What's going on:
Dec. 11th, 2009 10:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
The long of the short of it is that I helped report abuse at work and I'm now no longer employed.
So on Monday, there was an incident at work where my 1-on-1 client, N, flailed at another client and grabbed my hair at the scalp. She's done this before, no biggie, I talk calmly to her until she forgets what she's doing and I can get my hair free.
Only this time, it was in front of the other staff, they freaked, over-reacted and surrounded us. My hair got freed, I glance away, look back over and Y, one of the staff, has N by the neck/head and is hauling her away. S shouted for him to let her go and he did.
Y is the nephew of the owner, and usually is the one who deals with restraints and carrying people/stuff. I thought he knew what he was doing. I took care of N and the day continued as normal.
After Scribble, I got a call from S, saying that what he did was illegal and she was putting her job on the line and filing a report. I assure her I'll file one as well, backing her up. And when K calls me to verify S's claim, I tell her what happened.
Tuesday, I FINALLY got the training I've been wanting/needing since I started this job in October. CIT1, or 'Crisis Intervention Training'. In class, they go over prevention and when restraints are acceptable.
Restraining a client is not acceptable unless in the case of an emergency. My hair was free, emergency was over, what Y did was abuse.
Head/Neck hold? Let's go with the understatement that it is not an authorized restraint.
Wednesday, have CIT2, which is the physical stuff if CIT1 fails, and call in to check in on K. When the report was investigated, it was discovered that Y had never had his fingerprints taken. Anyone who has worked with kids, elderly or DD knows that this is a MASSIVE no-no and incredibly illegal. He is banned from being around clients.
Also discover that the bite I got my second week of work? NOT MINOR. I need to go get tested for hepatitis b. Only it was never reported. Joy.
I also am informed that the owner has decided that I'm no longer staff, but on-call. I check, confirming that I still have my hours on Thursday and yes, I'm still on the books for this week.
Thursday, I go to work. Y is there, wandering around. The rest of the staff is quiet and silently avoiding me. My 1-on-1 client shows up. She still hasn't gone to hospital, but there's no bruising, so no one is doing anything about it.
The owner shows up and throws a hissy fit in the middle of the front room that I'm there. She wants A, the other woman who deals with N, to be there instead. And "Because of the incident on Monday, you are now On-Call. Get out."
-I waited for A to show up (She was never called to come in on Thursday), finish filing the Incident Report and leave. It's been commented that I should have just left, but N is prone to fits of violence and I wasn't going to do that to the other clients.
On the random side, had a nice conversation with a Former President of the Audubon Society for about an hour on my walk home. We watched a young Cooper's Hawk take down a Pigeon. It was cool.
But part of the incident report thing is asking how it could have been prevented.
If I'd had the CIT training previously, I could have worked to prevent N's attack. Such as wearing a hair scarf so N couldn't have grabbed my hair.
If I'd asked for help getting stuff out of the closet, it might have been prevented.
But I could not have prevented Y carrying N away like that. That was Y's decision, Y's choice.
And now I'm being punished for it.
The good news is that I now have the CIT training, and I have the names of some legitimate places to work. So I'm gonna be looking towards that.
And that is what is going on.
So on Monday, there was an incident at work where my 1-on-1 client, N, flailed at another client and grabbed my hair at the scalp. She's done this before, no biggie, I talk calmly to her until she forgets what she's doing and I can get my hair free.
Only this time, it was in front of the other staff, they freaked, over-reacted and surrounded us. My hair got freed, I glance away, look back over and Y, one of the staff, has N by the neck/head and is hauling her away. S shouted for him to let her go and he did.
Y is the nephew of the owner, and usually is the one who deals with restraints and carrying people/stuff. I thought he knew what he was doing. I took care of N and the day continued as normal.
After Scribble, I got a call from S, saying that what he did was illegal and she was putting her job on the line and filing a report. I assure her I'll file one as well, backing her up. And when K calls me to verify S's claim, I tell her what happened.
Tuesday, I FINALLY got the training I've been wanting/needing since I started this job in October. CIT1, or 'Crisis Intervention Training'. In class, they go over prevention and when restraints are acceptable.
Restraining a client is not acceptable unless in the case of an emergency. My hair was free, emergency was over, what Y did was abuse.
Head/Neck hold? Let's go with the understatement that it is not an authorized restraint.
Wednesday, have CIT2, which is the physical stuff if CIT1 fails, and call in to check in on K. When the report was investigated, it was discovered that Y had never had his fingerprints taken. Anyone who has worked with kids, elderly or DD knows that this is a MASSIVE no-no and incredibly illegal. He is banned from being around clients.
Also discover that the bite I got my second week of work? NOT MINOR. I need to go get tested for hepatitis b. Only it was never reported. Joy.
I also am informed that the owner has decided that I'm no longer staff, but on-call. I check, confirming that I still have my hours on Thursday and yes, I'm still on the books for this week.
Thursday, I go to work. Y is there, wandering around. The rest of the staff is quiet and silently avoiding me. My 1-on-1 client shows up. She still hasn't gone to hospital, but there's no bruising, so no one is doing anything about it.
The owner shows up and throws a hissy fit in the middle of the front room that I'm there. She wants A, the other woman who deals with N, to be there instead. And "Because of the incident on Monday, you are now On-Call. Get out."
-I waited for A to show up (She was never called to come in on Thursday), finish filing the Incident Report and leave. It's been commented that I should have just left, but N is prone to fits of violence and I wasn't going to do that to the other clients.
On the random side, had a nice conversation with a Former President of the Audubon Society for about an hour on my walk home. We watched a young Cooper's Hawk take down a Pigeon. It was cool.
But part of the incident report thing is asking how it could have been prevented.
If I'd had the CIT training previously, I could have worked to prevent N's attack. Such as wearing a hair scarf so N couldn't have grabbed my hair.
If I'd asked for help getting stuff out of the closet, it might have been prevented.
But I could not have prevented Y carrying N away like that. That was Y's decision, Y's choice.
And now I'm being punished for it.
The good news is that I now have the CIT training, and I have the names of some legitimate places to work. So I'm gonna be looking towards that.
And that is what is going on.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 05:28 am (UTC)Report the living shit out of them, Icka. Not as revenge, but as the right thing to do.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 05:32 am (UTC)WHAT?
how dare they
...do as ysabet says. also, contacting BBB (Better Business Bureau) may be a good idea, too
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 05:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 05:56 am (UTC)*hugs tight* Ganbatte, squidsquishies. Listen to Ysa, okay? SHe's got the right idea.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:04 am (UTC)This is quite possibly the stupidest thing that's happened all year (not counting anything that made it onto the news), and I get some stupid shit from the customers at Dunkin'.
You're awesome, they suck, and Ysa has given great advice.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:36 am (UTC)Yeah, this is definitely up for the "Idiot(s) at Work" and "Biggest Idiot(s) of the Year" awards this year.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 12:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:39 am (UTC)You're awesome, they suck, and Ysa has given great advice.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 07:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 08:35 am (UTC)It is heartbreaking and terror inducing, how many people just...walk away from treatment like this, leaving the clients in the hands of such assholes.
As for your hair, if you do take another job like this, I always braided my hair and then pinned it up, made it even harder to pull then even a head scarf (and very useful if you live with the grabby people).
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 11:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 12:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 01:24 pm (UTC)Read up on Whistleblower statutes:
http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/whistleblower-statutes/arizona/
no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 01:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 03:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 04:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:04 pm (UTC)I need a facepalm icon.
Date: 2009-12-13 01:29 am (UTC)However, I got word today that R, who was hired about the same time I was, has been fired for turning to take care of his 1-on-1 client instead of preventing Y from what he did or running over and pulling Y off of N.
... yeaaaaaaaaaaaah.
Re: I need a facepalm icon.
Date: 2009-12-14 06:16 pm (UTC)I agree with everyone here that you need to report what happened.
It looks to me like favoritism is coming into play with Y. It may just be me, but to get off from that many things? Sounds like somebody's pulling strings and ignoring the consequences.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-12 06:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 12:33 am (UTC)That is just ridiculous that they are punishing you for something that you had no control over.
Good luck~ *hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 01:33 am (UTC)*hugs & good wishes*
no subject
Date: 2009-12-13 08:12 am (UTC)Take this higher. This is definitely a load of crap and they should not be allowed to get away with mistreatment and abuse of clients as well as their failure to do the job right in the first place.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 05:49 pm (UTC)yours in service Richard.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 06:57 pm (UTC)Which Darren?
I also need to report monetary fraud (my pay cheques are questionable) and illegal termination.
Found out recently that one of the other staff got fired for taking care of his 1-on-1 client and 'not pulling Y off of N / preventing him from doing so', and I'd like to be able to pass information on to him as well.
2 filed reports being better than 1 and all that.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-14 05:51 pm (UTC)Also, damn that sucks.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-23 12:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-23 11:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-24 09:00 pm (UTC)