Fun (grumble, grumble)...

As previously mentioned, I got a new boss three weeks ago yesterday. My old boss, however, is still working two or three days a week. This is mainly to make the transition run a little smoother and to help prepare for our annual audit which gets underway next month.

Oh, and for whatever reason, old boss is still in charge of vacation and comp time.

Now, as a museum educator, it is normal for me to rack up comp time in the spring. Late January – June is the busiest part of my year (with the possible exception of the State Fair of Texas). As always, I keep a tally of any extra hours worked and turn it into my boss. This is how I acquire comp time – the only catch being that I have to take the time within two pay periods or forfeit it completely. This has never made much sense to me because, during the busiest times of my year, I generally don’t have time to take the comp time I’ve earned because, well, I’m busy. Luckily, most of the time (not all, but most), I’ve had bosses that have worked with me, and made exceptions. In fact, last week’s trip to Indiana was taken using comp time that I earned in April. It all balances out. Most of the time.

Keep in mind, I’ve had six bosses in five years. With each change in leadership has come the inevitable change in policy. Or, at least, a slightly different interpretation of policy. To say there hasn’t been confusion along the way would be a lie. But I feel that I’ve been patient and flexible. Again, most of the time.

Today, old boss decided to tally up used vacation and comp time for each employee for the new boss. Since I’m one of the few people that earns or takes comp time with any regularity, this has resulted in no less than six phone calls that old boss has made to me in the last hour alone (I’m supposed to be at lunch, but she asked me to wait. Hence, I’m blogging.).

Please keep in mind that before I am allowed to use any comp time, I must first submit a form detailing my hours and the reason why any overtime was worked (i.e. an event, tour, etc.). My boss then reviews everything and either signs off on it or doesn’t.

So, imagine my surprise when old boss tells me that my interpretation of the HR handbook is different than hers, and I’ve been keeping track of my hours improperly all spring.

I’ve been keeping track of my hours the same way for five years, but whatever.

Despite the fact that she reviewed my hours and requests for comp time this spring and personally signed off on all of them, I was just told that – because I have apparently been tracking my hours “incorrectly” – I am being stripped of some of my comp time that I have accumulated. Oh, and the best part: this is retroactive and includes all comp time earned since January 1st, 2009.

That’s right: this will effect comp time I’ve already earned and SPENT.

Why? It apparently all comes down to her interpretation of the HR manual versus mine. She claims for something to count as "comp time", one has to work at least two consecutive overtime hours. So, for example, back in February, I worked ten comp hours for a Saturday event. Those all count, according to her, because they were all hours earned consecutively. But the 1.5 hours I worked Thursday night and the 1.5 hours I worked Friday night PREPARING for the Saturday event do not count because I (according to her) have to work at least two consecutive hours before any overtime can count as comp time. This is a difference of three hours that - according to her new interpretation of policy - are no longer owed to me as comp time.

I wouldn’t have a problem with this policy if I had been notified of it BEFOREHAND, but this is the first I’ve heard of it. Previous interpretations have always been that you had to work at least two hours of overtime to qualify for comp time within a pay period. According to this interpretation, the 3 overtime hours I worked over Thursday and Friday in preparation for the Saturday event DO count.

But what really gets me is: if old boss had a different interpretation of this policy, why didn’t she voice it before now?

As for the HR manual, this is the language found there:

Necessary work beyond normal business hours may be considered “Comp Time” under certain guidelines. It may be necessary for employees to work at [blah, blah, blah] events outside of the normal work day. In this case the Executive Director should be notified and approve any work prior to it being done. Comp Time should be taken within the two pay periods following the pay period in which the extra necessary work was performed and should be scheduled and approved in advance with the Executive Director. The following schedule should be followed for Comp Time:

Comp Time Schedule:

Time Worked / Comp Time Earned
0 – 2 hours / 0 hours
2.5 – 6 hours / 4 hours (1/2 day)
6.5 – 8 hours / 8 hours (1 day)

Comp Time should be taken in a minimum of 4 hour increments. Comp Time can not be carried over into a new fiscal year.

Granted, the description of comp time in the HR manual never says if the time must be earned consecutively or within the pay period. That part has always been up to the interpretation of the Executive Director. That said, old boss is the first person to interpret it in consecutive hours instead of within the pay period. And, of course, she is just now making that interpretation TODAY and threatening to retroactively apply that interpretation to comp time earned since January 1st.

It is times like these that I wish I had gone to law school. I wish I knew how to successfully argue my case! Blah. Instead, I am at the whim of a small army of Executive Directors that do as they please when they please. And it’s is almost never to my benefit.

Alas!

*** UPDATE ***

All is settled and right with the world. Somehow I managed to successfully argue my point, and will not be paying with the sudden loss of my allotted vacation days for this year.

I need a Valium.