r/antiwork • u/lovely_liability • 15d ago
Workplace Abuse đ« Informed this morning that all staff our meeting would be doing landscaping and yard work to "help out."
So for context, I have been working in a nursing home in medical records for about three months. This is a decent, clean, and relatively compassionate nursing home from the negative experiences I've had as a residents family member at one point. It started off that I was just doing the medical records in terms of filing, organizing, entering resident records to our online system, etc.
Then a month in, my supervisor told everyone at our morning meeting without my prior knowledge, that she was excited to share that I would soon begin our AP work, gradually picking up more admin and accounting work. This was a shock to me, as I was new to my role in medical records and was not under the impression I would also be doing work to assist the accountant as well. So, I grinned and beared it, picking up an additional responsibility to my role.
This was a month ago, I'm drowning in my work and if I ask for clarification on how to do something I was not trained or shown to do, I'm met with crickets and no one even pointing me to someone who can at least answer my questions. I've been frustrated and tired trying to manage this workload, having only been here three months and given tasks I was provided one day of training to do. Coupled with the stress of an understaffed facility, stress is rampant here.
So, this morning, all department heads and administrative staff were informed at our daily meeting that we would be helping out for two days in a row next week doing lawn and landscaping work. We would be raking, digging, mulching, and cleaning up wherever they saw fit for the front yard and the properties land. We also were informed we should bring rakes and other tools to do the work, as well. Everyone in the room - the physical therapist, the nursing staff, other administrative staff - went quiet. Others seemed fine, as they had done this before for the facility it seemed. I sat there dumbfounded at having heard this. I do the medical records and recently accounts payable, but for two days in a row next week I would be expected to work outside and perform lawn and land work with our two maintenance staff.
I just don't even understand how I've gotten here, how I've let myself be walked all over to this point and how people almost seemed okay with this expectation. This isn't some family business or nonprofit, where we break our backs for the well being of the business, which is dubious to say the least. I'm underpaid for the work I AM hired to actually do, let alone to work outside. I have bad knees and asthma, and my own responsibilities to do. I've been applying to jobs for a couple of weeks now and have even had three interviews. In no place in my job description does it say to do lawn or landscaping work. I'll be asking for a print out of my job description if given flack for not providing essentially free labor and giving my two weeks if pressed after that. I guess I was just too naive to think that worker exploitation was this close to home.
Any advice is appreciated, but this was more of a rant then anything.
Tldr: I've been working in medical records in a nursing home for three months, provided little to no training, informed I'd be doing AP more recently, drowning in work I barely understand and now told we all would be doing two days worth of lawn and landscaping work next week. *edit: fixed my spelling errors
Just an edit!: I saw some folks had a few questions that I should have definitely specified when I originally made this post. I'm in Pennsylvania and this is definitely been a unique situation. The nursing home I work for was owned by a corporate that went bankrupt last year and is getting a new rebrand, but they've been very understaffed for multiple critical admin positions since I've started. Also, our direct HR person has been present for our meetings and has said nothing about the implications of injuries of "yard work" or landscaping on employee safety.
All of these have been major red flags to me and I only remained because I've been struggling to find another commutable job since I live rurally. I've read everyone's comments and really appreciate the perspective! I'm taking it all into consideration. Either way, I'm strongly considering reporting this to OSHA.
For now, I've requested a doctor's note specifying my asthma as concerns to not participate, which I will be providing to my HR. For now, I'm going to wait it out and see what happens after I provide them the note but I'm still actively applying for jobs and waiting to hear back on next steps for two jobs I'm in the interview process for. Thank you all for your kind words, it's nice to not feel alone! I'll make an update post depending on what the end result is :)
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u/CaptinACAB 15d ago
âNo. Thatâs not the job I agreed to when I was hired.â
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u/ILoveMeeses2Pieces 15d ago
And tell them you have physical restrictions for employment. These new duties arenât unilateral duties. They are of a different species all together. You donât hire a doctor and then under the guise of âother duties as assignedâ have them hauling masonry supplies around to lay a brick walkway to the clinic they work at. Fuck that
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u/Shadow_84 Squatter 15d ago
Why? Not your job to cover positions outside the scope of your qualifications. They need landscapers, hire landscapers.
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u/hybridaaroncarroll 15d ago
"Insubordination is grounds for termination", and that's the fear that they lean on.
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u/new2bay 15d ago
âOther duties as assignedâ would probably beg to differ. Not that I approve or anything.
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u/writetoAndrew 15d ago
pretty sure that only applies if its reasonable to the scope of your normal work. you can't ask the custodial staff to brain surgery. Asking someone to file different paperwork than what they normally do, or cover off a coworker who has a similar job would all be fine, but for duties normally assigned to someone with a completely different job description entirely is a no-no. But yeah shitty employers use that as a catch-all counting on the employee to not push back
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u/CaptinACAB 15d ago
Helping out the accountants is one thing. Fucking yard work is another.
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u/CatchMeIfYouCan09 15d ago
Tbf I cross this shit out with every damn job. I put a line thru it and initial. IF it's caught by HR during on boarding I respond with "Unfortunately this leaves a gray area that sets my license up for a state complaint or investigation. I'm happy to discuss things that come up in real time and assess the priority and where it falls in my role expectations and functions of my job"
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u/PhantomNomad 15d ago
I do have that clause in my job description. But that only applies to other types of administration type duties. Safety would have a lot to say about me moving furniture or landscaping because I don't have the proper PPE or training for that job.
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u/TheDisapprovingBrit 15d ago
Iâd like to see the risk assessment for having untrained admin staff doing manual labour. Also, hereâs a link to the required training to qualify me to carry out commercial ground work.
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u/Apprehensive-Pop-201 15d ago
This place sounds seriously understaffed and cheaply run. If there are ANY red flags, other than this huge flapping banner one, call the state licensing entity. Or, if it takes any Medicare dollars call Medicare. This place sounds scary and Medicare don't play.
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u/LAOGANG 15d ago
Exactly! They should have a hired lawn service doing this. The company seems to be cash strapped by making the employees do this for free instead of hiring a lawn service
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u/bel1984529 15d ago
The thing is, all of their employees hourly wages have to be more than what a lawn are company would charge. Either they are especially dumb to see this as a âsavingsâ or theyâve stiffed their old landscape companies and not paid their bills.
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u/Tarik861 15d ago
Ask them if they are certain that the workers comp insurance, which probably has you rated as an office worker, has been upgraded to cover everyone as landscapers. Ask in writing, and also ask for them to confirm in writing that you are being assigned this work. Confirm to not only your boss but up the chain through the facility manager that you have not âvolunteeredâ for this, but were assigned by your supervisor to do so. If you can convince others to do the same, that will strengthen your position.
They may fire you, but that is better than getting injured doing something you werenât hired to do.
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u/RenzaMcCullough 15d ago
I'd also mention your limitations, such as that asthma, which will wildly increase the likelihood of a worker's comp claim. Make a paper trail and make sure you have copies that aren't just on site or on the company's email.
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u/DependentSouthern933 15d ago
This is a great strategy. Worker's comp on landscapers is way more expensive than office staff, and if you're injured don't landscaping, they'll likely get dropped from their insurance. I can't imagine they'll want that
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u/Obtuse-Angel 15d ago
Expect that this will absolutely be a company that dodges responsibility when an employee gets hurt performing work that they were required to do while being outside of their job descriptions and not given adequate training or safety equipment. This is not a healthy or safe working environmentÂ
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u/chrishazzoo 15d ago
EXACTLY, they will deny a WC claim saying injury occured outside the normal scope of their job. This place is a powder keg.
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u/airforceteacher 15d ago
Good idea. Demand every single possible piece of safety gear and training you can think of on how to use the tools. Where are my safety glasses? Will you be providing coveralls to protect my clothes and legs from the debris the lawn mower and weed eater put out? What about masks because the leaf blower raises a lot of dust. For everyone on the team of course, not just the guy using the blower. Where are my leather gloves? Have a document in writing for them to sign saying that they refuse to provide them or expect you to provide those yourselves.
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u/GreenUpYourLife 15d ago
Tbh if it's work outside of their wheelhouse that's a physical labor situation that could actually potentially be dangerous, I'd say they're in violation of something and I'd look into the legality of their ways for that state, county and business specifically along with the detail of their contract when they got hired. If you have a chance to reach out to a lawyer or someone, I'd do it.
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u/Any_March_9765 15d ago
welp that's a new one. I'd look for a new job probably, but you can use weaponized incompetence as a last resort. FUCK UP their lawn, make it abundantly clearly beforehand that you have no idea how to do lawn work, no experience, no skill. Oops, is that the lawn mower motor that I accidentally pour water in? Oh no... I didn't know...
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u/iownp3ts 15d ago
Salt the words "fuck this place" into the front lawn.
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u/NeurodiversityNinja 15d ago
I just had this thought before I saw your post, but thought that would be mean for the residents, cause they have to look at the lawn.
but if you're going for scorched earth, bleach works fine; boiling water costs nothing.
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u/garaks_tailor 15d ago
IT here. That's how I kept from being roped into doing non-IT work. Want me to put this desk together for the new VP? It was done so badly it took them 3 years to forget not to ask me.
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u/LumberJer 15d ago
Bring your hedge trimmers and cut down every bush. Dump a load of mulch in your bosses office.
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u/313Wolverine 15d ago
Broadleaf weed killer isn't the same as vegetation killer? Oh no, I'm afraid I've been spraying this all over the lawn.
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u/Soggy_Cracker 15d ago
Bring roundup. I used to work at homedepot. If you told me this story I would give you a 2 gallon jug for free.
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u/ZER0_C00LEST 15d ago
There is nothing I repeat NOTHING better than burning a bridge permanently at a place that has fucked you over!! Tired of these rich assholes using us as slaves.. burn it all down
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u/DayVDave 15d ago
You can do an awful job at landscaping, bare minimum effort, basically just hanging out and getting in the way. Might be nice to spend the day outside. Or you could always tell your boss that your landscaping rate is $80/h, paid in cash at the end of the day.
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u/lady_ofthenorth 15d ago
Yes, this. Just make everything worse.
Or âthrow out your backâ in the first 5 minutes. Bam. Workers comp.
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u/PlsNoNotThat 15d ago
They would get in so much trouble. Imagine explaining that to any agency. âI was injured being forced to do manual labor outside of my contract.â đ
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u/screaminNcreamin 15d ago
This is what i would do. I would show up, chipper and happy and just completely fuck EVERYRHING up. Take 1000 drink breaks. Get 'lightheaded' and sit in the shade for an hour.
You didn't get hired to do yard work
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u/crunchy-butt 15d ago
I would assume there is some liability/insurance issues that would prevent you from having to do maintenance. I work for a manufacturing company in the office. I am not insured to work in the warehouse or in the field.
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u/Any_March_9765 15d ago
Right? How DUMB is management? Landscape work is mildly dangerous, they are willing to risk lawsuit to save like what, a few hundred bucks a month? Geeeeez
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u/FemalesRStrongasHell 15d ago
And honestly, hiring a landscaping company to do it would be cheaper and more efficient in the long run, with better results, if you ask me.
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u/CoconutRound8714 15d ago
Weaponized incompetence. Like someone else said, fuck up the yard work.
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u/-LuciditySam- 15d ago
This. Your bosses are already weaponizing their incompetence against you so it's only fair game.
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u/FrankieLovie 15d ago
you need to read the writing on the wall. this business is failing. if you don't quit you'll be layed off when it closes. look for a new job
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u/SomeCallMeMahm 15d ago
"No." is a complete sentence.
Refer them to the local hardware store for tool rental and maybe day laborers while they're there.
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u/BakedBrie26 15d ago
You have to set boundaries. This should be a no. If you have to make up an excuse then say, "medical reasons." They don't need any more than that.
As for the other work, stop doing things outside your job description without a pay raise. Do the job you were hired to do well and the other job poorly. Either they will realize things are not right or they will fire you and you can collect unemployment while finding a less exploitative job.
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u/PattyLeeTX 15d ago
Tell them you think cross-training is a great idea, and that you're exciting to have the maintenance workers helping you for two days the following week. See if they realize how ridiculous that is.
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u/TinyEmergencyCake 15d ago
We also were informed we should bring rakes and other tools to do the work, as well.Â
No.Â
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u/ILoveMeeses2Pieces 15d ago
tell them you donât have any because you HIRE A SERVICE FOR THAT SHIT.
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u/fenriq 15d ago
Whoever made this decision isn't going to be landscaping with the rest of the folks, are they? Of course not. I'd do the absolute worst job possible, literally cut down everything I could and then shrug when someone eventually says WTF? I'm not trained for this.
Rich people/owners are crazy.
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u/TuecerPrime 15d ago
Every position I've ever been in has had some scope creep as time goes on. I may not like it, but not much I can do.
This is batshit crazy, and would make me highly concerned about the business as an ongoing concern that can afford to pay people.
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u/SkoolBoi19 15d ago
Just come in and do your normal job. If anyone says anything to you, tell them you donât have time to do your job and landscaping.
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u/Ima-Bott 15d ago
Weird thought......the budget line item for lawn maintenance gets spent, but in the managers pocket.
Hard pass. Allergies, bad knees, not the job I was hired for. Pick your reason. Any or all. I'll be at my desk not being a "team" player.
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u/SSNs4evr 15d ago
Fortunately for you, understaffing goes both ways. Just don't do it....can they really afford to get rid of you? Or several workers, if more workers feel the same way? You can just not do the outdoors work, or if you really fear for your job, there's always "weaponized incompetence." Be so bad at the additional tasking that they never ask you to do it again. "Oh. Those 5 bags of mulch weren't supposed to go into the retention pond? My bad."
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u/donaldsw2ls 15d ago
Start looking for a new job unfortunately. When I was fresh out of college I worked building engines. At some point one day we were spreading mulch around the owners house. I should have known then that was a red flag. Eventually things got so fucked up there I quit on the spot before having another job lined up and I lost several thousand in wages. Lucky another company down the road wanted me and I had my new job within the hour.
Don't do it. Don't get on your hands and knees for them.
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u/usernametaken99991 15d ago
A vet clinic I worked at tried to pull that shit on me once. I was one of like 5 receptionists and in our weekly meeting the practice manager mentioned having us come in on Sundays to clean the clinic. Everyone else was a kiss up and talking about how much they loved cleaning. I told my supervisor " if I wanted to spend all my time cleaning, I would have gotten a job as a maid, set my own hours and probably be making more money". That shut her up real quick.
I didn't last much longer at that job, probably for other reasons. The whole place was wildly unprofessional. The owner of the clinic was stealing controlled substances and having sex with assistants and techs.
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u/Dfeeds 15d ago
I've been in a similar situation as the clerk/accounts payable of a warehouse who, out of no where, was asked to go and clean up a mountain of garbage from the back loading dock, easily several days worth of work. This was during covid so my workload was absolutely nuts. I didn't do it. I just kept doing my job until the warehouse manager approached me. We got into it and I ended up agreeing to do the garbage with the understanding that I absolutely refuse to put in extra time to make up the work. So she needs to find someone to cover for me or everything is going to be even more delayed and I don't care.
Everything was delayed and no one said a word about it to me.Â
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u/pkinetics 15d ago
If there was a landscaping service before, they were dropped to âsave moneyâ for the bottom line. They are cutting corners.
Red flag: You got voluntold to do the bookkeeping and financials but lack experience. When trying to find information no one is providing it.
Iâd be really concerned there is some financial irregularities going on and they want someone less knowledgeable and overworked to be able to slide them by.
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u/Lawmonger 15d ago
Nursing homes are notoriously poorly run, so I can't say I'm surprised.
They can ask you to do anything legal as long it's on their dime. An employer can have its employees, as long as they're paid their regular wage, work on the political campaign of the employer's liking and have them sit through religious sermons (as long as it's not considered harassment). Landscaping is pretty tame compared to what they could ask you to do.
If your physical limitations prevent you from doing lawn work, ask that you not be forced to do so as a reasonable accommodation to your disabilities. You'll need to have your doctor back you up on this.
Regarding the accounting work, I would document the issues you're having, the obstacles you face, and ask for the help you need to do the job successfully. Write a memo or email, keep a copy, and send it to your boss and HR. I would be concerned they may fire you for not keeping up. If they do and you file for unemployment compensation, they may contest it because they'll claim you were fired because you couldn't do your job. If you document why you couldn't do your job (you were set up to fail), you may be able to collect benefits.
Good luck!
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u/kangourou_mutant 15d ago
Does the employer's insurance cover the employees doing yard work? I would ask the question in writting before doing any. Also ask how much they'll pay for the tools rental.
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u/aeb1971 15d ago
I once worked part time as a bank teller. Manager had this idea: âWouldnât it be nice to offer a free car wash for our customers?â? She wanted us to wash cars. I told her I would not be going outside during the brisk fall weather to wash anyoneâs car. Others joined in. We did not have a car wash. Stand your ground.
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u/myotherjobisreddit 15d ago
I worked for a company called PartsTown headquartered in Addison IL. I was an accountant. They received a large order from Amazon and took office workers and made them pick pack and ship the order. I was in the warehouse with no safety training for a week.
In addition this company did inventory once a year and short of actually making it mandatory highly encouraged people to bring in family members and friends to perform an inventory count on the weekend. You were looked down upon for not participating.
I was young and impressionable once.
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u/FemalesRStrongasHell 15d ago
Omg. There are literally companies set up just to count inventory for other businesses. I'm so tired of ppl mismanaging their money so they can't afford for things to be done the right/best way. Are these folks being paid? Bc if not that's especially fucked up.
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u/ILoveUncommonSense 15d ago
Theyâre not only trying to save the wages of an accountant by dumping that work on your already full time job, they now expect you all to absorb the wages of landscapers, saving the owners even more unearned wealth?!
If you trust several of your coworkers in different departments, please consider going on strike. This is inexcusable, and part of the reason so many people canât find jobs. Companies think they can squeeze even more out of already inundated employees instead of hiring people capable of doing the necessary work. Fight back!
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u/ILoveUncommonSense 15d ago
Oh, I also meant to point out that they expect you all to bring and sacrifice your own private property to save the cost of needed tools?!?
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u/GreenUpYourLife 15d ago
What's your legal job description? Have they written a new one you agreed upon and have signed with a higher wage? No? Them they legally cannot pressure you to do this. All you have to do is say no. You can even talk to a legal team about it and see what they say about. In fact, I recommend such. (I'm not a lawyer but I've dealt with terrible work place issues in the past)
When a company pressures you to do more than you can, it is entirely your responsibility to hold your ground and say no while still being professional and telling them you were paid for a specific task and you will not take on more. Give them the full story of how they haven't given you the materials, training, payment or communication about any of this until it's been forced upon you. Talk to your coworkers and form a union. You need to stand up for yourself so the business can't keep forcing more work on you guys.
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u/dan_sin_onmyown 15d ago
Landscaping day is the perfect time for you and several nurses to Injure your back,shoulder,arm,leg,etc. Get hurt, immediately go to the doctor, and claim it under workman's comp.
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u/JelloGirli 15d ago
I get paid much more for physical labor and if I am not getting the full days pay at the rate of a laborer, itâs not happening.
When youâre hired, you decide what your worth and look for that. Adding in different responsibilities for what youâre hired for needs to be addressed and paid for. They know it and they know what the market is like. So what you feel is best, but adding on the landscaping and bringing your own tools is outrageous and not something you should have to worry about.
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u/thebestemailever 15d ago
Sounds like youâre about to have an on the job injury until you find new employment
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u/JJHall_ID 15d ago
<cough> It sounds like you may be feeling a little <cough cough> under the weather and may need to take a couple of days off next week. I hope you get to feeling better!
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u/AMundaneSpectacle 15d ago
This is outrageous. They need to hire a crew to do this work. Period. This is their responsibility and they are putting it onto their existing employees. What psycho decided this was cool??
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u/Sheepish_conundrum 15d ago
I mean, do they realize that if you were injured doing that other work, they'd really be on the hook for that?
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u/Mammoth_Ad_483 15d ago edited 15d ago
Taking a page out of the Happy Gilmore playbook
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u/DarkSideBelle 15d ago
The faq? Thatâs a major no from me. Especially bringing my own gardening tools? Some people live in an apartment and donât own any damn gardening tools. They need to hire people for landscaping.
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u/pbiddy415 15d ago
Ok start with ignoring anyone telling you to just not do the extra work. You start this by informing your direct leader that you cannot do this. If they push back in involve HR. Look for a new job too, but don't get yourself fired for insubordination before you are ready for the change in job. The last thing you need is to lose your source of income before you have a new income stream
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u/Jean19812 15d ago
This is insane. A lot of office workers would not be able to physically do this job. For example I have scoliosis. Most days I'm fine, but other days there is no way on earth I could get out there and rake and such. I would look for another job
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u/FrogFlavor 15d ago
Donât nurses earn at least $40/hr? Donât grunt-level landscapers make )20/hr? Leaving aside how rude it is to ask office and medical staff to workout way outside their lane, and how egregious it is to ask to bring tools from home, AND how pulling nurses and caregivers away from residents is probably against regulations, how can you trust an employer who would make such a foolish financial decision to misuse their expensive staff to do cheap labor?
Be âsickâ on the gardening days, maybe investigate if understaffing the residents care is a violation, work at least 10% slower at your actual duties and grind your accounts work down to a snails pace. If anyone notices tell them the truth âIâm waiting for clarification on technical questionsâ.
Iâm sorry your job sucks and good luck on the hunt.
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u/FemalesRStrongasHell 15d ago
Having flashbacks to my church-going days when cleaning the church building (of a multi-billion dollar religion) was "an act of service". Get a doctor's note about your asthma if you have to. They are just being cheap.
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u/dog4cat2 15d ago
Put it in writing!!!! It sound like all this is happening at meetings with nothing in writing.
Send a follow-up clarification email to your supervisor. Ask for clarification about how this is supposed to work. Once you have it in writing, reply that you don't feel comfortable working outside the job you were hired for. Add that you have already stepped outside that comfort area when you were "promoted without compensation" to accounting. As you're still struggling to learn this position due to lack of training you feel your time would be better spent working on your defined duties.
At least if something happens while you are outside, you will have it in the email reply that you were directed to work out or described duty and you would have a chance at a workman's comp claim
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u/primal___scream 15d ago
They should be careful with this. This opens them up to workers comp liability.
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u/buddhasma 15d ago
Besides this just being ridiculous, this may be outside the scope of your WCC/NCCI code. Youâre probably categorized as 8810 or similar. Groundskeeper is not part of that category.
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u/cowfish007 15d ago
Thereâs a wonderful word I use when asked to do unreasonable tasks without additional compensation. That word is âno.â
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u/Tealme1688 15d ago
They should supply the tools needed for yard work. You should not have to provide those.
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u/tranimal00 15d ago
Use the rake backwards. Lots of bathroom breaks. Need time to put on sunscreen. I need to go sit somewhere cool with some water, I donât do this kind of work normally and Iâm getting dizzy. If they give you power leaf blowers, fill them with pine cones put your hand over the cover. Preload that sum bitch and launch em at your boss.
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u/ejrhonda79 15d ago
Why give two weeks notice if they treat you like that. Find something and just leave no notice. Even better wait for an opportunity where they really need you then quit.
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u/alundaio 15d ago
That's something you only do to highschool kids. I used to love being pulled from working as cook and get paid those wages to pull weeds, mulch or go to Sam's club. less stressful. But forcing people who do not want to do it is cruel.
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u/MNConcerto 15d ago
Nope nope nope
Not your job description, not your written job duties AND not your FSLA job code.
If you get hurt "helping out" are they going to cover workers comp?
I work in HR and I would shut this down in a heartbeat.
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u/pepperpat64 15d ago
Ask your doctor for a medical exemption. They should be able to come up with something legitimate in your medical history.
Also, are you expected to do your regular job in addition to the yard work? I can totally see this turning into a situation where you get dinged for not finishing your regular work on time.
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u/exhaustednonbinary 15d ago
There are very few reasons I would just walk out of a job, but this is one of them. I'd leave my keys and whatever else at the end of the day and they just wouldn't see me again
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u/Patriae8182 15d ago
âSorry, but that is not in my job description, or even vaguely close to it for that matter. Therefore, I am going to continue to do my job as normal.â
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u/mcbish42 15d ago
Inform them having you do landscaping will result in terrible results. Bring shovel, dig random holes around the yard.
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u/Not_UR_Mommy 15d ago
One time my company told us we all had to paint our own offices đ My job was a sedentary desk job. We already worked long hours and as salary workers, no overtime. The junior level people didnât even average out to minimum wage with all the time they worked. I was already planning to quit anyway so it didnât affect me. They gave up on this plan after it became apparent that no one was willing to paint the building for them. Also, what if someone fell off a ladderâthat would be a workmanâs comp nightmare. Iâd tell your supervisor that youâre not able to participate due to your heath conditions and find another job.
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u/ZealousidealDingo594 15d ago
Hahahahahaha no. Not in the job description, not getting done. Not your job. You didnât agree to work for wages in exchange for back breaking labor.
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u/Wondercat87 15d ago
Start looking for a new job now. This is ridiculous. I bet the other people are just burnt out and are used to new jobs being piled onto them unexpectedly.
Of course your boss is excited for everyone to help out. I doubt they'll be helping out with any of the yardwork/landscaping they've asked everyone to do. They also probably get to run back to their boss and brag about how much money they are saving the company by forcing everyone else to do that work instead.
I'm curious how they expect you to get your normal job done if you are already at the point of being overloaded. No wonder everyone there is stressed.
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u/huskmyskinwagon 15d ago
I quit a cooking job because they expected me to help sand and strip the the hardwood floors in the dinning room. I told them that there are people who do this, they are called construction /contractors, who get paid twice what your paying me...
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u/TN_Lamb888 15d ago
âI have a medical condition that does not allow me to perform this type of work, which is why I applied for and accepted an office role. I am not able to meet this request.â
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u/VadersLoversLover 15d ago
Do YOUR work and leave the landscaping to someone else. Itâs a business. If they want landscaping then hire a landscaper. They are trying to cheap out at employees expense. I would just refuse
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u/kal195 15d ago
If you want landscaping to be done, you call a fucking landscaping company. If you hired my ass to do clerical work, you goddamn better believe I am NOT doing manual labour for two days. You gonna give me workers comp if I get hurt doing this landscaping? What are the policies on this? It's a can of worms. This is sleazy management trying to save a buck. No way would you see me out dragging fuckin rocks around.
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u/ddawg4169 15d ago
Honestly, Iâd file a complaint with your state labor board and outright refuse the work due to health issues. Youâd have no issue getting a doctor to write something along those lines given the circumstances I guarantee it.
There is literally a ZERO percent chance Iâd do this kind of work as part of my normal job ever. For context, I have a construction and IT background. Worked a few bartender shifts at a place and the tried to have me fix things in the building. I literally laughed at them when they tried the âother duties as assignedâ bullshit. When they pushed back I wrote up my rate for that type of work and they hushed up quickly.
Do not let them bully you. But DO write a review on the company. And encourage others to do so as well. Iâd absolutely recommend this after you find new employment to ensure they are severely affected by their disgusting practices.
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u/Hot_Classic_67 15d ago
Update your resume, not only because this is bs, but because Iâd be concerned about the financials of the business.
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u/Philodendron69 15d ago
Itâs because hedge funds own nursing homes so itâs like any other business. They make workers take on additional roles for more profit
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u/OddMall1506 15d ago
Lol, asking a nurse (LPN or RN) to do yard work? Good luck with that. Most of us can be working in another job in the time it takes for a background check to clear. Btw what state was this in?
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u/angrygirl65 15d ago
Iâd be happy to be outside, wandering around. I donât really know how to do yard work - but if it got me outside on a nice day, and I didnât have to do the job I know how to do - sounds like an easy day. Of course, Iâm not giving a shit about what doesnât get done.
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u/Cartercentral 15d ago
I guarantee the workman comp insurance premium they pay has you classified as an office worker, not a maintenance worker. It be a shame if some documented your physical labor and caused an WC audit.
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u/Forward-Character-83 15d ago
The place is falling apart, and they can't afford gardeners. Look for another job ASAP.
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u/ChewieBearStare 15d ago
Say no. What are they going to do, can the only person they have to do medical records AND accounts payable? Theyâre gonna try to take advantage of your good nature and desire to help the old people, but donât let them.
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u/ebolainajar 15d ago
I work at a tech company that does AP software and the fact you have no training in this is just completely outrageous to me.
Not to mention, they're having you do this at the end of the month?? It's book closing time! These people are totally incompetent and have no idea what you do. They should not be in charge of anything.
Tell them if you have to do this your vendors won't get paid and the home can be fined. It's not like they understand what they're asking of you anyways.
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u/ionertia 15d ago
Whoops, I forgot about the yard work and wore nice clothes. I also love that someone mentioned doing a really poor job at the yard work. I was asked to help move a bunch of chairs and tables at work once. So I just moved 1 chair at a time very slowly. While others were stacking up 10. I guess I was just bad at it.
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u/shoulda-known-better 15d ago
OP tell your office you have a mobility issue and manual labor isn't something you can do.... That would be the reason you took an office job
They can't ask for proof and they can't fire you since it's an ADA issue
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u/SiegelGT 15d ago
If you saw how much a commercial account is worth in landscaping you'd know they're trying to save a lot of money. You did not agree to do that job when hired, refuse and if they fire you hit them with wrongful termination.
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u/ContingencyLuv 15d ago
This happened to me years ago. Not landscaping work but janitorial. I work in the medical field and one of the biggest parts of my job is being clean/ sterile. The toilet in our unit clogged and they asked me to find a plunger and try to fix it. I declined right off and told them that is not my job description and unsanitary in the extreme while also working with patients. The Dr on staff got all huffy and went in and did it himself, giving me looks the rest of the day. But right afterward was able to go into his office to change his clothes.
Sorry not sorry. Plus I definitely disliked cleaning bathrooms anyway with a husband and two boys, no way I'm doing it in a hospital.
Draw your boundary OP and stick to it. They kept piling on work and you didn't draw a boundary. Each time you didn't the further they felt they could go. Your asthma makes it an especially big deal. Hard no.
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u/apsims12 15d ago
Just say "I'm not trained for that. Do you want to open your business up to potential litigation?"
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_GOOD_PM 15d ago
Hahha. Bring a lil plastic rake for kids and a bucket. Then spend all day just shoveling little dirt and dumping it out at inconvenient places.
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u/Ok-Willow-9145 15d ago
Your best bet is to be no confrontational and go in dressed to do the job you were hired to do. Donât bring any tools. If someone in charge says anything to you about doing landscaping just say that you werenât prepared to do landscaping and go back to doing your job.
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u/Cassie0peia 15d ago
This post was just wild! Employers are on some kind of power trip. Ask them when sr. execs will be getting their turn âhelping out.â
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u/Ok-Good8150 15d ago
I have allergies and would have asked if they cover your epinephrine costs or if you would be eligible for workers compensation.
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u/Ok-Finger-733 15d ago
Bring a lawn chair, set it up and have a leaf blower. When management comes to talk to you use the leaf blower on them.
Then ask when you can return to your regular work duties.
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u/velovader 15d ago
Every time I read a post like this in this sub I think about if they could do that to me at work and remember that my scope of work is clearly defined in my union contract. Organize!
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u/NeurodiversityNinja 15d ago
DO NOT give 2 weeks notice. Those days are gone. Companies will show you the door immediately and you'll be left with 2 weeks no pay.
What's gonna happen if you don't? They won't hire you back at low wages to be an overworked medical coder, add on accounting duties, and be their landscaper too.
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u/Turbulent_Swim_7242 15d ago
Report to outdoor duty.
I suggest that you trip over something, like the roots of a tree or bush(es). Fall down, complain of ankle pain, and go to urgent care, then file a Workers Compensation claim and get sent to the company's doctor.
Bear in mind that the company doctor will not believe your complaints of pain and will probably send you to elevate the ankle and take anti-inflammatory medication like Tylenol, then return to regular duties the following day. You have to tell them you are scheduled to do heavy manual labor outdoors and you need to be taken off work for as long as the outdoor duty lasts.
The company doctor will NOT take an x-ray, will NOT order an MRI, and will NOT order any other imaging studies of the injury. So, you need to go to your private PCP, and ask for imaging to be performed and billed to the workers compensation insurance carrier.
Just the existence of this one claim will stop the employer from ever doing this again.
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u/wildbillar15 15d ago
Sounds like someone in upper management isnât paying a landscaping company in order to cut cost or simply pocket the money.
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u/bendingoutward 15d ago
I mean, the shrubs aren't going to cut themselves into the shapes of dicks.
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u/Frequent-Effective81 15d ago
One of my first jobs was as a receptionist at a small, family owned manufacturing business. After a week or so, the owner, Tony D, told me that I needed to clean the bathroom for our little two-person office. I said No, I wasnât going to do that.. After a year, when I went to schedule a vacation, he said that I had 2-1/2 days. I was flabbergasted. So I told him that, in my interview, he had told me that it was a week (bluffing). He did not remember and gave me the week, which I used to find another job - that turned out to be an entry into a nice career for me.
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u/prettyorganic 15d ago
With this kind of stuff I lean on weaponized incompetence. Like yeah Iâll help with other duties as needed but i live in an apartment. I donât have a yard. I donât know how to do any of this stuff. Youâll have to provide the equipment and walk me through it. If someoneâs truly willing to walk me through it then itâs generally worth my hourly wage to participate in the side task, but I wonât accept it as an untrained/unsupervised duty where performing poorly could reflect badly on me.
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u/raged_norm 15d ago
We also were informed we should bring rakes and other tools to do the work
Remember, you don't own any of these.
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u/justkindahangingout 15d ago
I would intentionally do as shitty of a job as possible. What a fucked up situation.
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u/Dudeus-Maximus 15d ago
âNot just no, but fuck no. And before you volunteer me to bring my own tools for a job we need to talk about my contractor rate, because you canât afford it.â
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u/Kilbane 15d ago
What country is this?
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u/bellaboks 15d ago
This sounds like in could be a nice little slip and trip on the job while landscaping and sue for some extra money in your pocket
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u/HumorRevolutionary72 15d ago
I donât even own a rake or other yard tools, plus I was not made for manual labor. They would be very disappointed in my results.
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u/AgencyandFreeWill 15d ago
Get a doctor's note that says you can't be doing those activities. Stop working so hard to do the things they haven't trained you to do, and look for another job.
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15d ago
I wouldâve busted out laughing and walked out of that meeting telling them you have work to do, the one they pay you for.
Let them fire you then sue them into the ground.
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u/-LuciditySam- 15d ago
They can just buy a few LUBAs if they're so serious about getting lawn work done on the cheap. Long term, it's cheaper than abusing their authority by making you do it and FAR cheaper than them just doing their jobs and hiring a landscaping contractor. Then again, long-term thinking and common sense aren't things many in managerial roles tend to have.
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u/Hefty_Resolution_452 15d ago
Just show up and go into your office and do your regular job. Fuck them.