportunity where I had a better chance of being supported and appreciated , you won’t be able to change your manager and hr very rarely helps actually I’ve never seen hr help in anything usually you end up out the door
i think with you background and work ethic you could find something better. Dont quit just start looking while you work
please update what happens I’ll be looking forward to hero g your success!
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 5:11PM UTC
I would have a meeting with HR and cite specific examples of why you should be hired full-time and definitely mention the non-experienced person that was hired FT. Let them know that you feel left out and want to continue working there but need to have more stability and want the FT role. If they do not give you that then perhaps go to their competitor and see if they can employ you. Unless you have solid info re ageism as part of this claim you may not have any recourse. Sorry you are dealing with this but IMHO experience should be valued much more in the workplace than it is today.
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 7:39PM UTC
Thank you. As I am 77 new jobs are hard to find. But I am looking. I am supposed to have a call from HR today. Fingers crossed.
Amanda LeeDecember 13,2023 at 5:48PM UTC
I am sorry to hear you are experiencing this.
In normal problem resolution, once the manager has responded, you can then take it to HR. If HR is not able to resolve it, you likely have a compliance or ethics line you can tap to help with resolution. In most companies these are individuals outside of your immediate location. You can be either anonymous or tell them your name.
Be sure to be as detailed as possible, with dates and witnesses and provide that to the compliance/ethics team. Hopefully they can look into this and help you with some form of resolution.
Hope you are able to get this resolved!
AnonymousDecember 13,2023 at 7:49PM UTC
I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
I'm strongly assuming this is a job in the USA as this is probably not an issue in Europe. Your suspicion that you just checked off the boxes for the company is probably correct. From whatever you've written, I think it sounds a bit personal. It sounds like your supervisor, though doing her job, is obviously overlooking you and minimizing your abilities. This may be personal or some garbage from higher ups that want to retain younger employees especially if you're near retirement. The problem here is it's discrimination but hard to prove. They, jobs that is, like to terminate older employees due to ageism. Is it possible to transfer to another department where you'll be treated better and get full-time? Can you put that transfer over her head? I would definitely be on the lookout for other jobs in same industry. In fact, apply for them and go to the interview but get someone else as a reference point not her. I'm 48 and my take on ageism is that by a certain age in the USA you MUST pivot to an industry where they won't hold age against you. Become the expert and go-to person for that industry. If you're a mentor you're basically priceless. You MUST have multiple streams of income in place. You must try to possibly freelance on your own if it's difficult to find a job at a certain age. You must be willing to leave the USA if it gets bad with jobs and retirement. Europe treats older people quite differently and for the most part there's respect. Here we assume as someone ages that they can't be teachable, can't be flexible, can't adapt, can't learn technology and a whole lot of ridiculousness. Job do this to employees BUT we have a bunch of old people running the USA? What's up with that? Congress and many company CEOs are as old as father time! I'm hating the double standards. These companies really need to reevaluate trajectories because the population is actually rapidly aging. Many jobs can't be filled with 19 years olds because they don't want to do them. I can bet good money that the 19 year old they hired won't last long especially in a medical setting. Btw, I've worked in medical and there are a lot of petty bitchy-witchy women in that setting. If you don't fit their culture you're basically SOL. I got lucky because the volunteer department, financial aide, Oncology nurses and the Director of Nursing loved me. I'm sure that if you found the right people, you would definitely be appreciated. Don't get discouraged because you are fabulous the way you are!
Rebecca MillikenDecember 15,2023 at 3:58PM UTC
Ageism is hard to prove but not impossible. Please keep track of specific examples like the ones you told us. I know finding another job seems hard, but in the healthcare field it isn't impossible. Sorry you're going through this.
AnonymousDecember 18,2023 at 8:08PM UTC
Thank you Rebecca.
AnonymousDecember 16,2023 at 7:01AM UTC
I’ve worked in healthcare including ERs. You didn’t give enough information to properly answer this. Are the new hires all under 26 years old? Know you mentioned the 19 year old. If they are hiring super young people, the hospital system is most likely doing it so the new employees are still under their parents’ health plan. Some are doing it to save money. People, including employees, don’t realize some of these hospitals are self insured for their health insurance. Since you have experience, you should try to apply to other area hospitals or medical offices.
AnonymousDecember 18,2023 at 8:07PM UTC
Yes they are under 26. I did resign this morning. The stress was not worth the paycheck. It does put me in a bind, but I feel so much better. I have a couple of job interviews lined up so we will see where that goes. I appreciate everyone's support here . It has been a few hard days deciding what to do. They came back and told me that if I would 90 days in the new position they would move me back to my current one. But I don't have faith that will happen. The other 2 persons being put in the same position have a good chance of leaving once the reality of the job hits them.
AnonymousDecember 21,2023 at 2:11PM UTC
From the little specific information you have provided, it sounds to me that your supervisor has made it clear ( passive/ aggressively) she will not be hiring you full time.
Know that, accept that it is within her "authority" to make that decision.
HR has responded similarly.
So here is the way I see it. You can stay working part-time for as long as this manager is employed there. You can try to "move mountains" and change her opinion of you. This could happen, but will require way more effort on your part than on hers.
Or you can go somewhere else and start over. While I am very aware that discrimination and undeserved judging takes place in the work place, we also have to take ownership in our part of that "labeling".
Reevaluate your appearance, posture, language, attitude, friendliness, positive nature
And ask yourself am I a good fit for this organization?
The only person you can change is YOU. That should be your focus. Not everyone is meant to work in a hospital setting. Even if you are stellar at your work, it doesn't mean that you will be successful at every hospital. That is because it all comes down to ppl.
Work on yourself, before pointing fingers at others.
You will be happier and screw the rest of them!