Tell you what, why don't I have myself cryogenically frozen?

The BBQ Pit
1

Way back on April 15, I made a mistake. I got frustrated enough at work to pound my head against the corner of a cubicle, hard enough to draw blood (though I didn’t mean that to happen). I was just doing it to vent my frustration, but some of my co-workers were frightened by the spectacle.

After I calmed down, I apologized and thought that was that. But at the end of the day, my boss called me into his office. He put me on unpaid leave for 30 days and ordered me to see a psychiatrist (to be arranged through the Employee Assistance Program). Now this really kicked the legs out from under me, and struck me as a severe overreaction to what was basically a minor incident. I had worked there for almost three months; they should have known I wasn’t dangerous. He said I could come back sooner than that if the doctor gave his okay.

Bear in mind that I really don’t have any friends other than the folks I know from work, and even they are more acquantances than friends (I should mention that the Behavioral Compliance Agreement I signed forbade me from contacting the company until called upon, so I couldn’t call or email any of them) so this assured me I’d have nobody to talk to and I’d have to get through the whole suspension by myself.

It took a week for them to even set up a psychological evaluation, which should have given me a warning, but I was hopeful that I could get this over with quickly and have everything go back to normal.

After three sessions, the shrink was convinced I was no threat to anybody and promised to fax the signed release form to my employer. By this time it was the second of May and I was eagerly anticipating returning to work on Monday the sixth. Day after day went by and I wasn’t called. By Thursday the 9th I had heard nothing and was getting worried, so called the woman at the EAP and was told the doctor hadn’t faxed the form yet. Gee, I didn’t realize I’d have to keep calling just to get him to do his fucking job! This is my livelihood he’s screwing with!

Eventually the form was faxed and I thought finally I’d get to go back. But no, that would be too easy. After several more endless days of waiting, my boss called and told me there was only one obstacle left: getting my badge reactivated. I work for a contractor for a federal agency, and since 9/11 anyone on extended leave has their badge deactivated until they come back. Apparently none of his subordinates had done this because he wasn’t really sure what was involved, and the chief of security was out that week. That was last Thursday and I’ve heard nothing since then.

So now it’s the 21st of May, the thirty days are up but I’m still not earning a penny. I don’t have a start date yet, and everybody at work has either completely forgotten me or vaguely remembers me as some weirdo who was given the sack.

Day after day, I wait for a call, wearing my pager everywhere I go. I’m really getting sick and tired of waiting and I want something to HAPPEN, dammit!!

2

Why not take the opportunity to clean your guns while you’re waiting for the phone to ring?

3

Thank you, but I don’t own any.

4

You could always try some temp agencies in the area, though I highly doubt they pay what you’d be expecting…

5

That sucks :frowning:

6

I smell grievance.

7

nah, if I filed a grievance I’d never be able to get another job again. The grapevine, you know. :frowning:

Thanks for the support iampunha and Opal.

Before I got this job I had been a temp for twelve years and had spent nine months without a single assignment. I don’t want to go through that again.

8

You got* that* frustrated after working there for 3 months???

9

The situation was:

I was supposed to get a new machine April 15 at 8:30 or 9, so I
moved all my CDs to the shelves across the cubicle. A technician arrived,
but he started inventorying the software on my officemate’s machine. When I
asked him, he said my machine wasn’t on the list for replacement any time
soon. So I move all my CDs back to their place in front of the PC, somewhat
annoyed at having wasted the effort. I should mention that Monday was the
first really hot day this year, well up into the eighties, and it felt like
the A/C hadn’t been turned on yet.

So the room was too hot, and around 10:45 a guy came with a replacement
machine for me! I got up, started moving my CDs again, and when I picked up
my cylindrical carrying case it opened, spilling all 80 CDs onto the floor,
out of order and picking up dirt and scratches. The technician was waiting
and I gathered them all up, getting fingerprints all over them, and put them
on the shelf, then went across the aisle to where a friend of mine sits. She
asked me what was wrong; I told her, then out of sheer frustration started
pounding my head against the corner of the cubicle wall.

Sure, I fucked up, but I don’t think I deserve the indefinite limbo I’ve been thrown into.

10

Yes you did deserve your indefinite limbo.

You expect your coworkers of only three months to be comfortable with you after your spectacle? They’re supposed to know in that little time that you’re not dangerous? But hey, after three sessions, the shrink certified you A-OK (insert rolleyes here), and everyone should just ignore what happened until, of course, it happens again.

While there are plenty of valid reasons this may be and you may have one, it also could be indicative of a deeper problem. If your coworkers see you as some loner who loses his temper easily, you are going to frighten them. The doctor’s note is not going to allay people’s fears, unfounded or not. Despite the relative rarity, workplace violence is played up on the news and people get antsy when a coworker acts up. As a manager, I’d be better off removing the source of discomfort for the majority of the workers rather than seeing to your individual needs.

11

Sorry to hear this, Neid. Had I known you were so volitile I wouldn’t have dared to sit next to you at the Capitol Brewing Company. (especially if I could have forseen that the waiter would mess up your order.) BTW, you handled yourself very well - no snapping, no facial tics, no turning green! :wink:

Perhaps you could use this to your advantage? Having a rep as a loose cannon might not be all that bad. It might get you out of meetings! Practice with me, “Don’t make me angry; you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

12

D_odds has it right. You need to look at it from the bosses point of view. If he took you back and you attacked someone, he would probably lose his job because “he should have seen from your prior behavior that you were a danger”. He takes a risk taking you back but gets no benefit to himself. So, he will be loathe to take you back.

Similar situation when I interviewed someone and he told me he was fired from his previous job for hitting a coworker. I was impressed at his honesty and his reason sounded like he was severely provoked and I wanted to disregard it but if he hit someone after I hired him, I would also probably be fired for hiring/keeping someone with a ‘history’. Since I had other qualified candidates, he was out.

I think this is the situation you are in where your boss is in a real dilemma and probably won’t take you back.

13

I didn’t hit anyone, though. I take out my frustrations on inanimate objects only.

14

And this sort of thing happens very rarely, once or twice a year perhaps, and this was the first time ever when I wasn’t alone.

15

It’s still “violent behaviour” and it can still intimidate your fellow workers.

I’m very sorry for your predicament, but hopefully you can learn from this that displays of naked aggression never go down well, whether they hurt anybody or not.

pan

16

I’m not saying you did or that you ever will hit someone. But how can you convince people you’ve only known for three months that is the case? All they saw was (going from your post) something I would characterize as a serious overreaction to a minor frustration. Three months is nothing; these people have no idea how you might react if they are the cause of your next frustration.

17

I know you won’t hit anyone, but people are risk-averse expecially if there is no up-side to them. Your boss probably won’t want to take the risk of bringing you back.

Is there human resources or someone else you could contact?

18

Yes, but it’s still not appropriate in the work place. Pounding one’s head against something is really never appropriate and the situation that provoked it sounds annoying, yes, but, unless you really just tapped your head against the cubicle and it ended up harder than you expected, you seriously over-reacted.

Let me ask you this: are you still on probation at the job?

19

I don’t think so; it was only for thirty days.

Good news! Earlier today I had a reassuring conversation with my boss: he looks forward to having me back since I’m such a good worker (I routinely do 25-50% over quota) and I got the feeling it was just bureaucratic inertia which was standing in the way of my badge being returned.

20

Great! Be sure to wear a helmet next time.