Grass isn't always greener on the other side

At the end of May one of the clerks I work with in my assignment left her position to take another one within the same facility, only in a different department.

After trying it for a few weeks she decided she didn't like it, so she asked her supervisor to return to her position.  She was told she couldn't because it had already been filled.  Now if this is the case I'm not aware because I haven't been told that I now have a new clerk to work with. The assignment is still being covered by another clerk for the time being.

Anyway, she sends me an email today asking me to help her get her position back.  I'm not management so there isn't anything I can do to help her. However, I do know that in their contract they have an "out" clause.  They can take a different position and if within 3 months they don't like it, they can return to their old position.  So I passed that information along to her.

I would love for her to return because she is an excellent clerk and we worked well together.

Just shows that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.  At least she seems to have an option to reverse her decision to leave, unlike the nurses who don't have an "out" clause and you are stuck with your decision.

It is interesting isn't it? Things always seem like they will be better. Sometimes you don't know how good you had it until it's gone!

Just out of curiosity, how did you know about the "out" clause? Is it in your contract or was it in the one she signed? I guess I was asking because that is something that she may not have had in hers. If you had been working there longer it may have been Grandfathered out by the time she came.

I would think if it was available to her they would have made mention of it when she transferred over, or would have told her when she said she wanted to come back. Or, maybe management is just trying to be sneaky and skirt around the rules. I can't possible imagine that!   

Originally Posted by EB24  

Just out of curiosity, how did you know about the "out" clause? Is it in your contract or was it in the one she signed? I guess I was asking because that is something that she may not have had in hers. If you had been working there longer it may have been Grandfathered out by the time she came.

Or, maybe management is just trying to be sneaky and skirt around the rules. I can't possible imagine that! 

 

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We are a unionized facility.  There is a nurses union, and there is a union for the clerks. She falls under the clerk's union.  Their union agreement states that they can take another position and try it out for a period of 3 months and be able to go back to their previous job if they change their mind.

I used to be a union rep for my local chapter of the nurses union, and because of that I became familiar with what other union contracts contained.

Unfortunately, it isn't the management's job to let the employee know about their union rights. It's up to the employee to search it out or contact their union rep for guidance.  Wherever possible, management will skirt around the issues, if it will be cost saving to them.  I've grieved several situations with my union over the years, where management was taking unfair advantage and interpreting things in their favour.

Her union rep is away on vacation, and time is running out for her to exercise her 3 month trial period clause.  I talked to management yesterday for her, and they told me to tell her to speak to her supervisor in the new department and let her know that she wants to exercise her right to return to her old position.

I sent her an email today. That's the best I can do for her.  The ball is in her court. If she wants to return, she has to stand up and take charge of the situation. No one else can do it for her.

Aaaaahhhhh that makes so much more sense. Now that you have explained it I realize it was a dumb question. I don't know much about Canada/Canadian Law, but I do know enough to know that pretty much every profession is unionized. Duh!!! Guess I'm just another self centered, stupid American!      

I think Management trying to skirt around issues is a common problem with this type of work setup. You are right that Management doesn't have to say anything so they frequently don't, and it falls on the individual to take care of it. I would think that would be scary. I mean, you want to be someplace that you are wanted and this makes you feel like you aren't. 

You were kind to even do that much for her. And you're right, if she wants to come back she does need to stand on her own two feet. She's very lucky she has you lookin out for her! 

She sent an email to her supervisor today telling her that she wants to exercise her right to return to her position, and she sent me a blind copy of the email.  So she will be coming back to the clinic setting but not sure to what position.
 

Oh yay I'm glad she took the initiative and is coming back!!! Hopefully she will be in a position similar to the one she had when she left. Good for her! Again, she is very lucky she had you pointing it all out to her!