Nightmare over, but question concerning job & adoption process

HISIRISHGEM · 09-06-2005, 01:09 PM

I never thought the nightmare would end with the last job. two weeks ago I had to pick up my check (because direct deposit STILL didn't get put through even though I'd worked there for months) and good thing I opened the envelope in the car, because it was for a measly $8.11

. Anyways, After not being payed for what I believe I should have been. I at least pulled out my zeroxed copies and told them that I have overtime I needed to be paid. (timesheets were hand written, not swiped timecards, then dispersed without signing a thing...it was terrible!) Well, I was told I would get 20 hours of regular plus time and a half. Get the check FINALLY on saturday and it was for only 10hours. By then I'm LIVID!! Rents due, you name it. So with the holiday I knew I was cooked, so I called them and left a message to let them know I recorded the conversation with the Home Office supervisor saying I would get 20hours of overtime, that I have zeroxed copies of timesheets and also have all my paystubs and if this wasn't taken care of by today that I was taking it to the department of labor and filing a grievance. DID I NOT GET A CALL EXACTLY at 8am THIS MORNING TELLING ME THEY'D OVERNIGHT THE OTHER HALF!!What a nightmare!

Anyways, thats overwith....but I wanted to ask a question. I'm a bit nervous about getting into another situation like this....and this was basically a NATIONAL company that works with INSURANCE companies. Here's my question:

If I take on an office job through a temp agency...knowing that I will be paid through them (and that I'll be a SAHM when EMMA comes home) will the agencies look at that as UNSTABLE being a temp agency? Or should I just get a regular job somewhere else. I just thought that through the temp agency, I could work FT for one company, be paid weekly through the temp agency, and when I needed the time off for holidays like Christmas, instead of fighting for it being new, I could just take them off and go Home to NY to visit family. Anyone have any ideas on this??

Jewels · 09-06-2005, 01:41 PM

Wow what a pain in the arse that was huh? I think what I'd do is contact the temp agency and just be upfront with them that you're adopting and that you really want positions that would be open to that. There's got to be plenty of places that just need somebody for a week or a couple of days. Maybe even to just work on events or whatever.

I don't know how helpful that was? Take care.
Julia

Lisa67 · 09-06-2005, 02:06 PM

I don't think it'll be an issue if you work for a temp agency--I would think that they would see it as a positive thing that you're working and you'll be doing it for almost a year before you even apply to an agency.

So, no, I think any job would be just fine. So sorry you had to put up with all that baloney at work, though!

((((HUGS)))))

HISIRISHGEM · 09-06-2005, 02:55 PM

Thanks ladies!

Lisa, LOL I'm just glad its almost over....I'll just cash the check when it comes tomorrow. If it comes tomorrow.((rolling eyes)) after all thats happened I can imagine it getting lost or something. ((knock on wood))rofl.

I have to say that this has been a really tough couple of years! Can't wait to finally start the transfer to luxery apartments, paperchase process, & for DH to be graduated, then to finally find a HOUSE later on.

I have another question for ya Lisa.....DH was thinking of a few options when he graduates. We're hiring a headhunter at the end of this year because we want him to have a good job when he graduates, by the time we get Emma. DH is planning on finishing his masters degree PT., but has to wait until he's been in the nursing field for 2 years before he can continue on to be a Nursing Anesthetist. (I dream of the day he brings home that paycheck....I'll be inviting you all over for a nice party ....Margaritas by the pool!!

Anyways, DH was thinking about a traveling nurse position. They pay for you to move, they pay for a house, utilities, food, some even a car, plus expenses to move wherever they send you each time. Could be every 6months on the contract. Maybe to Hawaii, CA, TX, all over the nation. Anyways, we thought that would be a great experience to travel while the baby is young and not in school, Doug gets great experience in top knotch hospitals for his up n coming degree, plus we don't pay a cent for living and get to save for a house for 2 years (which was all we were planning on staying so that dh could get experience to get back in school). Now......if we made that decision after we got emma, what would happen??

We're not sure thats what we're going to do because #1 we want whats best for emma, #2 Doug has another opportunity for a scholarship after he graduates, which if he works at an accredited hospital will pay 80% of his tuition.

lol We're looking into what accredited hospitals qualify. It may mean moving back to Upstate NY. Now what happens if after we get Emma we have to move to only Upstate NY. Not all over the place? I'm just trying to get all my ducks in a row here. Is there a manual for all this stuff??lol

Lisa67 · 09-06-2005, 03:34 PM

I sure do wish there was a manual for all of this! Sure would make life much easier!! lol

As for moving after she's home--that's totally up to you. In MA we need to have a few homestudies once she comes home. We did one shortly afterwards (I think it was within the 1st month) then a 6 month & a 12 month. But if you move I would just guess that you would get a new homestudy agency to do it. And if you move to Upstate NY and settle there--that'd be fine too I'm sure.

My only *personal* questioning comes into play with attaching. Not that Emma wouldn't attach to you because you'd be a constant in her life. But it might be confusing to her to be moving around--she'd be used to a new home and then she'd move. Think of her 1st year of life--my Em was born and put in the SWI, then to foster care, then back to the SWI, then to us in China then us at home. That's a lot of change for a little one in just 11 months of life. So...all that being said, personally I'd look into a job where you can be stable so she can feel that she is part of something consistent in her life.

I hope you know what I'm saying. Doug's opportunity does sound great but perhaps looking into the Upstate NY option or another hospital with great benefits might be what I would choose (and then you'd be closer to me and our kiddos could visit! lol

).

HTH!

HISIRISHGEM · 09-06-2005, 04:13 PM

Yeah, thats exactly what I was thinking. My thought was Upstate NY is near family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents. If we could find a hospital even a few hours away from family I'd be fine with that. The scholarship is better for us financially and I honestly doubt that the scholarship would include "traveling nurses" because their not at a stable hospital. And the Stability issue with me was a HUGE issue. To travel with a baby in normal cases would be hard enough, but adoption, let alone international adoption where everything is already unfamiliar kinda wasn't playing right. The pro's for financial stability for 2 years sounded great....but Emma's Life plays a big role in our decisions. lol, kinda funny, we haven't even started the paperchase yet, we don't even know if we'll be referred a GIRL yet (don't really have a name for a boy picked out in stone) and yet, using this name really makes it sound personal and helps us make decisions based around our child as we start the paperchase process.

Thanks again for the info! Your a big help...can't wait till DH gets home from clinicals to discuss this with him. Sounds like he had a very eventful day today....His clinicals this semester are at the VA Hospital in the psychiatric unit in Cleveland. I'm sure there are alot with post traumatic syndrome from the war. God Bless them all. He called home at lunch and said things were extremely interesting......He can't go into it because its confidential information, but I'm sure its hard stuff.

~Traci~ · 09-07-2005, 01:02 PM

I would say not to travel w/ the baby for the same reasons as Lisa said. Right now we're looking for places to move but it won't be for at least 5 years or so right before kindergarten or right after kindergarten (I can't believe I'm already thinking of kindergarten...) Upstate NY sounds like it would be great b/c you'd be around people you know.

The only thing about working temp now is that they're going to want to make sure that after Emma is home and if you'll be a SAHM that you'll have enough money to support the 3 of you w/ just DH working. In your letter you'll state what your plans are so you can say that right now you're working but plan to be a SAHM (spelled out) when you're child comes home. So I think as long as DH will make the minimum for a China adoption ($30,000) you should be fine.

Also, moving before the post-placements would just mean that you'd have to find a new HS agency to complete the post-placement reports if you're not in a state where your agency could perform them. Believe me, the post-placement reports are very important. There's a woman in my DTCNov05 group that did the post-placement reports but her former agency didn't send them in to CCAA and she's moved and can't find one of them. CCAA wasn't going to let her proceed but her new agency has a very good relationship w/ the director so they're going to do the last post-placement report so she can be DTC!

And we requested a girl (of course you never know, they could ignore our request which we'd really be in trouble if that was the case since we'd have to repaint a room and buy all new bedding!) so you could do that if you wanted to. It's rare, but there are some boy referrals and little ones too!

It's very good you're thinking about all of this so early b/c some couples don't and then they have to either wait to adopt or figure out fast how they're going to do everything!

Good Luck!
Traci

Lisa67 · 09-07-2005, 09:41 PM

Oh--one other thing I wanted to add. We were also advised once we returned home to limit traveling to 6-12 months after we returned home. Again, it was because confusion could set in and the little one could be wondering where on earth her next home would be.

Just a thought