I'm Suspended.... Or am I?

[emtCourt31]

Ok some of you have read my thread called "Would you work for this company?" Well........ I've seriously about had it with this company.

So heres the new story.

On Sunday I was working a 24 CCT shift (8am-8am). My partner and I get there at 8am, and our unit 205 was not back from running BLS calls yet. So we waited around for 2 hours and then our dispatcher told us to go check out rig 401 for the other CCT shift thats coming on at 11am. So we did that, we loaded it up, checked all the equipment, oil, transmission fluid, etc. We come back in and wait for a little longer. Our rig 205 comes back and some how the keys never got transfered to our unit. Normally when you come in we hand our keys, radio, and gas card to the dispatcher and she logs it. Then we check them out. Some how the keys went missing (went home in someone pocket.) Anyways our unit didnt have a single call until 10pm. When 10 came around we put our stuff into another rig and left for our call. The next morning our managers and the owner were furious. They blamed us for the keys going missing and said that we failed to properly check out our rig. Mind you we couldnt check our rig properly because we didnt have keys.

Our managers placed us on suspension, however my partner and I never signed a paper stating our rights and that we are aware we recieved the suspension. If I'm correct we were supposed to sign a piece of paper. This all happened on monday and today they finally called me to come in tomorrow and "Talk." I've heard that since I didn't sign anything that I should be paid for the time I havent worked, and that I'm technically not suspended. I'm unsure with this whole process, I've never been fired or suspended before.

*Side note* a unit yesterday got to a call and realized they didnt have a gurney. No suspension for them......

I feel like I've been totally mistreated in this situation. It's not my partner and I's fault the keys went missing. The owners daughter was the dispatcher so you know I'm stuck between a rock and a hard spot.

I honestly feel like quiting. They gave me a rig last week that had screws in its tires, in my mind thats not ok.

Feedback Please!

 

[harkj]

It all depends on the company. The company I work for we get an interaction, which is were they "talk" to us about what happened. Then we get written up, it takes 3 writes for the same thing to get suspended. We have the option of signing our write ups and suspensions but you dont have to either way it still goes into your personnel file . Now I personally do not think you guys were treated fairly, but why sweat it. The company doesn't seem to be very nice to work for anyways.

 

[looker]

Considering CA is at will state, they don't have to have you signed anything. Also, you really do need to find a new company to work for ASAP. How in the world are they staying in business with so little calls?

 

[DrParasite]

the signing of the paperwork is that you are aware of your rights. you don't need to sign the paperwork to be suspended: otherwise, no one would ever sign them, and discipline would be impossible.

sounds like a :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty company. I have taken keys home with me, it isn't something to lose sleep over, as long as they are returned. it's also why both crew members have their own sets. also, if the keys aren't turned over (like you said, keys fuel card, etc), and you don't tell a supervisor, it is your fault. not suspension worthy, but it is your job to both check the rig and make sure you received all the proper equipment..

also think of it this way: if you aren't suspended, then for the shifts that you didn't work, you have a string of no call/no show absences. that's grounds for termination in many places.

remember, until you have a new job all lined up, i wouldn't quit your current job.

 

[MusicMedic]

Ok some of you have read my thread called "Would you work for this company?" Well........ I've seriously about had it with this company.

So heres the new story.

On Sunday I was working a 24 CCT shift (8am-8am). My partner and I get there at 8am, and our unit 205 was not back from running BLS calls yet. So we waited around for 2 hours and then our dispatcher told us to go check out rig 401 for the other CCT shift thats coming on at 11am. So we did that, we loaded it up, checked all the equipment, oil, transmission fluid, etc. We come back in and wait for a little longer. Our rig 205 comes back and some how the keys never got transfered to our unit. Normally when you come in we hand our keys, radio, and gas card to the dispatcher and she logs it. Then we check them out. Some how the keys went missing (went home in someone pocket.) Anyways our unit didnt have a single call until 10pm. When 10 came around we put our stuff into another rig and left for our call. The next morning our managers and the owner were furious. They blamed us for the keys going missing and said that we failed to properly check out our rig. Mind you we couldnt check our rig properly because we didnt have keys.

Our managers placed us on suspension, however my partner and I never signed a paper stating our rights and that we are aware we recieved the suspension. If I'm correct we were supposed to sign a piece of paper. This all happened on monday and today they finally called me to come in tomorrow and "Talk." I've heard that since I didn't sign anything that I should be paid for the time I havent worked, and that I'm technically not suspended. I'm unsure with this whole process, I've never been fired or suspended before.

*Side note* a unit yesterday got to a call and realized they didnt have a gurney. No suspension for them......

I feel like I've been totally mistreated in this situation. It's not my partner and I's fault the keys went missing. The owners daughter was the dispatcher so you know I'm stuck between a rock and a hard spot.

I honestly feel like quiting. They gave me a rig last week that had screws in its tires, in my mind thats not ok.

Feedback Please!

Well IMO, that is a rough situation... how long have you been placed on suspension?

In Hindsight i would have written in a report that the keys were missing at the end of your shift

Im not sure how the rules go regarding the suspension maybe JPNIV can fill you in on that

About the rigs, thats extremely dangerous and i realize that this is not your first time telling us about them, i would call CHP(California Highway Patrol) or the County Office and tell them about the unsafe operation of the vehicles and request an Inspection... (you can do it totally anonymously)
from what i hear CHP is rigorous and strict about their inspections

another thing if you want to get the company in trouble for is if they are Operating the units with in LA County or LA City and the Units dont have a Sticker or proof of operation for that county (LA City DOT is strict about this)

P.S Who Goes on a call WITHOUT A GURNEY??? might as forget the oxygen and your brain as well

Id say Start looking for a New Job, and get away as fast as you can

 

[looker]

Getting caught in city of la without a sticker is actually no big deal unless you get caught many times. If you get caught first time, you just pay a fine and that is it. You can drop off patients in city of la without having a sticker, you just can't just pick them up.

I would love to know how a vehicle went out with out a Gurney?

 

[MusicMedic]

Getting caught in city of la without a sticker is actually no big deal unless you get caught many times. If you get caught first time, you just pay a fine and that is it. You can drop off patients in city of la without having a sticker, you just can't just pick them up.

I would love to know how a vehicle went out with out a Gurney?

yeah i heard its a fine for the company, also i heard if the driver dosnt have their DOT permit the company can get a fine to for picking up in LA City

i bring this up because the company she works for operates in LA County and i believe LA City

 

[CAOX3]

Sounds like you need a union .

 

[FLEMTP]

oh.. yeah.. thats EXACTLY what they need... an organization backed by the liberal left with a thug mentality that comes in, takes the employees money, demands more out of a company in the way of wages and benefits, demands all kinds of changes, and "improvements" which is really designed to end up padding the union's pockets, until this particular small business owner can no longer afford the cost of doing business and shuts down... yeah.. thats PERFECT for the situation...

 

[looker]

yeah i heard its a fine for the company, also i heard if the driver dosnt have their DOT permit the company can get a fine to for picking up in LA City

i bring this up because the company she works for operates in LA County and i believe LA City

If you have unpermitted driver, attendant and vehicle, company will get fined for all 3 violation.

 

[JPINFV]

Getting caught in city of la without a sticker is actually no big deal unless you get caught many times. If you get caught first time, you just pay a fine and that is it. You can drop off patients in city of la without having a sticker, you just can't just pick them up.

Yep, you can drop patients off as well as pick up the same patient within 24 hours without a LA county endorsement (technically, and county EMT-B cert is good state wide, however there are ways the county gets around that) or the LA city permit.

Im not sure how the rules go regarding the suspension maybe JPNIV can fill you in on that

Sorry... this is one situation I know nothing about. I've come close, but I've never been suspended. I have taken keys or pagers home plenty of times and depending on the situation, I've either had to go return them the same night or just bring them in the next time I worked (normally next day in that case). Misplaced keys is something that the company should have planned ahead and be prepared to deal with appropriately. No one should take keys home with them and 99.99% of the time it's an honest simply mistake, but it's a mistake that will happen at everyplace.

 

[CAOX3]

oh.. yeah.. thats EXACTLY what they need... an organization backed by the liberal left with a thug mentality that comes in, takes the employees money, demands more out of a company in the way of wages and benefits, demands all kinds of changes, and "improvements" which is really designed to end up padding the union's pockets, until this particular small business owner can no longer afford the cost of doing business and shuts down... yeah.. thats PERFECT for the situation...

Small business owner I have an Idea you worry about him.

Im worried about the person who just lost a days pay through no fault of her own, is put in unsafe working situations and subject to unfair disciplinary action.

But that wouldnt concern you now would it, she can just go get another job right?

 

[Aidey]

People accidentally take keys home with them on a semi-regular basis. The supervisors have the spare keys for every rig, so at the very least it can be unlocked and driven. The issue is when the paramedic takes the keys home because that key ring has the only key to the drug box in that ambulance.

We've had several crews forget gurneys too, I think always at the hospital after dropping a patient.

 

[Chimpie]

We've had several crews forget gurneys too, I think always at the hospital after dropping a patient.

But don't you take the gurney back out to the rig after dropping off the patient? :unsure:

 

[EMSLaw]

But don't you take the gurney back out to the rig after dropping off the patient? :unsure:

That way generally works better than dumping the patient on the curb and putting the cot back in the ambulance before dropping off the patient.

 

[looker]

Small business owner I have an Idea you worry about him.

Im worried about the person who just lost a days pay through no fault of her own, is put in unsafe working situations and subject to unfair disciplinary action.

But that wouldnt concern you now would it, she can just go get another job right?

Here is little problem, in state of California you can fire all of those people that are in the union and hire new ones. Unemployment is high here, those that want to work as emt is also high so if you become part of union, you just get fired and good luck finding a new job.

 

[reidnez]

That sounds like a blatantly awful company that really shouldn't be in business. Unfortunately, you have to consider yourself lucky for having a job right now. Don't quit until you have something else lined up, and try to keep a good relationship with your current company, so that you at least have the option of using them as a reference later--whether you decide to or not.

Seriously, how does a truck go out without a gurney? Did they even open the back door and peek around, before they hopped in the cab?

 

[VentMedic]

That sounds like a blatantly awful company that really shouldn't be in business.

How do you justify your statement based on the very little information provided by the OP? Because they are holding their employees accountable for their actions? It was not clarified by the OP if the missing keys were immediately reported. As mentioned, another set of keys could have been obtained from a supervisor and those that may have taken the keys could have been notified.

The OP will also get to state his/her side when the "talk" is given. Not seeing their handbook, which I hope the OP has read by now very thoroughly, it is difficult to make any statement for the length of their proceedings or which offenses carry the most weight. Obviously those that don't get reported immediately by the person knowing about an incident will be reviewed more severely than those where the mistakes are noticed and corrective action is taken.

I would consider a company to be blatantly awful if they did not hold their employees accountable for their actions.

As far as a missing gurney, our ED usually ends up with a collection of them each day when two lazy partners each assume the other one will do all the work.

 

[MusicMedic]

Yep, you can drop patients off as well as pick up the same patient within 24 hours without a LA county endorsement (technically, and county EMT-B cert is good state wide, however there are ways the county gets around that) or the LA city permit.


Sorry... this is one situation I know nothing about. I've come close, but I've never been suspended. I have taken keys or pagers home plenty of times and depending on the situation, I've either had to go return them the same night or just bring them in the next time I worked (normally next day in that case). Misplaced keys is something that the company should have planned ahead and be prepared to deal with appropriately. No one should take keys home with them and 99.99% of the time it's an honest simply mistake, but it's a mistake that will happen at everyplace.

Oh, i just assumed haha sorry because you tend to have alot of answers to my questions ))) no offense i didnt mean to say you were the type to get suspended, just the type that usually has answers

i agree with what u said about the keys, it will happen, and luckily our company gives us two keys, one for each partner and im sure we have spare back up keys in the office


and Vent, its not that fact that they held them accountable, its more a combination of everything, the OP posted another thread before this explaining about her problems with this company and their rigs as well as the paydays (checks bouncing, Missing Days)
and IMHO a company that lets their Units operate with nail in their tire isnt the best company...

Ive also been to this companies headquarters for an interview before and it really did seem shady

Unfortunately Ambo companies are dime a dozen here in Southern California

 

[JPINFV]

Oh, i just assumed haha sorry because you tend to have alot of answers to my questions ))) no offense i didnt mean to say you were the type to get suspended, just the type that usually has answers

No worries... I'm the weird type that will generally know the random things like that anyways.