I'm the HR Bitch! Ask me Anything

[Anonymous]

Do you really keep confidential things truly confidential, or do you talk amongst yourselves to people who don't need to know?

[Anonymous]

I'm 50 and have worked for six companies and feel the HR folks no longer pretend to be looking out for the employee at all. I am recently laid off from a local IT contractor that has gone through three sets of management in the last 6 years and also has shed more than 1000 positions (about 20% of the company). So, yes, it's basket case.

The HR folks were non-responsive to my questions during the last couple months at the company, pretty much telling me that the company is legally able to do whatever they want with salaried employees. The projects that I was working on had run out of money but weren't done so we were told to use our leave time to "fill out" our timesheets. When I balked at this and instead charged my time to overhead, I was promptly laid off. HR just told me that the contracting business was tough and they were "sorry" that I was leaving.

They didn't bother with things like an exit interview or even a questionnaire. I just joined the other 50 folks heading out the door that month.

[Anonymous]

My sister is a manager at a hospital and has been having personality-type conflicts with one of her employees that require her to have meetings with the employee and HR. This is not the first time (or the first job) in which my sister had dramatic meetings with other employees and/or HR. I am in another city and I only hear her side of things, but I am beginning to wonder: Is this normal, or is she a drama queen? Opinions?

[Anonymous]

What is your feeling towards employees who work remotely?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I've had jobs since I was 15. The only reason my parents would ever get involved is if there was harassment or discrimination and even then, not when I'm an adult! What sorts of losers are these 23 yr olds? Is it cultural? Are they east or south Asian?

I was about to say it's everyone, but then realized I can't think of any black employees whose parents have gotten overly involved. More men than women, though still women.

Does it come down to the SES of the parents? Ie, more parental involvement from parents who are college educated, have good jobs and are not ESL?

I don't know what the parents' educational background is, or how much they earn, nor do I pay that much attention to them. Honestly, what you said is offensive to a lot of people.

Why is it offensive? Higher SES better enables you to advocate for yourself others because you have more time, money, knowledge, connections and belief you can change things compared to people who are too busy with and tired from everyday life to have a moment to even think about it. SES does not equal interest in or love of your kids.

PP probably said that while laughing at your attempts to turn rude, arrogant people into some sort of noble quality, while trying to insult people who know that 22 is old enough to behave like an adult.

You say advocating for others...I say arrogant with an over inflated sense of self worth.

You say believe they can change things....I say bored housewives who have never held a job and don't really that the mommy gig has ended.

You say too busy and tired with life to paint a negative picture of some sort of low wage slave.....I say people who are educated enough to realize that 22 is not 12.

Get a clue.

-not HR

[Anonymous]

Why do you tell someone that what they tell you is confidential and then run to their boss to tell and why, when you know management os breaking all discrimination laws, do you protect them? How.does.it feel to be pond scum?

[Anonymous]

never heard of helicopter parents until this post. This concept would make for good tv comedy.

[Anonymous]

I must just be lucky... I've only ever worked for small companies, but I have always had awesome, totally responsive HR people. Sometimes I forgot when I talk to DH how much more difficult it is for him to get any information or response.

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to say that I've enjoyed this thread and other posts you've made this week HR Bitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

+1. It cracks me up just reading about it.

That said, I want to love you guys, I do, but sometimes it's tough. Why is it when I email HR about something important (to me at least), like getting my FSA forms in on time, it takes weeks to get a response? Even when I start emailing every two days. If there's a good excuse, like maybe systems issues, or my particular case is so bizarre they don't know what to do, can't they just send a temporary response? Maybe something along the lines of "thanks for your patience, we're still working out systems issues, but we'll let you know as soon as possible!" That would avoid the feeling that my emails are lost in a black hole.

I know that often there are deadlines and everyone starts rushing their forms in near them so my insurance HR people get swamped. That may be it? If not, it's just personality. Some people simply don't respond to an email until they can give you the info they know you want. You're saying you want an email saying, "I've gotten your request and am working on finding out the answer for you."

Well, yes, when it's been two weeks (in that particular case) and the FSA deadline has actually passed.

That sucks; I'm sorry that's happened to you. If HR is in the same building as you, I'd suggest you go talk to them in person, and then memorialize the conversation in an email to them to CYA.

Thanks. I get that every profession has its eager beavers and its slackers.

[Anonymous]

HR is an business overhead, therefore your salary prospects will always be limited.
Why are you not looking for other options

[Anonymous]

I like you, HR bitch. And don't think you're a bitch at all. Thanks for offering the HR perspective. Now if only all HR people were like you...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which is more likely the dream job of an HR employee -- clinical psychologist or labor lawyer?

Labor lawyer.

Yeah, pretty much as I suspected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you really keep confidential things truly confidential, or do you talk amongst yourselves to people who don't need to know?

I really keep things confidential. My husband is a lawyer and we both feel pretty strongly about it. I have worked with people (actually and DO now) who will tell you all sorts of confidential things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 50 and have worked for six companies and feel the HR folks no longer pretend to be looking out for the employee at all. I am recently laid off from a local IT contractor that has gone through three sets of management in the last 6 years and also has shed more than 1000 positions (about 20% of the company). So, yes, it's basket case.

The HR folks were non-responsive to my questions during the last couple months at the company, pretty much telling me that the company is legally able to do whatever they want with salaried employees. The projects that I was working on had run out of money but weren't done so we were told to use our leave time to "fill out" our timesheets. When I balked at this and instead charged my time to overhead, I was promptly laid off. HR just told me that the contracting business was tough and they were "sorry" that I was leaving.

They didn't bother with things like an exit interview or even a questionnaire. I just joined the other 50 folks heading out the door that month.

I'm really sorry you were laid off. I know that not all companies do exit interviews in any fashion. Sometimes we don't give an answer because we don't know yet. Some people are just assholes though. Generally when we're waiting for top management to make decisions, they tell us to stall questions. A lot of employees have big egos and if we say "Management hasn't told us yet" some employees will start demanding answers from management directly.