Hired Employee Over a Temp??

by Phoua
(Merced, CA, USA)

The company that I've worked for for the past 8 years recently changed to a new system last year and with that change came a need for extra labor. The company currently has 3 temps, one (T) of whom was told that she would get hired on once corporate approves the position; it's now been almost 2 months since she was told this. I do take this mishap personally as the shift that I am working is the same shift that T works, which is a swing shift. Since the start of this system, we all began working out in the warehouse doing inventory. After 2 weeks, T was moved to the office and now has a desk job. I have asked my boss twice about the possibility of me working in the office, while T can work in the warehouse. My boss said she'll get the input of another co-worker (C) who I now report to for duties. Following our initial conversation, I emailed C and told her my situation and that our boss would be talking to her about it. The next day, C responded and said she'll "make the changes for me."

Come the following week when the schedule came out, I noticed I was still scheduled to do inventory. I was not happy about it and called my boss at home. She said at the moment, there will not be any changes to the schedule or shift until she hires on someone and knows that the person who she is gong to hire is flexible, is willing to work night shift, and is willing and able to do inventory. I was quite disappointed that she did not make the change for me. Later that day I emailed my supervisor, the one who oversees my boss. I explained to him my situation and wanted his input as to whether or not it was fair that myself, a hired employee's requests be ignored while a temp's requests and wants are fulfilled. A little background on the temp...my boss had asked her if she was ok working nights and doing inventory, she said if that was the case she would leave. I believe because of her threatening to leave, my boss continues to schedule her in the office.


Since the email, I have yet to hear from our supervisor about it since I am not able to meet with him, as I'm sure if he had anything to say, he would've initiated already. Following this, I did talk to another supervisor about it and he said he will look into it. I did see him briefly while he was on his way out for the day, and he did mention that he got the conversation going with other supervisors as well as the director of the company, but did say that it came down to job set skills. He said that my boss had her reasons and that it took too long to train someone to do another job. To me, this was just another excuse. I've done her job and she's done my job. I really feel like I'm being discriminated against because of this. What is it that I'm not capable of doing? I would understand if it was another shift or change in the schedule, but it's basically the same shift and all I want is a change in duties. At the present time, they're still discussing it and I'm sure nothing will be done about it. If I don't hear from them, I do plan to go to HR about it and hopefully something will be done.

Response from Carl: Hi Phoua. Going to HR is probably the best thing you can do to start with just to see what they are willing to do. Hopefully you get some resolution based on the results of this meeting.

Carl