PLEASE HELP

Hello All,
This is my first time writing and am excited to hear back from individuals who are experiencing and educated in what I am facing. I am 24 years old and have recently (about 8 months ago) been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Though doctors were hard pressed on my age and my symptoms they finally gave me the satisfaction of having a name to the evil pain and symptoms I have been facing for years.

My issue at hand now, is I am dealing with employment problems. I was googling help and found this website. Here is the story in a nut shell. I hope someone can help me. I have been at my current job for about 3 1/2 years now. Never have I had any kind of issue and have shown great work ethic and dedication to my job. I am a secretary and recently my boss (the director) quit. I of-coarse had a MAJOR flare up and didn't take off work, but all of my close co-workers then found out how serious my flare ups were. I even had them printing things out for me to help me out. Anyways, our school is going through some major changes and following my boss leaving our principle resigned. Then my job was said to have been on the line, due to restructuring of the school. The was advancement opportunities that came out but prior to it we were told that someone might loss their job. I work with three-five (however the school wants to look at it) secretaries who are 1/2 great and not so great. But one of those people happen to my sister. The other main two are moms and un-education (I mean this in a professional way). Needless to say I respect these women even though I am currently a full time student two classes away from a bachelors degree and applying to graduate school. They are my elders and I respect that this is there ONLY means of employment with the economy the way it is and I felt bad. A new man took over the directors position ( he was our english teacher who had been working at the school for a year in a half). He was also my college enrollment counselor and I thought we were friends. After hearing of this news I began praying about it and made the decision that if someone had to go that I would offer myself. So I told the new director that if it came up that I would want them to respectfully tell the principle (who at the time was our middle school director, someone who was bragging everyday that they wanted to leave) and let her know that I am offering so that these individuals wouldn't loss their livelihood. In the meantime the new guy ( director) is asking me every single question regarding his job and telling me confidential information regarding what is said in the weekly directors meetings. I kind of listened but just couldn't believe he would tell me all of this information. All the this time, telling him, everything he needed to know regarding his job and I mean everything. This began to give me lots of stress but he was nice and polite and it made it easier for me to help. I went on teaching him everything that meant his job and thought I was doing our SCHOOL a favor but making him what we need a strong, knowledgable director. I then went on a mini vaca with my husband for my birthday and before I left I was approached by him regarding some issues that had occurred. In my job there are four main people and one supervisory who "oversees" all we do. This person recently changed some major things in my funding side of my job and did not tell me. To me this is large NO NO https://www.healingwell.com/community/emoticons/nono.gif because she did not only change it she didn't tell me!!! So I was looking over things and saw all of the numbers changed and began to change them the way I knew they should be. But something told me call and ask why it looks like this (just in case). I then tried to call her and no one answered, then I called my sister who told me do not change them that the supervisor changed hers and didn't tell her either, until she found them and asked. So I finally got ahold of the lady and she began screaming at me in front of the (new guy) that I never change anything and that she told me!! I was never told and would NEVER do anything to jeopardize my schools funding. She left my office and wouldn't really speak with me after that. Now this supervisor type lady is very very close with our principle and went and told her I had screw SOO much up (which is not the case I changed it back in two min. literally and it was fine) but because the principle doesn't know funding and this is her "friend" she got very upset with me. This is what the director (the new guys) told me before I left that the principle was very "pissed" at me and I better watch it. I grabbed my funding book and left for my vaca, I then received a call from the director asking if I would bring back my book, (which is my life)- years of work. I told him I had it with me as I always did the last three years and he demanded with the supervisor and principle there that I get it back to the school. I panicked and had my ride bring it back. I asked that the book be given to my sister before the weekend so I had my book for our huge!!!! funding meeting that tuesday. Well when I got back my sister didn't have my book and I was upset. I tried to call the lady over and over (the supervisor) and she never answered my calls or returned them. So I called the principle who proceeded to tell me that there was mistakes in my book and poor (supervisor) was fixing them all weekend and that I didn't need to come to the meeting!!! I insisted on coming and she asked WHY, I said we this is MY SCHOOL and MY BOOK and I would like to come, she said we if I could have all the secretary would have not gone and just the supervisor go but if you insist fine. So I show up and as I imaged it she came walking up with all of us (including the principle) and said to my face very rudely you had nothing in your book and I had to put all your papers in your book!! WHAT!!! I was so upset, I felt at that moment like I would seriously die. I printed everything out on that book and I have been doing this for over three years why would I mess up. Well I then asked for a meeting with the principle to discuss this mess. To redeem myself. So when we got back a meeting we held and in attendance was the director, principle and the supervisor. The meeting started with well, your director (of two months mind you) said you don't have much to do. Is this correct I looked at her like she was crazy, I not only am a secretary and a funding rep, but a accountant, substitute for our job-site (sometimes 40 miles from my home-with no place to fit) and classroom and daycare (also no where to sit) I handle SSI and VR and many many major responsibilities for the school. The principle looks at me and says well we have more work for you since you don't have enough (completely ignoring me) and we are going to have you sit up in the receptionist set and answer phones and microfiche files and if your director needs you he can call you down. (SORRY THIS IS LONG) THANKS FOR BARING WITH ME- THIS HAS BEEN A LIVING HELL FOR ME EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY. The receptionist had recently been fired because she didn't have enough to do and the other front secretaries were as everyone knew (including one of our students who always complained) they had nothing to do and talked and talked all day. One of our students was recently placed there for a job-site and complained of being so bored and them making her do nothing but answer phones while they sat and chatted for hours. While being told this I was in total shock, were they trying to get rid of me or embarrass me or what. I asked how long I would be in this move and she replied for the rest of the year. I was very upset and was proud of my self for not getting emotional.
I then left the meeting where I was told "were done here" ( not to mention the director who said I had nothing to do all day didn't say ONE word the entire meeting) and as I was leaving he began speaking so I turned around and he had a smile on his face and said do you want me to stay and chat "smiling the biggest smile and began laughing". I was so mad and upset that someone I had helped do this huge job with no questions was slandering my job and my character. Not to mention there are five of me in this school and I was the only one who was being removed (and I was known for having the biggest school and the most work). I went to my office grab my things and went to my coworkers office to avoid him (who I shared an office with) for the last 20 mins of work. She then began telling me that they were telling her (while I was on vaca) that they didn't want to fire me so I couldn't collect unemployment but wanted to make me miserably so I would quit. She also told me that the director (who bothered her as much as me- asking her and telling her anything and everything all the time) that he didn't know my job or his job but did she think I had much to do. She replied absolutely, she runs this school and does a great job. I at this point was so distraught I left and was an emotion wreck. The same co-worker I had spoken to before leaving called me and told me that after I left the she was sitting in with the director and the principle came in and said I want to speak with you about the position you are offering (this is the employment opportunity that was applying for to maybe save the other secretaries- the co-worker was not only my work friend but was the one offering the job- I have been working longer at the school than her and knew the job well and was very qualified) the principle said I do not think you should hire (ME) for the position, I just don't think she is qualified and I do not want you to hire her. The co-worker said to the principle okay and that was that. After finding all of this out, I began to the next morning dyeing in pain. Not only was I physically dyeing in pain but I was an emotionally wreck. I would begin to speak and I would cry and begin to hyperventilate. I called in to work and immediately went to see a doctor. He was in shock (believe it) with my condition. He checked my heart rate and evaluated me and said I do not think you need to go back for a while, I was shock but I understood I would barley walk or talk. So he signed me out for two weeks. I then the next day received a phone call from the director with a short unpleasant voicemail, "Hell this is so in so and we need a doctors note fax today. Thanks bye" I faxed that day and didn't hear anything from them until today. The head of HR called and left me a message to call him back. I called him back and he said "first what are your intentions of missing all this time?" second "we need a doctors note for every three days your out". I told him I faxed one already and had another. He said to me that no one had received it and that I needed to fax it immediately. Well I told him I would try and that was the end. I then got a call from my co-worker who stated to me that the director told her that they were going to fire me (on that phone call) and he didn't. She also told me that there was an individual sitting at my desk in my files, on my computer (email, etc.). As of now I have doctors notes and can be out until Monday but I am not sure what to do. I am so stressed over all of this and can find the energy, drive or motivation to do anything. My pain is at an all time high and I am unable to drive, do physically activity and cant sit or lay to long. I am going crazy because I am young and I am a great employee who will do anything I am asked and have managed my Fibro with my job and school without having to take but a day off. I am so upset over my charter and reputation being slandered by people who don't know what I do or stand for. I am not sure if I will be able to face this stress I am already beginning to become depressed and not even do school work which is my FIRST priority. I need advice and I need it quick. I do not know what to do and am getting so much feedback but not from anyone who knows the struggles of being a sufferer of fibro + all of this. I am sorry if I sound sad to you or you feel I have no valer in my words but this is real and and this me. Thank you for reading my blog and I hope I receive feedback soon. For all the fibro suffers I pray for your strength and your bodies wellness. God Bless.

Thank you,
CASPER https://www.healingwell.com/community/emoticons/idea.gif

Nothing worse than knowing that you give your all at a job just to be told that you can and will be replaced. It just doesn't seem fair.

Maybe you can make this work in your favor. Give yourself some time off, finish your schooling, get yourself feeling better and then look for a job more befitting your qualilities and skills. ( you did offer to give your position up - just tell yourself that they took you up on it and let it go)

when you apply for a new job and they ask about contacting your past employments, say "because the person(s) I worked under are no longer with the company and the person(s) that took over do not know my personal work history/abilities, I would prefer that you did not. But, you are more than welcome to contact HR in reference to my work attendance. By law, they cannot disclose any other info.


keep in mind that this is only my opinion. I like to look on the bright side and say that this is the time to make a change! good luck in your schooling, get feeling better and keep us posted on what you choose and the outcome.

Hope your day ends much better than it started

Hi Casper, welcome to the forum and I hope you are having a better day. I think this job is causing more stress and worsening your FM. I have learned in my many years of hard work, that no job is safe. You can give your all, but the bottomline remains, the bigger fish in the organization eat the little fish. No matter what you do or try, there is always someone that has more authority regardless of what you have done for the company. I know we all need a job, but maybe it is time for you to look for another job. I know these are hard times, but when your health is at risk, you need to start thinking differently. I don't know what is going on with the book, but if it is company information and they want the book, the company does have a right over the book. No matter how much you worked to get the book funds noted, if it is school/company information, it belongs to company/school. They may hold it against you and make your job a worse environment. You need to start thinking of your health now. Good Luck and please keep us posted. God Bless. xxooo