“Many of us have to work overtime 32-40 hours over our regular hours per week. The work we do is very demanding and stressful, along with being physical at times. The hours we work don’t provide for a safe or therapeutic environment for the people we serve either. I am exhausted every day and it affects my well-being physically and emotionally, not to mention adding strain to my marriage and my body. I’m not the kind of person to shy away or walk away from my responsibilities and realize that, at times, my job should require overtime. However, that amount should not be detrimental to me, my health, my family or the individuals we serve. You have to take care of your employees in order for them to properly care for the people we serve. We are human beings. No person deserves to be used and abused as much as the workers here at Valley Ridge have been. It is debilitating to the services we provide to our individuals and to the people who provide that care, along with their families.” — Joanne Crossman, Developmental Disabilities Secure Care Treatment Aide “Employees and families have been dealing with overtime for years. When half the staff on schedule are working overtime, this should show something is wrong, and to think people volunteer excessively by choice is a joke. Overtime should be the exception, not the norm. If the families of the individuals became aware of the condition of the staff caring for their loved ones, they would be outraged. How are the individuals being provided proper care when the staff can barely stay awake to care for them? This is an accident waiting to happen. Being forced to work a 16-hour shift does no good to someone’s physical and mental health, as well as causing strain on their home life. No one should be forced to work these kind of hours just to keep their jobs.” — Sharon Valentine, girlfriend of Developmental Disabilities Secure Care Treatment Aide Christopher Snow March 2017 The Work Force 5
Work_Force_March_2017
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