ren hoek
Footballguy
update: https://forums.footballguys.com/forum/topic/750444-i-think-im-about-to-get-fired/?do=findComment&comment=19684455
A little bit of backstory. Maybe a lot bit of backstory. I started up as a tech at an optometric eyecare center back around November of 2014. It's a huge corporate retail chain and I run the contact lens department and oversee a lot of the patientcare / doctor's side of the office (as opposed to the retail side). When I took over the contact lens stuff about a year ago they were still handwriting patient orders (the Rx, reference #, supply quantity, trials, date, initials, etc.) and doing everything over the phone with the vendor. Since then I've made everything digital using the vendor's online clients and they've had me training other stores in our market on the new system. Basically I registered our accounts online for a website and pushed buttons. Not a big deal or nothing, just these people aren't computer wizards and want to give you some background.
I came in to work today after having been off about 10 days and one of the techs told me that they want me to train her on how to setup the ordering system for other offices. Then the GM asked me to take a phone call in her office. Turns out it was Loss Prevention. He goes on a 4-5 minute spiel basically explaining what loss prevention is and how he's on some sort of investigation and then mentions a patient's name that I rang up for glasses a couple weeks ago. She was an old manager from when I worked at Grainger like 10 years ago. She'd lost her glasses on vacation so naturally I wanted to help her out and get her a reasonably good deal. We usually have like a 50% discount from time to time, but the manager wasn't cool about it so we just did a 40% discount with an online promotion. Apparently the problem was that I somehow managed to ring up the frame with only one lens on the work order, but she was still billed the proper amount as if she paid for two. The impression they seem to be getting is that I was trying to hook her up with some free #### or something, but she paid $269.73 for a pair of readers like she would have had I billed it right in the first place, so I don't really follow the so-called loss this guy is preventing.
The second part he brought up was that I had used our patient medical record client's chat program to send messages to other employees. He mentioned something about how this can violate HIPPA somehow. The Crystal program that we use was recently updated to integrate a chat/email client. Basically my friend was coming in to work the next day when I was off and so I left a message on there asking him if he'd checked out The Killing yet and what he thought. Maybe a little unprofessional but I thought it was fairly innocuous. Certainly not termination worthy or whatever. In any case I wrote up an explanation for both events, signed, dated and faxed it to him.
I'd interviewed a couple months ago at an ophthalmic clinic about a tech position there that would have paid more, worked closer to home and kept normal hours. The Sunday before that interview I'd talked to the director of operations for our doctors in passing about how I was looking for something with a little higher ceiling. He'd mentioned how they always are supportive and understanding of people that are looking to move upward in their career. When I told the interviewer that it was completely above board to hire me (they depend on referrals from my employer, along with other optometry places), I honestly thought everything was cool. The interview went real well but apparently she hadn't been given permission by the administrator to hire another tech and that was the end of it. Apparently the administrator is a former GM from the company I'm with now, and word got back to my GM that I'd been looking for other work. Great. She asked the doctor about it and he admitted that he'd written a letter of recommendation for me.
I sat down and talked to her about whether I need to start looking for other work and that's when she mentioned she knew I'd applied elsewhere, but assured me that she didn't take it personally. The picture she painted is that whatever punishment is decided on is a matter between the Territory Director and the LP guy and she honestly hadn't heard anything. I don't really trust her. It certainly wouldn't be the first time a GM has lied to my face (it'd be the third). She did mention that if I do find something else, that I please give her two weeks notice, which I took as a tell that maybe it's not over for me. For what it's worth, I think it'll end up being a write-up if anything, but I'm trying to brace myself for the worst.
It's been an ongoing saga at this place and it seems pretty obvious that someone with pull wants to get rid of me. I love optometry and think it's an awesome line of work. Like our patients, doctors, the staff. My goal ultimately is to get my optical license and sell glasses and contacts on the internet. Or faliing that, at least work for myself in some capacity. I'm registered for the ABO and NCLE exams in November and I can get my license if I pass those, spend two years as an apprentice and then pass a state-administered practical exam.
I feel pretty depressed about everything and don't know what to do. It seems like I've hit a brick wall and these neurotic people are the gatekeepers to a better life. Any pro tips from the FBG millionaires? Words of wisdom from the big guys? Advice for an idiot that burned every bridge he ever crossed? Thanks
A little bit of backstory. Maybe a lot bit of backstory. I started up as a tech at an optometric eyecare center back around November of 2014. It's a huge corporate retail chain and I run the contact lens department and oversee a lot of the patientcare / doctor's side of the office (as opposed to the retail side). When I took over the contact lens stuff about a year ago they were still handwriting patient orders (the Rx, reference #, supply quantity, trials, date, initials, etc.) and doing everything over the phone with the vendor. Since then I've made everything digital using the vendor's online clients and they've had me training other stores in our market on the new system. Basically I registered our accounts online for a website and pushed buttons. Not a big deal or nothing, just these people aren't computer wizards and want to give you some background.
I came in to work today after having been off about 10 days and one of the techs told me that they want me to train her on how to setup the ordering system for other offices. Then the GM asked me to take a phone call in her office. Turns out it was Loss Prevention. He goes on a 4-5 minute spiel basically explaining what loss prevention is and how he's on some sort of investigation and then mentions a patient's name that I rang up for glasses a couple weeks ago. She was an old manager from when I worked at Grainger like 10 years ago. She'd lost her glasses on vacation so naturally I wanted to help her out and get her a reasonably good deal. We usually have like a 50% discount from time to time, but the manager wasn't cool about it so we just did a 40% discount with an online promotion. Apparently the problem was that I somehow managed to ring up the frame with only one lens on the work order, but she was still billed the proper amount as if she paid for two. The impression they seem to be getting is that I was trying to hook her up with some free #### or something, but she paid $269.73 for a pair of readers like she would have had I billed it right in the first place, so I don't really follow the so-called loss this guy is preventing.
The second part he brought up was that I had used our patient medical record client's chat program to send messages to other employees. He mentioned something about how this can violate HIPPA somehow. The Crystal program that we use was recently updated to integrate a chat/email client. Basically my friend was coming in to work the next day when I was off and so I left a message on there asking him if he'd checked out The Killing yet and what he thought. Maybe a little unprofessional but I thought it was fairly innocuous. Certainly not termination worthy or whatever. In any case I wrote up an explanation for both events, signed, dated and faxed it to him.
I'd interviewed a couple months ago at an ophthalmic clinic about a tech position there that would have paid more, worked closer to home and kept normal hours. The Sunday before that interview I'd talked to the director of operations for our doctors in passing about how I was looking for something with a little higher ceiling. He'd mentioned how they always are supportive and understanding of people that are looking to move upward in their career. When I told the interviewer that it was completely above board to hire me (they depend on referrals from my employer, along with other optometry places), I honestly thought everything was cool. The interview went real well but apparently she hadn't been given permission by the administrator to hire another tech and that was the end of it. Apparently the administrator is a former GM from the company I'm with now, and word got back to my GM that I'd been looking for other work. Great. She asked the doctor about it and he admitted that he'd written a letter of recommendation for me.
I sat down and talked to her about whether I need to start looking for other work and that's when she mentioned she knew I'd applied elsewhere, but assured me that she didn't take it personally. The picture she painted is that whatever punishment is decided on is a matter between the Territory Director and the LP guy and she honestly hadn't heard anything. I don't really trust her. It certainly wouldn't be the first time a GM has lied to my face (it'd be the third). She did mention that if I do find something else, that I please give her two weeks notice, which I took as a tell that maybe it's not over for me. For what it's worth, I think it'll end up being a write-up if anything, but I'm trying to brace myself for the worst.
It's been an ongoing saga at this place and it seems pretty obvious that someone with pull wants to get rid of me. I love optometry and think it's an awesome line of work. Like our patients, doctors, the staff. My goal ultimately is to get my optical license and sell glasses and contacts on the internet. Or faliing that, at least work for myself in some capacity. I'm registered for the ABO and NCLE exams in November and I can get my license if I pass those, spend two years as an apprentice and then pass a state-administered practical exam.
I feel pretty depressed about everything and don't know what to do. It seems like I've hit a brick wall and these neurotic people are the gatekeepers to a better life. Any pro tips from the FBG millionaires? Words of wisdom from the big guys? Advice for an idiot that burned every bridge he ever crossed? Thanks
Last edited by a moderator:
