Bastards!

So I did put my foot down yesterday and said that I needed to know what was happening in January. he promised to give me an absolute answer today.

Today was really really busy, as we have a lot of cases desperately trying to complete in time for Xmas. At 4pm today he called me into the office and said there would not be a job for me in january.

Bastards!

I asked why, and he mumbled something about the way they are organisng the department next year, which could mean:-

1. They hate me (I hope not, but who knows and there's nothing i can do about it)
2. They think I'm rubbish at my job (I think i've down rather well condering i had no experience and even less training from them! in fact i was just thinking this morning how much more I know now than when I started)
3. Considering the locum is leaving at Xmas, the main conveyancing solicitor has been off sick for much of the year and the legal exec trained in conveyancing is pregnant, they could be closing down their conveyancing department (I doubt it - it's very busy, and we're still opening new files)
4. They actually are re-organising the department to reduce the use of secretaries all together

Now, personally, I don't see any need for legal secretaries in this day and age - not for the general run of the mill stuff anyway. The new case management system goes live in January which will automatically print out standard letters and progress the case along at a reasonable speed and TBH, typing just isn't that difficult a skill to learn really. I'm sure the lawyers could do it if they tried:-) And it would make little time difference in most cases. I certainly never had a secretary when I was a manager - not even when running a whole department. Aggie has to type all his own letters etc too. It's the modern way. But it doesn't make me feel much better:-(

I did point out that he had absolutely guranteed that he would have an answer for me by the end of Nov as I have to give a months notice to the nursery, and therefore would he confirm my leving date as i had asked for a months warning. he will get back to me tomorrow! Huh!

TBH, I'm not that upset about leaving - I liked it & I would have happily stayed, but the hours were awkward, and the pay left me worse off than not working, so I'm not upset that it'll be ending. I am really really pissed off about the way they've treated me though. I think if I hadn't stated that I HAD to know today, they wouldn't have bothered telling me till Xmas! I still haven't had an offer letter for the time I've been there, or a contract, terms & conditions, induction etc. and they definitely implied that the job was permenant, even if the details were not yet agreed.

Ah well, time to start organising my life yet again, with all new goalposts!