Spoke with a friend tonight, promised her I would run this by my DU friends:

[CC27]

The Straight Story Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Tue Feb-15-11 06:06 PM
Original message
Spoke with a friend tonight, promised her I would run this by my DU friends:
   
Here is her situation:

She works at a call center and likes the job for the most part. She has two 15 minute breaks and a half hour lunch. If she needs to get some water or go to the bathroom she has to enter a code in her phone (to take her offline) and when she gets back to her desk she pushes a button to 'go live' again.

Over the last two months she has been chided by management for 'auxing out' as she calls it, to go to the bathroom. She takes less than two minutes. She has been really ill with the flu, and she has a small bladder. And she only does this 3 times a day, and sometimes less because she is afraid.

The excuse from management is that they don't have enough people in the morning (only 4 there early on) and they need people to be available on the phones. She has held it for 45 minutes at a time. But even when more people are there later in the day they have said things like 'we have noticed that you take 3 quick trips to get a drink or go to the bathroom' as though it were something terrible.

Now I have managed data centers, assembly lines, call centers, etc and never once gave someone crap about going to the bathroom or getting something to drink. She has copies of all her codes from a report and it was not like they were every 5 minutes, literally 3 times a day 2-3 minutes tops.

Not written up, not fired, they love her work, but she and others have been getting crap verbally for running to the bathroom (and during this time of year they are hardly taking any calls) - her manager told her it was all about the numbers and justifying their jobs.

Going to the bathroom?

I told her I would ask folks here about their experiences with going to the bathroom at work (and hopefully, she will join up here soon) - have you ever encountered problems at work with having to take a piss???

Last place you wanna talk about WORK is at the DUmp. I smell a 

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x424031

[JohnnyReb]

Solution: Pilot relief tube...uh... Maybe a bucket for females.

[Chris_]

I told her I would ask folks here about their experiences with going to the bathroom at work

I suggested better reading material, but my boss just ignored me.

[GOBUCKS]

Now I have managed data centers, assembly lines, call centers, etc

That right there is what you call prima facie evidence of a bouncy lie. The thought that DUmmy The Straight Story has ever managed anything beyond his drug habit is laughable. He for sure hasn't worked for many, many years. Wonder if he ever got enough DUmp donations for that skydiving trip.

[Texacon]

I get tired of hearing them cry about breaks and lunches.  I miss breaks and lunches ALL the time.  When someone comes in and needs help they get help. 

Of course it's irritating especially when they come in at lunch time and say "I hate to bother you but ...."  I can't tell you how many lunches I've walked away from.

KC

[PatriotGame]

The Straight Story Donating Member (1000+ posts)  Journal Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list    Tue Feb-15-11 06:06 PM
Original message
Spoke with a friend tonight, promised her I would run this by my DU friends:

"Should *I* fake orgasm?"

f1x0r3d

[Evil_Conservative]

Stop drinking so many fluids?  Adult diapers?  I don't know.  Never worked a job where the supervisor was so hell bent on bathroom breaks.

[diesel driver]

Stop drinking so many fluids?  Adult diapers?  I don't know.  Never worked a job where the supervisor was so hell bent on bathroom breaks.

That seems to be the only kind of "job" DUmmies are able to get.

Sounds strange to put "job" and "DUmmie" in the same sentence. 

[BlueStateSaint]

That seems to be the only kind of "job" DUmmies are able to get.

Sounds strange to put "job" and "DUmmie" in the same sentence. 

Maybe the supervisor was "Hell" because the supervisor knows that the OP is a DUmb****, and has had mega-experience wit their kind.

[JohnnyReb]

Awh, she thinks she has a friend....isn't that special.









Think Saturday Night Live.

[Ralph Wiggum]

And like clockwork, the DUmmies clamor to get the government involved.

Liberty Belle  (1000+ posts)        Tue Feb-15-11 06:09 PM
Response to Original message
1. She should call her state's labor commissioner or fair employment practices commission.

This is arguably discriminatory against her based on a medical issue. It's not healthy to hold off going to the bathroom, which can cause kidney and colon problems. If this is not legal for the employer to do, a simply letter from the appropriate regulatory agency to that effect, or a note from her stating she researched this and they are in the wrong, should be enough to stop this.

And another "call center manager":

stevedeshazer  (1000+ posts)        Tue Feb-15-11 06:39 PM
Response to Original message
12. I'm a former call center supervisor and manager. 
 And I can tell you for sure that this is wrong. As others here who work or have worked in call centers have pointed out, no one should micromanage their staff to the point of monitoring their bathroom habits unless it is excessive in some way.

These poor folks are measured in all sorts of ways, both objective and subjective. Their phone calls are monitored, call times and work times, calls graded, all of that and it can be a stressful job.

It seems to this old supervisor that it's becoming a human resources issue. If it can't be resolved with her supervisor or manager, that's the next step.

Another thought: Is there another underlying issue? Does she have a poor relationship with her supervisor? Because I have seen some supervisors who will take personal grudges out on some workers while letting others pass. Are the other workers being treated equally, or is she being singled out?

Good luck to your friend and I hope she reports back through you what happens.
 

And then there's good ol' Bug Boy with some sage advice:

mike_c  (1000+ posts)        Tue Feb-15-11 06:18 PM
Response to Original message
6. I'm at a loss for words....
 Believe me, I've typed quite a few and deleted them- they just didn't seem to convey my shock and disdain. Holy feudal overlords, batman! Jeebus!

First and foremost, I have never worked for anyone-- that I can recall-- who EVER asked about bathroom breaks. I've worked in factories, in stores, in offices, in laboratories, in trucks and heavy equipment, in printing plants and darkrooms, in warehouses and restaurants. I've worked outdoors and indoors. I simply cannot imagine even asking for permission to complete necessary bodily functions. They're not optional, whether we have some control of them or not. We have that control for our best interests, not our employers.

I cannot imagine working somewhere more than five or ten minutes beyond the first time someone criticized my bathroom breaks. The next time I had to go and the boss objected, I'd piss in the corner and the hell with him. That's the advice I'd offer your friend. Ignore them, and tell them it's none of their damned business, but if they don't care for her bathroom needs then they are free to look for someone who will hold it for them. And if they continue to make an issue of it, water the potted plant on the way out the door.
 

Productive members of society, these DUmmmies, aren't they?

[JohnnyReb]

mike-c says, "First and foremost, I have never worked for anyone-- that I can recall-- who EVER asked about bathroom breaks. I've worked in factories, in stores, in offices, in laboratories, in trucks and heavy equipment, in printing plants and darkrooms, in warehouses and restaurants. I've worked outdoors and indoors."

He not only seems to have a problem holding his water but of holding a job also.

[Ralph Wiggum]

mike-c says, "First and foremost, I have never worked for anyone-- that I can recall-- who EVER asked about bathroom breaks. I've worked in factories, in stores, in offices, in laboratories, in trucks and heavy equipment, in printing plants and darkrooms, in warehouses and restaurants. I've worked outdoors and indoors."

He not only seems to have a problem holding his water but of holding a job also.

I think DUmmies equate bathroom breaks with taking a break to get high.

[Boudicca]

mike-c says, "First and foremost, I have never worked for anyone-- that I can recall-- who EVER asked about bathroom breaks. I've worked in factories, in stores, in offices, in laboratories, in trucks and heavy equipment, in printing plants and darkrooms, in warehouses and restaurants. I've worked outdoors and indoors."

He not only seems to have a problem holding his water but of holding a job also.

I believed him, up to that point.

[formerlurker]

Hell I worked as a casualty adjuster for a large insurance carrier and had to sign into my phone and aux out for a variety of reasons.    Managers (my manager was an attorney) don't make a big deal out of it ever unless you are a slacker to begin with. 

I am guessing she is a chatty Cathy who is out socializing under the guise of bathroom break.

[IassaFTots]

Having worked in a call center nearly all of my friggin life, there is a bit of truth to that.  Reps are expected to adhere to schedule.  This means clocking in and out when you are supposed to.  If you are not on the phone, you are delaying a customer.  Most supervisors won't look at an OCCASIONAL deviation to schedule, if you just have to go, but when it becomes a pattern, it has to be addressed.  Budgets are lean, so one person not doing what they are supposed to at a given time, the whole works gets jammed up.  There are accomodations for medical conditions, of course, but most of the time, it is a bunch of poor planning, or someone is trying to get a little extra time out of their day.  I have had people tell me they aux out to use the restroom, so they didn't have to waste their break doing so.  

[Ralph Wiggum]

Having worked in a call center nearly all of my friggin life, there is a bit of truth to that.  Reps are expected to adhere to schedule.  This means clocking in and out when you are supposed to.  If you are not on the phone, you are delaying a customer.  Most supervisors won't look at an OCCASIONAL deviation to schedule, if you just have to go, but when it becomes a pattern, it has to be addressed.  Budgets are lean, so one person not doing what they are supposed to at a given time, the whole works gets jammed up.  There are accomodations for medical conditions, of course, but most of the time, it is a bunch of poor planning, or someone is trying to get a little extra time out of their day.  I have had people tell me they aux out to use the restroom, so they didn't have to waste their break doing so.  

And people wonder why the turnover rate is so high at call centers.  Well actually, there are a lot of reasons.  Depending on the type of call center, we used to budget anywhere from a 50-250% yearly turnover.

[IassaFTots]

And people wonder why the turnover rate is so high at call centers.  Well actually, there are a lot of reasons.  Depending on the type of call center, we used to budget anywhere from a 50-250% yearly turnover.

Yup.  That's about right.  You get what you pay for.  I think we are at 25-50% right now. 

[Ralph Wiggum]

Yup.  That's about right.  You get what you pay for.  I think we are at 25-50% right now. 

I used to be a pricing manager at a company that operates call centers.  Whenever we'd bid an outbound call center, you'd almost have to start at a turnover rate of 150%/year.  Obviously it would depend on the type of calls, but that was normally a bare minimum.

[JohnnyReb]

I think DUmmies equate bathroom breaks with taking a break to get high.

  Reminds me of a story from 35 years ago.

A fellow that had worked for me got a job driving a dozer where they were grading for a Nuclear plant. Him and another fellow were push loading pans. They ran two 12 hr. shifts and he was on the day shift. It was hot-hot summer time.

Every day, several times a day, the other fellow would go to the PORTA-POTTY and smoke a joint....smoke just a rolling from the vents. Well, this would put him in a bind trying to keep up with pushing all the pans and he would get further and further behind until at some point there would be several waiting to be push loaded.....and the boss would finally come along to scold him for falling behind on the job.

One day the other dozer driver went to the PORTA-POTTY to smoke another joint....the guy that had worked for me pushed a pile of dirt up against the door so he couldn't get out. It was one of those 100+ degree days and he was cooking in there amongst the foul aromas...... ....he said you could him begging to be let out over the sound of all the heavy equipment running... finally the boss comes to see what the problem was.

He asked the guy that had worked for me where the other dozer operator was. He pointed at the PORTA-POTTY and told him he had gone to smoke a another joint as usual and he was tired of being fussed at for the other fellows slackness. The boss told him to go let the fellow out of the PORTA-POTTY so he could fire him. ...he did....instead of pushing the dirt away from the door of the PORTA-POTTY, he just took the dozer blade and flipped the PORTA-POTTY over onto the door and then rolled it over...pouring the other operater and all the foul contents out on the ground.

He worked 2 more years on that job and he said no one would use the PORTA-POTTY's near where he was working....  
  

[ConservativeMobster]

I think that dozer operator that did the tipping was my son 

[Karin]

Well that was a barnburner of a story, JohnnyReb.    Gross!  

Is bugman actually suggesting that this girl go the corner, drop her drawers or lift her dress, crouch down and let go in front of everyone?  That would certainly be a memorable day at the office, and she's sure to get a good rec for the next job.  I can't stand that guy.  

[GOBUCKS]

Come on now, this is a DUmmy at a call center they're talking about. The DUmmy's going to the restroom to toke up.

[BlueStateSaint]

Well that was a barnburner of a story, JohnnyReb.    Gross!  

Is bugman actually suggesting that this girl go the corner, drop her drawers or lift her dress, crouch down and let go in front of everyone?  That would certainly be a memorable day at the office, and she's sure to get a good rec for the next job.  I can't stand that guy.  

I think that bugboi's inadvertantly hinting at what he would like to do, if in the same circumstances.

[GOBUCKS]

Liberty Belle  (1000+ posts)        Tue Feb-15-11 06:09 PM
Response to Original message
1. She should call her state's labor commissioner or fair employment practices commission.

This is arguably discriminatory against her based on a medical issue. It's not healthy to hold off going to the bathroom, which can cause kidney and colon problems. If this is not legal for the employer to do, a simply letter from the appropriate regulatory agency to that effect, or a note from her stating she researched this and they are in the wrong, should be enough to stop this.

This reply illustrates why DUmmies can never aspire to any job better than a call center cubicle.