From Timeout to Takeoff

^{Photo was taken from Unsplash}

It was the healthiest working environment until it's not.

"Ma'am, you don't have any shift on schedule for the entire week," he answered and hung up immediately as I said my thanks. I've been hearing these words multiple times for the past few months. It's not happening consecutively but, every other week, my schedule has plotted Vacation-Leaves on it. Now, it's without pay anymore since I've already used all my credits to make up for those days that the management gave me a timeout from work.

It's not requested and I can't appeal for it. However, it's not only me who is in this situation. A lot has been, a lot has stepped down already. Performance of the employees aren't the concern but the ability of the management to maintain relationships with the clients and take care of their employees. It's something that we understand but it's injustice on our part.

"How many VLs do you have this week?" A colleague asked me when I was seen checking my schedule on the company computer. After a week from vacation, I reported on the first day of work just to see that I still have VLs on my schedule. "Nice! I only have 3 days of VLs this week," I answered with a wide smile. At least, I still have some days left to be able to work. My colleague gave a thumbs up and smiled, then faced her computer to answer a call.

A moment later, my smile faded and was replaced with disappointment as my supervisor tapped my shoulders, then broke the devastating news to me. "You have been listed on timeout tonight. You need to logout and go home. I'm sorry," she said sadly. Even if the supervisors are against the situation, they can't do anything about it since it's an order from the workforce to lessen the expenses for the company.

Though I was reluctant to leave, I couldn't complain. I needed a job since this is the only way I can go on with my studies and support my family at the same time. I don't want to resign as much as possible. I'll bear it as long as I can. A source of income is the only thing that's keeping me here.

To save money for spending on a fare going to the office for nothing again, I called the company hotline for my updated schedule. There, I hear the words once again. It has been plotted with Vacation-Leaves for the entire week now. I can only stare helplessly in the air and couldn't utter a word until the staff hung up on me.

The next day, I showed up on the office again but this time, I'm not heading to the production floor. Instead, I knocked on the door of HR office and handed my resignation letter. It's effective immediately. Without any backup plans and emergency savings, I threw caution to the wind by quitting my job to stop the headaches that it's giving me everyday.

And, as the saying goes, "If a door closes, another opens." Hell yeah, it's damn true! I was accepted on other company after submitting my application a few days after that. It's an entry-level office job with a pay lesser than I got before but at least, it's not giving people a sudden vacation that they didn't asked for.