Clinicals were cancelled yesterday and today. :( We will eventually have to make up the days sometime this semester. Pretty bummed about missing out on newborn week on the OB floor. But glad they called off school so everyone can stay safe and warm at home.
[Begin rant...]
So..5 AM yesterday morning..Wes is up and starts to put on his long johns and socks like he is actually going to work. Really?! Yeah, I was a very defiant wife and took his socks away, telling him he is not going to leave this house. I even threatened to throw the car keys in the 3 foot snow drifts so he couldn't find them. (Pretty intense huh? I'm really not always this way. Just when lives are at risk)
Then I hear the weather in the background say, "If you get out and get stuck this morning, be ready to wait until possibly tomorrow sometime before someone comes to help." Ummm... really? Is delivering mail THAT worth it. Not to me it's not.
I eventually was able to talk some sense into Wes and help him to realize the true danger of the weather outside and he called into work. Thank you God.
I just couldn't imagine him driving to work and then walking the streets in the condition it was outside. Not worth it.
However, Wes has heard from other carriers that they HAVE to make it to work, no matter what the weather, or they will get fired.
This is what we were going back and forth on at 5 AM. If he goes in, he might not even make it there and be stranded for who knows how long. But on the other hand, if he doesn't go in, he could lose his job. Now losing his job is definitely not a good option for us right now since we are living off of his income. Big decision to make.
But I didn't care. No job or money is worth the life of my husband. So I put my foot down and insisted he stay home. And as it turns out, many carriers were getting stuck right and left and were sent home early. Some were even sent home before getting once single piece of mail out.
Like I said...not worth it.
I was shocked listening to the news yesterday as they casually discussed the mail carriers that were having to endure the weather because they took a "creed" when they took the job that the mail will be delivered, no matter what the circumstances. Creed? What creed?
Paraphrased quote from the news anchor: "And of course it's the first of the month, so it is a very important day for the post office. Those welfare and social security checks have to get out so people will have their money."
What?! No one can even make it TO the bank to get their money! Really?!
Great paying job....treated like dogs...How many more months of school? 179 days to be exact. And then maybe once I have a steady income, Wes can finally go back to music recording and doing what the loves to do.
[End rant...whew..glad I got that out]
Until then, we trust God to take care of us and provide for us in all we need.
Wes went into work this morning and made it safely with no problems. And he still has his job. God is good.
Here are a few pictures I have taken to document the Oklahoma Blizzard of 2011.
I'm with you - no mail carrier should have been out yesterday (or even today). There are always exceptions to any rule. When lives are at stake, no one's mail should matter that much. Especially when they couldn't have even made it out to cash the thing!
ReplyDeleteIs it the law that mail carriers are required to risk their lives to deliver the mail? Not being sarcastic...I'm gonna research it. Granted, I understand the importance of delivering the mail (federally mandated, time sensitive mail, etc.) but I would have to ask my supervisor to provide documentation regarding this requirement and use this blizzard as an example of a life-threatening situation. If it's in their company/employee handbook (or whatever they have for something like that...) then USPS or the gov't needs to provide additional insurance to cover the vehicle, death of spouse, expense reimbursement, additional job related insurance that will cover extensive medical treatment, and anything else that you guys would have to go through based on Wes getting stuck in a random location in a life-threatening situation.
ReplyDeleteWes has the right as an employee of any company to request written documentation of all rules and procedures regarding his place of employment. He also has the right question management decision and receive detailed information about his safety if he is mandated to take that risk. You'll have those rights too. If companies don't have the safety of their employees completely covered then that's going to be one expensive lawsuit that they will lose if they endangered the life of one of their employees.
Sorry for the book. :) I know you guys are in a tough situation because he's the one with the steady income and doesn't want to risk pissing off his boss. But if he boss gets pissed about Wes questioning his rights as an employee then I highly recommend going straight to HR/Legal to report it. I'm not saying he should run in there with guns ablazin' and demand more info. You can be professional and still ask questions about stuff like that.
I gotta give some advice every once in a while... :) I've been through several questionable "HR moments" (that's my nickname for it) in the past 10 years. My most recent example - Friday lynching - wasn't entirely against company policy or illegal but once the story made it to the CIO, she apologized to me directly and will be taking care of those that allowed it to happen (they are actively searching for a replacement for the senior manager; don't know if the people under him will be fired because if the senior manager is there and allowed his employees to do that then he pays for it in the end; the others lose their credibility and aren't exactly up for promotions, pay raises, etc.). Protect yourselves and know your rights. I love you guys.