You Won't Know if You Don't Ask

 Right now I am eating coco puffs, listening to Eddie Izzard "Dressed to Kill" with all the curtains and windows open.  I am on Day Four of working full-time in addition to all.the.other.things that are happening right now. Because: sigh.

My work is having a federal review so everyone is Super Extra ON TASK.  Also: panicking because they need to have their caseloads/work loads in ORDER.  Meanwhile, there's me who's like the janitor: sweeping up behind them, tidying that stack, ordering that thing, and monitoring everything from behind the scenes.

In addition to the review, it's now May and this is the month where advocates remember that the school year is ending and they have to have everything wrapped up.  Cue panicked emails and requests to me.  Every May I get busy at work and then wonder what's happening, then I look at the calendar and go "Ohh..."  

Along those same lines, kinda, I was asked if I wanted to increase my job responsibilities in the Fall.  My reward would be....drumroll, please...an increase in hours. Not what I want at all. Job Partner told them that would probably not be an option for me but would make the offer to me.

Here's the thing: I do have time on my hands two-thirds of the school year, so extra tasks aren't a very big deal.  However, some of it is during start-up when I am at my very, very busiest.  Also, my Need to Help is triggered so I kind of wanted to say yes; yet I'm thankful that my Job Partner said "Probably not but I'll ask."

Also, I'm tired of the whole "But you get more hours as a reward" nonsense.  I don't want more hours and have been so clear about that from my interview.  And yes, I know that I'm the anomaly that isn't motivated by money.

So, I thought about it and a few days later emailed my job partner with this offer:

 With the assumption that additional hours would be the reward and not a wage bump, :) the thing I need is working from home like I have been.   If the working from home thing is not possible, then my answer is Thanks But No, and it’s going to need to be a bigger conversation.  

Now we're in the middle of the review and a further conversation is not possible. I probably won't have an answer until summer and that's okay.

Then about one week later with perfect timing,  I had to complete and submit the "Intent to Return" form for the next school year, the first step of my contract renewal.  Another opportunity to say:

 I request to work from home for the foreseeable future.  My job satisfaction & performance and mental health have greatly improved since WFH began.  I need to sustain that.  I will commit to the job until my retirement (10 years!) and will complete whatever requirements are needed to make it possible.

So, I offered a long-term commitment and implied that I would not necessarily be interested in continuing to work if WFH is not an option.  That's quite a spectrum.  Also, if I need to do a hybrid schedule of being in an office once a week or whatever, that's not the end of the world.  However, I gave up an office to work from home so that would need addressed.  (between the need for confidentiality - legally, and the alphabet brain, I need a private space.  I'm not being all "But I need a corner office!")

Anyway, still no feedback and I saw everyone yesterday. But: federal review.

Also, I'm receiving a COLA wage with the new contract and a bonus when I get my COVID booster so...while I can't say "Give me a raise" with a straight face, I can also more comfortably say "I'm good, thanks."

It occurred to me that I've never been in a position to negotiate my job before.  Then it nearly simultaneously occurred to me that Yes, I Have.  I just wasn't in the headspace that I am in right now.  Right now, I'm in a Make It Worth It to Me mindset versus Thank You for the Job mindset.  I think that just comes with age and experience. (also, my privilege is showing a little bit. Will just tuck that back in, out of sight)

SO THEN, as part of the federal review they want to know systems.  Specifically, beyond policy, how people do their jobs.  This required me to make a "How-to" manual for my job.  As I worked on it, even I was surprised at how much there was included. AND I know I've forgotten some little things AND I didn't include a new monitoring task because it hasn't been solidified yet.

Something I had forgotten was that this was a brand new position within the organization.  No one had it before me, it didn't exist.  The way that this position was designed was BY ME.  I mean, literally they gave me the requirements and a pat on the head and "Figure it out".  Now six years later, there's a thick manual explaining how to do this job.

(this isn't ego stroking, I have a point.)

During my part of the review I had to explain how I gathered information and made a determination.  I explained that I receive medical records, review them and - sometimes using my medical insurance billing knowledge - make determinations as to a child's health status and needs.   

THEN I gave my job manual.  Tah Dah.

So I'm driving home from the review and I have an epiphany.  I just added another layer to my negotiation: I created this WHOLE SYSTEM and I can take this system elsewhere and probably be paid more. Without this Whole System That I Built, this review might not have gone as well as it did for that particular section.   When this next comes up, I can now reference all of that.

Okay, so what's my point, after all of that.  It's back to the Negotiate. You won't know until you ask. Post-pandemic employers are more willing than before to negotiate.  Know your own worth and make sure others know it too.  Have good work boundaries. If the pandemic gave us anything, it's better working negotiations and possibilities.