What should I do?

[Lonelymom]

I am a PC Technician Intern currently but have already graduated from college and have been working for this company just shy of a year. The senior tech is the one that hands out work orders. We get our work orders from him and then we have our work lined out for us. I believe he does not like me because he will only give me one work order to do a day. I sit most of the day with nothing to do. I have talked to him about this and all he says is well there isn't anything I can give you but yet I see what is assigned to our group through email. The new guy intern that was just hired gets more work orders than me and he will even save them for him. He did this with the last intern that started at the same time as me and was fired. We have all talked to him about it but it doesn't change. Should I go to my supervisor and tell her what is going on? I am afraid to tread water if you know what i mean. I am basically waiting for a full time position to open up. I hate sitting here all day waiting for something to do.

Also the two weeks he was on vacation another tech was handing out work orders and he would give me several in a day. I was able to keep up without a problem. I know the supervisor must have saw that. How do I handle this situation??

[teko]

Congrats, way to go! Yea!

[Lonelymom]

I wanted to give you guys an update. I typed up an email and sent it to him, and cc his supervisor. Since that day, I am receiving more work orders and staying busy again. His attitude towards me is different as well. Maybe it did some good. I am not sure if his supervisor spoke with him or not but something worked.


Thank you everyone for all of your wonderful advice!! I really do love working here other than him everyone else is great!

[PlateletGal]

Good luck !  Since it appears that your supervisor could be a sexist, I'm happy to hear that his supervisor is a woman. That is definitely an advantage !

Yes... document everything ! You have to these days... I've seen so many people who have failed to document stuff and as a result... they had no proof. If there is no documentation, it didn't happen.

[Cherie762]

why not go talk to hr

[teko]

I would sit down and draft a letter. Date it. Include in it smething like, per our conversation on (date) and (date), regarding the way in which our workload is distributed and regarding the fact that I am idle a good portion of the day, I am puting my concerns in the form of a letter. I respectfully request a  meeting with you, and your supervisor in the opes of resolving this issue. I feel I have proven that I can handle the workload and request an increase in such or an explannation as to why I am only getting one assignmnet  per day. I hope to become a valuable asset to this company and look forward to

You get the idea. Be respectful and professional and save a copy of the letter in case you need to use it as proof of your conversation.

[Lonelymom]

Wanted to update you on what happened today. I tried talking to him about the work order problem. He told me that he doesn't have any work to give me (again) even though I see what is coming in.  It is now 1:25p.m. and I get off at 2:30 p.m. and I haven't received a work order all day.

I emailed his supervisor for a time to be able to speak with her and she said it would have to be next week because she had to complete some paperwork before the end of today and would not have time to meet with me. Hopefully next week's meeting will be easier.

Also I have been keeping records of everything along with a fellow tech that will stand up for me.

[Tuckamore]

Be sure you document your conversation. If you do not see changes immediately go to his supervisor and document that conversation also. The key is documentation!! Even record the amount of work orders others are receiving.

Good luck Lonelymom.

[Lonelymom]

Thank you for your advice. I will try to speak with him one more time about this and if things don't change, I am going to climb the ladder and speak with his supervisor. I can't just sit here all day with nothing to do. Eventually it will come down on me and I will be looked at as a person who doesn't work.

[PlateletGal]

I agree with ILADVOCATE.... DOCUMENT EVERYTHING YOU DO.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes she should take a stand. It just depends how its done. If you own your own business then you know you wouldn't treat an employee like that to begin with. But if someone is dealing with an employer who would put someone down then you have to cover yourself so you make sure they don't fire you when you speak up for yourself.

[ILADVOCATE]

You really have to be careful with that as some companies broadly define insurbordination as "not following the instructions of the employer" in the employee manual. If you get accused of insubordination you don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to making a work complaint and good grounds to be terminated. That includes anything said to a supervisor when other people aren't around. The supervisor is in charge so its their word against yours and they win. I've never been personally accused of this anywhere I worked and I wouldn't want anyone else to be. There are some supervisors who are looking for insubordination wherever they go just for the purposes of firing people they personally don't care for. Within the workplace if you run into difficult management the best philosophy is the old expression "speak softly and carry a big stick". Try to speak to the manager politely but if that doesn't work, document it and report it.
  Within some workplaces that's not neccessary because there is a union but when my stepfather was alive and worked for the airlines industry when he became a manager beyond a certain level (and he never was a highly level supervisor) he lost the protection of the union and his supervisors (various directors) could make him work overtime upon request and other things that wouldn't have happenned otherwise (and yes I know some unions can be corrupt, I'm just saying they will back a person up and prevent them from being fired as long as the person is in the right).

[alienshadow]

I say climb to the  TOP!!!!   Let it out d@m looking at the ceiling all day also does this company have an employees handbook on there policy for speaking up? Lots of companys implement this,, some say talk it out and others dont want to hear a soap opera.... Catch this dude by himself with no one around and let him know the deal LET IT OUT ON HIS AZZ !! It would all be hear say from that point
this is my opinion

[ILADVOCATE]

If you are concerned that you are being treated in a discriminatory manner and would be fired out of retaliation speak to the EEOC. You don't have to file a complaint but they can advise you what would be the best steps to take.