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My Story

35. Eggs for Sale

by 동쪽구름 2021. 1. 27.

District manager Bill was an interesting man. He had a small week-end farm. Once a month, he brought eggs from his farm to the office and sold them to the employees. Once his eggs arrived, Daly, mailroom employee, would ring the bell on PA system and let the employee know.

 

He got together with the employees, bought stacks of lotto scratchers, and scratched them off in the conference room. He used to sell old office furniture and extra office supplies to the employees. These were possible in 30 some years ago. 

 

There was an employee bulletin board on the wall of the lunch room. First few years, there were deficits in the state budget and no new hire was permitted. Once the budget crisis was over, they began to post exam announcements for new hires and promotions. 

 

Shortly after the hire, I was promoted to the key data operator. To be the Workers' Compensation Insurance Representative (WCIR), entry level professional classification, college degree was necessary. Those who did not finish 4 years or only completed 2 years community college could be the technician, which was s stepping stone to become the representative classification.

 

I passed the Worker’s Compensation Insurance Technician (WCIT) exam and they even promised me the promotion. Few days after the promise, claims manager called me into his office. He said an employee from Ventura office was coming to take the job. She had the priority transfer right and the human resources made a mistake. I told him the verbal promise was still the valid contract and appealed it. My challenge was not accepted. 

 

There were two types of promotional exams, one for the specific department and another good for any state agencies. I took every exam I was qualified for. I passed office technician exam and got a call from Housing Authority near Los Angeles airport. It was far from home. But it was a promotional opportunity and I was upset with the office management regarding the previous incident. I thought my relationship with State Fund was over. The fate is not something any of us could change easily.

 

Once I got the promotion with Housing Authority, my name should have been removed from the list. No one removed it. Two month later, I got a call from State Fund Los Angeles office. Commute was shorter and I liked the office. The supervisor offered me the position on the spot. The 2-story office building was built in 1950’s and there was no handicapped bathroom. She told me they would fix one in the first floor. 

 

Two weeks later, I reported to the office. They were still fixing the bathroom. The supervisor told me it was okay for me to go home and come back next day. I told her I was there already and might as well start my day. In the morning, I went to the bathroom on the 2nd floor with a large disposable cup. After lunch, they finished the remodeling of the bathroom. Finally, the building now had the unisex handicapped bathroom. 

 

Homeless was there already then. Across the office were the library and park, and number of homeless were there. They were selling drugs at the day light there. I was given handicapped parking in the building lot. The rest of employees had to use the parking lot, a block from the office. Armed security guard escorted female employees to the parking lot.

 

I used the magnetic typewriter for the first time. I could save typed document in magnetic cards. I could bring the document back, make the corrections, and reprint it. It was pre word processor. 

 

I learned there were Secretary’s Day and Boss Day. One day, office manager took me and another employee to an expensive restaurant and bought us lunch. On Secretary’s Day, manager and other professional workers bought clerical workers presents. On Boss Day, employees got together and bought presents for their bosses. Secretary’s Day, last Wednesday of April, later became Administrative Professionals Day. Boss Day is October 16th. Government offices and large companies celebrate Employee Appreciation Day during the last week of April and have office luncheon or picnics. 

 

After I spent two years in Los Angeles office, I got a call from Woodland Hills office. They had WCIT opening. Without the job interview, they offered me the position. That’s how my bad karma with that office continued. 

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