My Activity Assistant

[ChristyJ 0]

I need alittle help! I have been an AD for the past 5 years and I have managed serveral assitants. Since I have been a director I have managed 6 people and have no problems that I couldn't work out on my own. Well here it goes. I needed an assistant, beacuse our census was building. As you know we have 2 populations here the elderly and young adults. I ran an ad in the paper stating that I needed a AD. Well I got an applicant that looked good on paper. I interviewed her and I seen what I liked. She stated that she had preiously worked at another facility and got hurt and they fired her. It was a long story. I hired her because she was an AD and that was what I needed. Well a couple of days into her working with me she stated that it was 2 much for her and that she needed to be part time. I talked it over with my administrator and she said alright run her 3 days a week and alternate weekends. Which that was fine with me. Then she started complaining that she didn't like to work weekends. I explained to her from the get go that weekends were required. She has been working them. She works every other Saturday 4 hours. Then she comes to me the end of last week stating that she needed to be off Memorial day. I stated to her that the schedule states that she has to work. She then went on telling me that her husband's mothers' birthday party was this Saturday and that she wasn't going to be able to work. I then explained to her that the request that she has made was not given to me in a amount of time for me to fix it and that it was not approved and that I was going to have to change my plans, because now I was going to have to work it. And that there would be consequences if she did not work those days. The aministrator and I sat down and talked about it briefly and she told me to ask her if she was willing to work prn. She stated that she wanted to continue to work her 3 days a week, because she enjoyed it here. I have tried to work with her and now I do not know what to do about it, except to fire her. If any of you have any suggestions, please let me know ASAP!!!!!!!!!

Edited May 22, 2008 by ChristyJ

[soduspoint 0]

If you haven't already done so, document in a file that you would keep for yourself, all verbal conversations that you had with the employee and the outcomes of the conversations.

Also keep notations of all the conversations you have had with your administrator and the outcomes.

This is going to sap your energy really fast, and you don't want to risk losing the details.

If you do choose to the end the working relationship with this person, you need to make sure that you have followed all policy and procedures, or she will win any case she could bring against you.

Refer to HR for the days and times that she was hired for specifically. This employee is still on probation however, and if you document thoroughly, you can end the relationship through that probationary opportunity.

You are not getting the support you need in this situation with management continuing to cow to her demands. She has learned that she can manipulate and this employee will use that against you every chance she gets.

The bottom line is she is choosing to not work for what she was hired for. It is hard enough to have administration agree that TR needs the staffing. Don't lose any hours you may have gained by letting this employee not have to work holidays or weekends. She has to work the holiday. period. Then if she does not show up, you have more grounds to end the relationship.

[ChristyJ 0]

If you haven't already done so, document in a file that you would keep for yourself, all verbal conversations that you had with the employee and the outcomes of the conversations.

Also keep notations of all the conversations you have had with your administrator and the outcomes.

This is going to sap your energy really fast, and you don't want to risk losing the details.

If you do choose to the end the working relationship with this person, you need to make sure that you have followed all policy and procedures, or she will win any case she could bring against you.

Refer to HR for the days and times that she was hired for specifically. This employee is still on probation however, and if you document thoroughly, you can end the relationship through that probationary opportunity.

You are not getting the support you need in this situation with management continuing to cow to her demands. She has learned that she can manipulate and this employee will use that against you every chance she gets.

The bottom line is she is choosing to not work for what she was hired for. It is hard enough to have administration agree that TR needs the staffing. Don't lose any hours you may have gained by letting this employee not have to work holidays or weekends. She has to work the holiday. period. Then if she does not show up, you have more grounds to end the relationship.

Thanks so much! I don't get the support that I need. I had a meeting with the Administrator and my assistant today and the meeting went well at first and then it turned. Needless to say that my assistant told the administrator something different, but kinda on the same terms as she told me. In other words, it made me look like I didn't know what I was talking about. In teh meeting my assistant said that she asked to work my weekend for me and that she would work on Monday, so that I could be off for Memorial day. My assistant's exact words were that I'll work your weekend for you until I told her that it was an 8 hour shift and then she didn't seem into it. Then she told me that she might be back or might not be back in time to work Monday. Then told the administrator that she could do all of those things. Made me look just crazy. I spoke up, but perhaps not loud enough. My administrator is wishywashy any ways. I like her most of the time, and she is really nice, but some days!! I'm just going to leave it at that. Thank you for all your support and time.

 

Christy

[corelens 0]

Christy, sound like you have an assistant from hell. I would do as suggested and start documenting incidents you find problematic.

 

V.

 

Thanks so much! I don't get the support that I need. I had a meeting with the Administrator and my assistant today and the meeting went well at first and then it turned. Needless to say that my assistant told the administrator something different, but kinda on the same terms as she told me. In other words, it made me look like I didn't know what I was talking about. In teh meeting my assistant said that she asked to work my weekend for me and that she would work on Monday, so that I could be off for Memorial day. My assistant's exact words were that I'll work your weekend for you until I told her that it was an 8 hour shift and then she didn't seem into it. Then she told me that she might be back or might not be back in time to work Monday. Then told the administrator that she could do all of those things. Made me look just crazy. I spoke up, but perhaps not loud enough. My administrator is wishywashy any ways. I like her most of the time, and she is really nice, but some days!! I'm just going to leave it at that. Thank you for all your support and time.

 

Christy

Edited July 23, 2008 by corelens

[franogborn 0]

I need alittle help! I have been an AD for the past 5 years and I have managed serveral assitants. Since I have been a director I have managed 6 people and have no problems that I couldn't work out on my own. Well here it goes. I needed an assistant, beacuse our census was building. As you know we have 2 populations here the elderly and young adults. I ran an ad in the paper stating that I needed a AD. Well I got an applicant that looked good on paper. I interviewed her and I seen what I liked. She stated that she had preiously worked at another facility and got hurt and they fired her. It was a long story. I hired her because she was an AD and that was what I needed. Well a couple of days into her working with me she stated that it was 2 much for her and that she needed to be part time. I talked it over with my administrator and she said alright run her 3 days a week and alternate weekends. Which that was fine with me. Then she started complaining that she didn't like to work weekends. I explained to her from the get go that weekends were required. She has been working them. She works every other Saturday 4 hours. Then she comes to me the end of last week stating that she needed to be off Memorial day. I stated to her that the schedule states that she has to work. She then went on telling me that her husband's mothers' birthday party was this Saturday and that she wasn't going to be able to work. I then explained to her that the request that she has made was not given to me in a amount of time for me to fix it and that it was not approved and that I was going to have to change my plans, because now I was going to have to work it. And that there would be consequences if she did not work those days. The aministrator and I sat down and talked about it briefly and she told me to ask her if she was willing to work prn. She stated that she wanted to continue to work her 3 days a week, because she enjoyed it here. I have tried to work with her and now I do not know what to do about it, except to fire her. If any of you have any suggestions, please let me know ASAP!!!!!!!!!

Dear Christy, While I am now an Activity Director, I am also a retired licensed counselor. It seems to me that your assistant was not honest about her desire to work. It seems that she is looking for an easy paycheck without doing what it takes to make a success of the program. I have had this situation myself, and had to terminate the individual. It is not easy, and you will have to carry the full load again, but perhaps the next person interviewing for the position will be more forthright and you will know the questions to ask that will bring the real person forward. Remember, she told you, in advance, that she had problems on her last job. Good Luck.

[gaelicpaddy 0]

Christy,

What a dilema! I think you need to sit down with your assistant and have her come up with a clear schedule (I know that you have probably down this w/ her). If the job was explained to her that she has to work every other weekend and even then only a few hours, then you may have to let her go since she isn't living up to what the job requires.

It sounds good that she wants to continue working three days per week: have one (or two) of those days be her weekend that she would normally work. It doesn't sound like the weekend hours are too difficult.

You might have to let her go if she still can't live up to the verbal agreement for employment the two of you had. Make sure what you told about her hours is put down in writing in a memo. Even after the fact, a memo is binding...

Tell her in the memo: here's what we agreed to in the interview about working hours, benefits, vacation, etc.

In the end, I don't honestly believe she's there for the right reasons and will weed herself out if she's not let go first. You need to talk to your admin. about this, if its legal... Are there any restricitons for work she has from when she was hurt? It makes me wonder if she's only allowed to work three days per week. Something to think about.

Good Luck!

Trish

(Gaelicpaddy)

[Momi 0]

I need alittle help! I have been an AD for the past 5 years and I have managed serveral assitants. Since I have been a director I have managed 6 people and have no problems that I couldn't work out on my own. Well here it goes. I needed an assistant, beacuse our census was building. As you know we have 2 populations here the elderly and young adults. I ran an ad in the paper stating that I needed a AD. Well I got an applicant that looked good on paper. I interviewed her and I seen what I liked. She stated that she had preiously worked at another facility and got hurt and they fired her. It was a long story. I hired her because she was an AD and that was what I needed. Well a couple of days into her working with me she stated that it was 2 much for her and that she needed to be part time. I talked it over with my administrator and she said alright run her 3 days a week and alternate weekends. Which that was fine with me. Then she started complaining that she didn't like to work weekends. I explained to her from the get go that weekends were required. She has been working them. She works every other Saturday 4 hours. Then she comes to me the end of last week stating that she needed to be off Memorial day. I stated to her that the schedule states that she has to work. She then went on telling me that her husband's mothers' birthday party was this Saturday and that she wasn't going to be able to work. I then explained to her that the request that she has made was not given to me in a amount of time for me to fix it and that it was not approved and that I was going to have to change my plans, because now I was going to have to work it. And that there would be consequences if she did not work those days. The aministrator and I sat down and talked about it briefly and she told me to ask her if she was willing to work prn. She stated that she wanted to continue to work her 3 days a week, because she enjoyed it here. I have tried to work with her and now I do not know what to do about it, except to fire her. If any of you have any suggestions, please let me know ASAP!!!!!!!!!

[Tamera 0]

I would keep an account of all conversations and meetings held with the Assistant, along with letting the Adminstrator know what the situation is in the department. I would also review the rules and regulations expected for the employee, with emphasis on "TIME OFF REQUESTS." If the employee continues to violate the policies and procedures set by the AD, I would first consider a disciplinary action before firing the employee.