I know I'm being irrational, but I'm freaked out

[Deleted]

I am a former print journalist who has reincarnated herself as an English teacher at a very prestigious business school. I LOVE them, they LOVE me. They offered me as many more hours as I could take for September, I took on 50% more.

I was one of two English teachers hired at the same time. Initially my boss told me (during the recruitment stage) that the two of us were in direct competition with each other. Then he told me he decided we had different strengths so he decided to hire both of us.

C is totally antisocial, won't have anything to do with the rest of us. My colleagues have been WONDERFUL, so I took over organizing photocopies for the second-year students. One colleague has five classes, I have four, C has one. But, I have more to do with him than the others. At one point I told him, hey, C, you do know your photocopies don't get made by themselves, right?! He chucked me on the shoulder, told me to keep on.

I have many more hours than my colleague C. He was offered more hours, he refused them. I told C they need more hours, why won't you do them, he told he he refuses to "put all his eggs in one basket" and that our (stellar) school requires too much marking. I put all my eggs in one single basket, and did EVERYTHING I could for that school, and more. At this point I have been exempted from certain regular duties, ie writing up exams because my boss prefers I proof everything the other teachers write up instead.

Here is the issue. At the end of every school year, we are hired to do Orals for incoming students. At our own school, but often at other schools too, because it's the end of the school year and we all need to make as much as we can before summer.

C and I were both asked to do orals at our school, and at another school. Our school is out of town. I went for 3 days, C signed up for one day, and then cancelled at the very last minute.

I found out today that C was fired yesterday. The reason for his firing? For doing the orals at that other school. Well, I did too. Unlike C, I was up front about it, and did 3/8 of the orals at "our" school.

There are other issues too. C lied to them on at least two occasions. He purportedly has bad evaluations. But, I haven't yet seen mine, so lord knows what they say.

But I am still freaking out!!! Like I said, I know it's not rational!

[Deleted]

But the *official* reason he was fired was for doing the orals at the other school, and as I said, I did too.

[swamp]

Maybe he was a PITA and they just used that as en excuse

[Virgil Showlion]

It sounds like "C" played with fire and got burned. You didn't, and even if by some injustice you are let go, what will worrying about it now have accomplished besides raising your blood pressure?

[Deleted]

That's what I think too, Swamp. But I am totally freaked out at potentially being accused of the same issue C was fired for.

[shanendoah]

I was once fired for doing something every single other supervisor/manager for the company I was working for did. It was technically against policy, and that's the excuse they used for firing me. It's not why they fired me. They fired me because the Ops manager for the company didn't like me and suspected me of stealing- though no one else did. It wasn't the first time she'd tried to come up with an excuse to fire me.
But no one who else who worked for that company got fired for doing what I did, before or after my firing, even though they all continued to do it.

It being being rent more than 2 video games to a single customer at a time.

[Deleted]

Virgil, that is a good question, and I know you're right.

But I have been with them for 18 months now and I have always felt so blessed at finding a new, very loved career at 50+.

[Deleted]

I have always felt that if C implicated himself in even one or two of his jobs, he wouldn't NEED to put his eggs in 5-7 baskets!

[Deleted]

Shan, so sorry for the injustice!

When I found out that Big Boss (who is from the main campus) was around late last night, I texted him to see if he was available for coffee today. He told me he was back at the main campus but would be at my campus next Monday.

I texted him that I was sorry to have missed him and that I wouldn't be there next Monday because we are driving to the UK to meet DH's new baby cousin.

I think Swamp is right, doing the Orals for that other school was an excuse. But it's frankly disturbing to have done the exact same thing, with all impunity!

[susanb]

I have worked at for profit schools...My take is that you likely don't need to worry about this. I doubt this is the real reason C got fired. People get fired in for profit schools for two reasons that I have seen 1. students don't like them 2. they harm the school's reputation.

If it were me, I would go to my supervisor and "confess" that you took a job doing the orals without suspecting it was a problem and have now found out that it isn't kosher. Let them know that you will not do it again and ask for a more clear outline of kosher/non-kosher outside work. That way, you are covered.

[Works4me]

Read and re-read your posts - looks to me like his cancelling to do Orals at "your" school at the last minute while doing them elsewhere was probably the final nail in his coffin so to speak. Personally, I would not "confess" to your senior boss as s/he may already know and just be overlooking it. Or it may not be as strict of a rule as you think - rather the problem came from his flaking out and failing to make a real effort.

[dannylion]

First, consider who told you that was the reason C was fired. Was it C himself or someone else? If it was C himself, I'd take that with a big grain of salt as he may just have said that to save face. Second, even it that was the issue that got him fired, it is possible that the fact that he cancelled his turn doing the orals for your school (at the last minute, no less) yet did them for another school may have been the real problem, not necessarily just the fact that he did them for the other school.

In any event, worrying in advance of the facts will not change the outcome. Try to relax until you learn whether you really have anything to worry about. You were honest about doing the orals for the other school, so they know about it, yet they did not dismiss you at the same time as C, so it is likely you have nothing to worry about.

Sending good thoughts for a favorable outcome and glowing reviews for you.

[mmhmm]

Unlike C, I was up front about it, and did 3/8 of the orals at "our" school.

This looks like the major difference to me, hon. You were up-front, C was not. You did your share at your school, while C did not. I don't think you've got anything to worry about.

[Deleted]

I don't think you have anything to worry about either - but that wouldn't stop me from worrying so I feel for you!

[Sam_2.0]

DH - if you are half as wonderful IRL as you are on here, I say you really have nothing to worry about. The fact that you are concerned shows that you care about your job, and that immediately makes you 100% better than C. I understand the stress, but honestly, its out of your hands either way. Just keep doing your job with integrity & a smile. After the dust has settled, maybe next year when its time for exams again, make sure to ask to see if its kosher if you do the oral exams at other schools as well, as long as you pull your weight at your school

[midjd]

You'll be fine.

[Phoenix84]

I'm not sure I'm following your post. If I understand you right, you're worried about being fired for the same this your colleague was?

From your post, you make it sound like doing orals at other schools is common and accepted in the profession. So I wouldn't worry about it. A lot of times when they fire people they'll point to that ONE THING they did wrong when it fact it was a series of events that stretched back a long time. I was (wrongly) fired from one of my jobs a cuople a years ago. It was no surprise when it happened. These things rarely just come out of the blue. If you really did violate policy, they will probably at worst just reprimand you if you are an otherwise good employee. It doesn't seem like a automatic firing offense, but then again I don't know things work in the education industry or in France.

If you are really worried about it, can you ask some more experienced teachers at your school if they have done orals and if they ever got in trouble for doing them at other schools?

My insticts tell me you'll be fine.

[973beachbum]

Jun 27, 2012 21:04:37 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

I don't think you have anything to worry about either - but that wouldn't stop me from worrying so I feel for you!

I hope everything turns out fine.

[milee]

Can I ask an ignorant American question? The perception over here among businesspeople is that it's very, very tough to fire people in France. How true is that? What is the process a company goes through to fire an employee?

[Deleted]

I don't get why you are freaking out? As for why someone was fired, i don't think you necessarily really know what the reasons are. And, it really isn't your business anyway so dont' worry about it. As for the "Orals" thing, not sure what that entails but unless you have some type of contract that prevents you from working other jobs, i don't see why that would be a basis for firing anyone.

[Deleted]

I agree with others who said it was just an excuse. It probably is okay to work elsewhere as long as you do not let it affect your job at their school, and that's why he got fired and that's why I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[zibazinski]

I think you're fine. I think your coworker established himself as not being a team player and not even being reliable, for petes sake! Neither of which, you are.

[Deleted]

Thank you all for the comments! I think you are right, if there was a problem, I would know by now. And of course everything looks better in the light of day ...

I think the advice about talking to my bosses before the same period next spring is an excellent idea, and I definitely plan to do that.

Milee, it can be hard to fire somebody here (if you have a "permanent" contract), but it's not impossible, especially if you are firing somebody for "a reason". What IS odd is that our "trial period" ended in April. I think the heads debated whether to keep C or not, and then decided to, despite not being all that thrilled with him. So I'm guessing that his last-minute cancellation probably was indeed "the straw that broke the camel's back".

This said, Milee, there is a VERY rigid protocol to follow, or else it is considered "unfair dismissal" and the employee keeps his job, and can sue the employer.

School is out for the summer, and I am not going to seek out my bosses to discuss this now, but I will definitely bring it up next school year, well in advance. There are indeed at least two teachers who do these interviews for more than one school, so it's better to ask my boss exactly what their policy on that is. Better safe than sorry!

Thanks again!

[8 Bit WWBG]

From time to time, I worry that if someone was really and truly motivated to get rid of me (or almost anyone, for that matter), it would not be hard to eventually find SOME nitpicky stupid little rule that is "never enforced" and that "nobody follows" but that could be used to make a case.

I have excellent performance reviews, and a reasonably sized network of people who could vouch for me. But when some assassin is standing there quoting dogma, there really isn't a comeback.

[Deleted]

I have more time now so I wanted to respond to some of the comments ...

Sam, aw, shucks LOL! That's so sweet!

Anne, visibly, you know me VERY well LOL!

Just to clarify, for those who didn't see that: I was TOTALLY open about the fact that I was doing the oral interviews at the other school. On the last of my three days at "my" school, my boss asked me if I could come back for two days the following week. I was very apologetic, told him I would have been happy to, but I had a commitment at the other school. I even asked him, B, I hope that's not a problem, he said, no, of course not.

This said, I also intend to make myself more available for "my" school's Orals next year.

(As long as they keep their promise and don't put me into student accommodations that are four flights up without an elevator and two flights away from the nearest bathroom!!! Because yes, I DID complain about that, and loudly. Not to my bosses, but to the woman who organizes the oral interviews / juries.)

The main issue here is that "my" school's Orals are out of town, on the main campus, and the other school's Orals are in spitting distance of where I (and C) both live.

But, as I said, if they can make an effort for the accommodations and put me on the same floor as the communal bathroom, I'll definitely offer to do two more days at "my" school next year.

I will, however, definitely get things clarified WELL before next spring though. Because, as Gowron said, it's never a good thing when things aren't clear.

[deantrip]

I agree with everyone else that you don't have anything to worry about, for next year though, I would approach your boss early about getting the Orals scheduled at your school, so that they get precedence.

[8 Bit WWBG]

...:::"I even asked him, B, I hope that's not a problem, he said, no, of course not.":::...

Things have a way of not being problems until they are problems. Its amazing how fast some people switch gears when their initial stance gets them in trouble.

I'm not saying you should worry since it sounds like you have good people who will go to bat for you. The facts are that you WERE up front on several occasions. You also do not have the additional strikes that "C" seems to have. You'll be fine. Yes, you would already know if there was any issue at this point.

[Deleted]

for next year though, I would approach your boss early about getting the Orals scheduled at your school, so that they get precedence.

Deanstrip, this is an EXCELLENT point! I was asked for my availability at the "other" school, and even received my final schedule from them, WEEKS before "my" school emailed us with the dates asking for our availablity.

Since I knew I needed to be available for "my" school at least part of the time, I found the oral interview dates by looking for them online (on the prospective students' page of the website) before I filled in my availability for the "other" school.

That's a great point, thanks! The woman in charge of this really needs to do it earlier. I have the whole summer to practice being diplomatic on that point LOL.

This also reminds me that since I am "a planner" (to a fault, frankly) I realized in December that the Interview dates on the schools' Academic Calendar did NOT match the Interview dates on the school's webpage for the Prospective Students. I discovered that in December, and then there was a scramble to get that straightened out.

[dogmom]

Debt,

Look at what you signed on for and what you accomplished, and then some! C didn't carry his load. Your school saw it and decided he wasn't worth what strengths they thought he had. Sam and Anne are right about you. I also agree with Swamp and the others, C was let go and an excuse was given. You'll be great next year (as you were this year!)

[Deleted]

Dogmom, thanks so much.

It's true that in the cold light of day I have decided that I probably don't have to worry.

But, as Gowron and Shan and others have said, often doing X is just fine, until it's not. Things really can turn on a dime, and the lesson I have learnt here is that you just can NEVER let your guard down, or take anything for granted. In retrospect I should have ASKED about doing the exams elsewhere BEFORE committing to them (even though "everybody does it").

I really hope to stay here for the rest of my career, ie at least another seven years. I'll be 59 then. I LOVE the work, I LOVE the students, I LOVE the interaction with my colleagues, I LOVE feeling that we are a team. There are periods of incredibly intense activity (ie marking final exams), and there are lulls. This sort of "bipolar" schedule really, really suits me, especially after 23 years of being in an office. So I want to do EVERYTHING I can to make it work.

Again, thanks so much to all of you!