I've been at this company for almost nine months.  I took the job because it offers Telecommuting and I desperately need to do that, with the low salary they pay.  Last Friday I was turned down for the third time and after my weekend off, I'm still so upset that I called in sick yesterday and today.  They keep coming up with dumb excuses not to let me participate even though they are begging others (who've been there less time than I) to sign up because of the crowded conditions.   What is going on?  Why won't they let me participate?  What is their intent for my future employment there?  I've been an excellent employee and terribly confused by their decision.

Thank you for anything you can tell me.

Kathleen

Dear Kathleen,

I am sorry to hear that you feel that you have been treated unfairly by the company you have been working for almost nine months, but I do get a distinct feeling that those who are coming up with all of these excuses as to why you should be constantly overlooked when you have been there longer than the other employees are not the same people who are making the decisions.

I feel that there is pressure being applied from the top of the company by people who live in an ivory tower where they are protected from having to face the employee to force many their lowest paid employees to resign, rather than to have to deal with the unions if they believe they have been unfairly treated or discriminated against for whatever reason. Logic alone should be telling you that if you are being nicely shown the way to the door, then your long term prospects for staying with this company for the medium to long term future are fairly poor.

But I also believe that by treating you so poorly and honestly abusing you, the company itself is sowing the seeds of it's own failure.  Rather than openly confronting your supervisor about why you are being constantly overlooked and even though you believe that you have been an excellent employee, ask them instead as to practical ways that you can improve your on the job performance.

If you feel that you cannot do this alone then is there a union official or someone else who you feel more comfortable with who could do this on your behalf? Even though you are on low pay, it should not mean that you are not to be given the same respect as everyone else working for them deserves. Try not to allow your emotions and feeling physically ill with anxiety in case your lose your only source of income to get the better of your judgement and make you do something extreme or badly thought out to give them even further reasons to terminate your employment.

I am therefore saying that I would not immediately jump to any conclusions and do something that you might live to regret, but show them instead that you are committed to staying with the company and that you are open to constructive criticism as to how best improve your performance and make a positive contribution to the company's future. One for all, and all for one? Try to appeal to their hidden sense of decency where it really makes them sit up and take notice - how helping their employees to do their jobs better will so often translate into a much larger company profit for that financial year.

Anything you can do in to convince them that it is good for the company shareholders will mean that not only is your present position more secure, but that your long term prospects for promotion will also be much better than they would have otherwise. Many of these telecommuting companies are unfortunately mainly profit driven? They can only see things in terms of how much money it will make, and not in the way that they treat or mistreat their workers. While I cannot make any predictions as to whether or not your position is safe, I feel that if you can use the insights I have given above your chances of success will be greatly enhanced. It was both a great pleasure and privilege to be given this opportunity to read for you.

The workers are the salt of the Earth.

Kindest regards for the future,

eye_of_tiger  

your reading was very calming and your absolutely right...I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my only source of income, and that's why I didn't feel safe going to work for the last two days...I didn't trust my emotions and needed the extra time to make peace with the situation...I'm returning today and will hope for the best.  I'll take your advice and leave things as they are while I look for other employment.  I feel much better now, thank you for your insights.  

Kathleena11