It has been almost two years since the Average Joe of the
Banking World has posted to this blog, but forgive me, dear hypothetical
reader, there's a reason for that. The best way to boil this down is to do a
quick recap via a timeline-like format:
November, 2010: Our best teller accepts an offer from
another branch to become their Lead Teller. She is slated to transfer in
December.
December, 2010: Our Lead Teller informs our management team
that she is resigning, effective in two weeks. As our best teller, the most
logical successor, is already committed to another branch, we are left with no
Lead Teller. Our best teller stays far longer than her new branch would have
preferred while the management team searches for a replacement. Seeing the
writing on the wall in regards to my own position being downsized, I decide I
am the most logical candidate for the Lead Teller position. My Manager and
District Manager claim simultaneous epiphany on the same conclusion, proving
once again that no one can simply say "good idea."
January, 2011: I take over as Lead Teller for the
branch.
All of 2011: I rock that shit. Our Branch Annual Review
score goes up from a barely passing grade to a 95.4. Tellers are responsible
for exactly zero points deducted. Under the reign of King (Average) Joe the
Benevolent, tellers excel at meeting their incentive goals, moral soars, Blue
Point becomes the hub of banking civilization. I am told by my customers that I
run an efficient ship, and that
they have complete faith in my leadership. I am told by my teller staff that
they like working with me. I am told on several occasions by my fellow Lead
Tellers that I am considered a leader among them. I am told by management that
I have found my groove. Somewhere in this time period, I inform the manager
that the handrail on the staircase is a little jiggly, and that maintenance
needs to fix it.
Late January: Mid February 2012: One of my tellers leaves
for his dream job of becoming a NYC Police Officer. Then another leaves for an
accounting job. Then another leaves to teach.
Late February: Having to deal with the stress of finding
replacement tellers and operating at a constant short staff is wearing
thin.
February 29, 2012: After a brief discussion with my
assistant manager in our basement-level break room, I am heading back up the
stairs when the handrail pulls out of the wall and I fall forward onto the
stairs, re-injuring my back. I am driven to the hospital after the pain does
not go away, and in fact, gets worse. The x-rays show no fractures of any kind,
no damage to disks. It is diagnosed as a severe muscle sprain.
Early March, 2012: I begin collecting Worker's Compensation
and begin going to physical therapy. Over the course of my treatment, I try
massage, electro-stim, chiropractic, physical therapy, heat, ice,
anti-inflammatory drugs, injections, and acupuncture.
March 30, 2012: Somehow, Fiscal United Bank informs the
Department of Labor that I have quit my job. This lie would not become apparent
until much, much later.
May, 2012: After the required twelve week waiting period,
Fiscal United Bank begins searching for my replacement while I continue
therapy. I am assured that of the five weeks of vacation time I am due, only
one of them will be subsumed by my medical leave.
Late August, 2012: After months of painful treatment, my
back muscles are still in a state of near-constant spasm, but my pain levels
have decreased to the point where I am cleared to work with medical
restrictions in place (limited standing, limited lifting).
September, 2012: I am informed that beginning September 1,
2012, I have sixty days to find a position within the bank or my employment
will be terminated. Time sheets are submitted on my behalf, as I am now being
paid by the bank once again. I apply to nine different branches.
Mid-September, 2012: My first paycheck since my return is
pillaged by Fidelity Investments for repayment of loans against my 401K. I am
left with $12. It is revealed that this was done in error, and would be fixed
by the next paycheck. I apply to several other positions, having heard back
from exactly NONE of the original branches, and learning that our computer
system only allows candidates to be considered for one position at a time. I
correspond with my regional recruiter, explaining my situation, and she agrees
to informally send my resume to other branches that I have applied to.
Late-September, 2012: Despite the fact that I am still in
constant pain, and desperate to change my luck, I request to be, and am,
cleared to work without restrictions. I grow more and more curious at how
someone who has been told repeatedly how valuable they are to the company has
been passed up for several positions that have been posted as available.
October 25, 2012: I finally get an interview for one of the
positions I applied for, in my old college town of Southampton. The
interviewing manager is one of my former co-workers from my very first branch,
and the interview goes well.
October 26, 2012: I am informed via email that I am being
passed up for the position in Southampton. I am also contacted by the manager
of the branch in my hometown of Manorville, requesting an interview that day.
Despite the short notice, I of course head over there immediately. The
interview goes relatively well, I feel.
October 29, 2012: I am told the Manorville manager has a few
more candidates to interview, but that I should hear back from her within a
week. Hurricane Sandy hits Long Island.
October 30, 2012: My sixty day window to find a position
expires.
November 1, 2012: As I am still being considered for one
last position, I am officially placed on unpaid leave, and advised by HR that I
can apply for unemployment while on unpaid leave. I am also informed that
the branch is closed because of the hurricane, and it is unknown when it will
be re-opening.
November 12, 2012: I contact my recruiter and HR to
“check-in” regarding the Manorville position. I am informed that the manager is
on vacation, and she won’t be making her decision until next week.
November 29, 2012: I contact my recruiter once again to
“check-in.” I am informed via a one-sentence response that she has decided to
go with another candidate. No further information, responses or contact have
been offered by the recruiter TO THIS DAY.
November 30, 2012: I receive a letter from the department of
Labor that my unemployment benefits have been suspended due to the fact that
they have they received information that I “may have quit my job with [Fiscal
United] Bank on 03/30/2012.” Enraged, I fire off an email to my recruiter, my
former manager, and my HR contact informing them of this oversight, and ask
that they render whatever assistance is necessary to clear it up as soon as
possible. I request clarification about my official status, so I can go about closing
my 401K, applying for other jobs, claiming my personal effects from the Blue
Point Branch, and receive compensation for the remaining four weeks of vacation
time I am owed. I also inquire as to what severance I am due because of my
involuntary termination.
December 1, 2012: I am officially terminated. So far, no
lawyers I have contacted have called me back.
December 5, 2012: I am informed that I will not be eligible
for severance due to the fact that my position was not eliminated, it was
“back-filled.”
December 12, 2012: I am informed by Fidelity Investments
that I cannot close out my 401K because I am still employed by Fiscal United
Bank, and that there is a mandatory 30 day wait period from date of termination
for an employee to receive a payout of their 401K. I contact HR to find out
about what can be done to correct this additional oversight. I am informed by
HR that I do not have any vacation time left, as the medical leave absorbed all
but one week of it, and that I had used that week before being injured.
December 13, 2012: I am informed by my HR contact that she
has taken steps to expedite the release of my 401K. I am informed by Fidelity
Investments employee Michael Itzo that the transaction did not go through
because of the mandatory 30-day wait period. My HR contact contacts Joe
Chermesino and instructs him to assist in putting the transaction through. I am
told by Michael Itzo that the transaction cannot go through on the current
business day, so that it will happen the next day, and that he will contact me
with the final figures. I am also told to expect the money to be deposited in
my account on December 19, 2012.
December 19, 2012: Guess what?
December 20, 2012: I contact Fidelity Investments to inform
them that they have failed to put the money in my account. I am told by Philip
Thibault that it did not go through because there is a mandatory 30 day wait
from day of termination to close my 401K. I contact HR, and they contact
Fidelity. I am assured by Philip Thibault that the problem has been resolved,
and that they are shipping the check to me next day free of charge, and that I
should look for it by courier on Saturday, December 22, 2012.
December 21, 2012: I receive a fucking survey from Fidelity
Investments in the email asking how they did. I am too blinded by tears of
laughter to answer it that morning. I cancel plans for the following day to
wait at home for my check to be delivered so I can then deposit it and do some
late evening shopping for Christmas presents.
December 22, 2012: Guess what?
December 23, 2012: Today. I am unable to shop for Christmas
presents due to check being conspicuously absent. I now have to cancel plans
for tomorrow, Christmas-Fucking-Eve, so I can sit by my door and wait for a
package that according to the UPS website, HAS NOT EVEN BEEN PICKED UP YET.
So yeah, you’re up to speed. My time with Fiscal United Bank
is over. Which leads me to my next post…
