In which Our Hero Remains Unflapable in Some SERIOUS Wind... or, The Illusion of Stability
i've been absent... i know... things are very hectic

here's my story.

in October I travelled to Oklahoma on work. I am a non-exempt, hourly employee. In California hourly employees are paid for travel time to and from a work site that is out of town... even when it's overtime. I asked my boss how to report the travel time as overtime since there is NO option for reporting overtime on the university and timecard and I was told, "We don't do over time." I said, "Well, you must do overtime, it's illegal to not do over time.

The next day my boss and her supervisor, the dean of our department, came in my office to tell me that my position may not be funded at the current salary due to some grant concerns but they were sure we could work something out. They then proceeded to explain to me how the University won't pay overtime, "It's not even covered by the federal grant..." but it was so unfair to not pay me for those hours so i should just falsify my time card "under the table" and claim it as comp time. I was pretty surprised at this low ball strong arm style of management. I was also a Program Director for 4.5 years and knew full well that they were breaking the law.

I agreed, as I wanted to protect my salary and job. I falsified my time card and took the "comp" time... and I sent an email to my boss explaining exactyl what I was doing, and that i was doing so because she ordered me to. She replied, "That's great Steven, thank you!"

The next day work she had approved and appreciated was sent back to me to be re-written to maintain the University's "LEvel of Excellence." This was three weeks of work that she approved prior to the overtime discussion. That same day there was a fire alarm and eveyrone in the office went out on the quad... I was conspicuously dissed like a high school freshman by the entire staff. The next day my boss had me present the program to an engineering class and when I got there the entire point of the presentation had been misrepresented. The professor was sure she was quite clear as to the point of the discussion. Fortunately I REALLY know what I'm talkng about when it comes to disability and assistive devices and I did quite well... but the set up was frustrating. And after, my boss came in and accused me of sidetracking the presentation to my own concerns and not those of the program.

The next day I quit

i have not ever in my adult life just walked off a job.

3 days later my boss acknowledged that I'd quit and got my final paycheck out the same day.

3 days ago the paycheck I received for hours worked in September (received on October first, 23 days before I quit) BOUNCED. My bank account went $1780.00 in the red. I expect my final check will do the same in the coming weeks. Megan's account, which is with the same bank, was siphoned off to cover the negative in our joint account to the tune of another $350.00. We now have .01 in our mutual accounts and about $30.00 in cash. I wait to hear if I am eligible for unemployment. I have been old that abuse and failure to pay and ordering me to falsify documents are legitimate reasons to quit but I've been screwed like this before.

I am filing a claim for wages with the Labor Board. I'm told ther is a hefty penalty for this sort of thing and expect to receive a nice chunk of change eventually. But that will t5ake a couple of months. Fortunately Meg works and we have enough cash for a few weeks... but Christmas is gonna be LAME. I feel it's ok though, because gifts and money should never determine whether a good time is had...

Obviously I'm looking for work now... a lot. Someone needs to tell the government that things aren't nearly as in our economy as they think. I have been out of work for three weeks and have had not one offer for an interview. We shall see, though...

Honestly, over the last few years I've learned to trust life to work itself out. Once I got old enough and wise enough to not sabotage my opportunities even the most dramatic events seemed to work themselves out to the good. We will get through this and might even come out ahead in the end. And all will be perfect, just as it is now, just as it was a moment ago.

but that's why you aren't hearing from me...

early in the year it was my family and some mental health issues with my son... the time I took away to deal with them caused me to be passed over at my last employer for the two job saving positions when the grant ran out. In July I passed on a job opportunity out of town, so he wouldn't be displaced again... he really needed (and NEEDS still) some stability. Now it's other concerns. it's been a LONG year. hehehe...

All is perfected, all is just as it should be. And these phantoms are simply my habits, my karma... I see it and I know it to be empty.

p