Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Such Is My Life

obama, religion, christian, stupid,
I'm going to deal with this stupidity now, because I just know it's going to turn into a massively popular email forward very soon. You can read it for yourself, but basically, a legal secretary that used to work where Obama used to work accuses him of being a big meanie.

First of all, I would like to explain what working at a law office is like. First, the pecking order:

Partners











Associates
Clerical Staff
the Receptionist

Partners are gods, and get whatever they want, no matter how unreasonable it is. I once spent my entire lunch hour (which I don't get paid for, btw) scouring the mall for crystal salt and pepper shakers because my boss didn't like the plastic ones in the lunch room.

Associates are about a half-step above the clerical staff in the eyes of partners, though not in the eyes of associates. Associates get paid significantly more than the clerical staff, but trust me when I say to you that partners don't treat them with much more respect.

The clerical staff is lucky to be allowed time to pee. I come in early (unpaid), stay late (unpaid) and I think I've left for lunch on time twice in the last two years. That's just the way it is. I get blamed (and screamed at) for things that aren't my fault all the time. In fact, I frequently get screamed at for doing what the partner told me to do (after he realized it wasn't a good idea).

We're not allowed to leave work for doctor's appointments. Guess the last time I saw a doctor. The managing partner recently abolished personal days because he got sick of not knowing where people were. He once threatened to fire a woman while she was in the hospital because she was missing too much work. This was the first time she'd called out sick in 3 years.

Why do I stay? It's a job. Unemployment in my area is around 20%. I don't get paid much, but I do get more than I have or would anywhere else.

So I'm not taking too seriously some woman whining that Obama didn't demand, as a lowly associate, better pay and benefits for the clerical staff. The fact that her friend was frequently kept late doesn't strike me as odd, either. Oh, and the fact that the firm didn't encourage prayer and religious discussions on premises: she didn't work at a church, she worked at a law firm. Get over it.

13 comments:

  1. I really don't get what she is bitching about. Maybe that was her first corp. job? Because honestly, I've seen worse, and I don't even work in a lawyer's office.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wait. So I'm supposed to get pissed if my boss doesn't go up to the CEO of my company and demand I get a raise?

    If anybody needs me I'll be storming in to an office to raise a ruckus. Be back in a while.

    Probably with a box so I can clean my desk.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Not sure what tone to read in that …

    “Joay”?

    ReplyDelete
  4. you are young

    It's always fun to see that hopeful light in the eyes of the uninitiated. And the knowing glances between those of us who have been there, done that and can say, "He'll learn soon enough," without opening our mouths.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry, that's how I say your name in my head. Like "ole", but "joeay".

    I can't quite figure out how to pronounce "joe" with an accent at the end.

    with much love, i promise you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That woman's complaints are so subjective as to be almost meaningless.

    Obama was "arrogant" and "standoffish"? Perhaps, but I notice that she doesn't give many specifics or details about that. These complaints sound like the ones rendered by a couple of Sonia Sotomayor's "critics" before she was confirmed to the Supreme Court. These complaints are petty, childish, and worst of all irrelevant.

    It is absurd for her to accuse him of not caring about "the little people" because he didn't advocate pay raises for the clerical staff or for a better healthcare plan. As an associate, he didn't have the power to make that call. What was she expecting, for him to start a union at the office?

    ReplyDelete
  7. @PF:
    Ah, okay then. Most of the time, others call me "Jo-ay" with a ridiculous inflexion on that last part, just to annoy me for having an admittedly annoying name. -_- (Who the hell is called “Joé”, anyway …?) Sorry for doubting you. =P

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for a good laugh. I've never known that being focused is a sin. Poor woman wanted some small talk, maybe even just some good ol' boring flirtation, but evil Obama was busy working. Asshole.

    ReplyDelete
  9. @PF:
    Well, it’s a natively French name, so kinda hard to spell out how to pronounce it perfectly in English; closest I can get to is “Jo + eh/ey” or something.

    Wish to hell my all-too-creative mother would’ve called me Martin, or John, or something pronounceable (and normal) like that. But nooo

    ReplyDelete
  10. Well, she did manage to avoid the word 'uppity' ...

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  11. I'm a partner in a law firm and I think PF has just about nailed it.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are for you guys, not for me. Say what you will. Don't feel compelled to stay on topic, I enjoy it when comments enter Tangentville or veer off into Non Sequitur Town. Just keep it polite, okay?

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