employment update (lyn)

Tomorrow is the day I am to start training for my new census job. When I was “hired” on April 14^th, I was told that I would receive a call a couple of days before my training begins with details on the location of the training.   By now, I should have heard from someone.  Since I haven’t, I call the Census Bureau around four to try and get some information on tomorrow’s location. I call the number I’ve been given and get a recording that goes something like this:

“Hi.  You have reached Donald C- at the US Census Bureau.  If you have been selected to begin training on April 24^th, please be assured that your supervisor will call you by April 22^nd to tell you where to report.  If you have not heard from your supervisor by April 23^rd, please leave your name and contact information at the sound of the beep.”  BEEP.  “I’m sorry, this mailbox is full.”

So I call another number and reach Jack.  I tell Jack my story.  He is unsympathetic.  But he does assure me that someone will call me tonight with my location information.  I suggest that at the very least Donald C. should change his outgoing message to say, “This mailbox will not take messages.  If you are scheduled for training on April 24^th, your supervisor will call you this evening with the details of where to report.”  That’s when Jack tells me that even though he and Donald C. work in the same office, he (Jack) only makes $14/hr. and is just there to answer phones.  He says of my suggestion, “It’s a good one.  Maybe we’ll use it next year.”