My son was diagnosed with ADHD. I am taking advantage of my benefits to the fullest extent possible. FMLA for time off to handle appointments and issues at school, flexible work schedule, mental and health benefits for specialists, and my wife and I are talking to a counselor through my employee assistance program. My manager is flexible when I take time off for my son, so I’m lucky.
I feel like I have to go to Human Resources and tell them what I’m eligible for instead of the other way around. If I have to look out for myself, can you tell me what I’m missing out on? What else can help me and my family?
I’ve been trying to write a post on how I feel about unemployment, daytime television, and my employment prospects with a career in Human Resources and an undergraduate degree in English Literature with a minor in Comparative Religious Studies.
I once worked with a woman who hated her photo ID picture so much that she cut out a picture of Eva Longoria and put it on her badge at work. The security guards never noticed, so my colleague started rotating celebrity pictures on her ID. It was great: she was Beyonce, J.Lo, Britney Spears, etc.
Of course, her actions violated the terms & conditions of our site access policy!
My solution? We should have hired graphic designers with Photoshop skills in our Corporate Security department. Life would have been so much better for me, that’s for sure. My former work IDs needed some professional airbrushing!
I finished my MBA at University of Phoenix, and I spoke to my Manager about a promotion & salary increase to match my new degree. It turns out that my company doesn’t have a policy that gives me a better title or more money when I complete my graduate degree.
My Manager talked to my Senior Director, and the Sr. Director talked to Human Resources, but they won’t budge (of course). The policy is firm.
The Sr. Director was disappointed on my behalf, but she tried to be nice about the whole thing. We had a food day and my co-workers brought in a cake, brownies, cookies, and other treats. It was a nice gesture, but I’m really bothered by the fact that my hard work isn’t recognized in my bank account. I’m thinking about looking for a new job, but I don’t want to betray my Manager. What should I do?
Dear Laurie,
Dear Laurie,
