Con #1: $15/hr compensation is poverty level earnings. It is truly insulting to pay Recovery Advocates, who put their heart and soul into this job and are on the frontlines providing client services, solving complex problems, and managing high stress on a day to day basis, the same pay you could make at a sandwich shop. Upper management needs to find a way to compensate employees appropriately portioned to the kind of job this is. It would make a huge difference in burn-out. There are RA's who work 1-2 other jobs on top of being full-time at Wayside, and management can't figure out why overnight staff struggles to stay awake and day stuff struggle to show up on time. It's because some staff are working 90 hour weeks including their other jobs to feed themselves! It would also attract employees who are more prone to show up for their shifts, show initiative, and provide the level of service that clients deserve. The "we don't do it for the money" narrative is silly. I certainly do work to make a living and there is nothing wrong with that- in fact, that's the whole point of being employed.
Con #2: Holding the med key on your shift is awful. First of all, you have twice the responsibility, twice the stress and documentation required and yet you don't get paid anything extra during med key shifts. It does not make sense. You also cannot leave the site while holding the med key. So while your co-workers run to Wendy's on break, or grab a Starbucks for lunch, you are chained to the office and receiving no extra compensation.
Con #3: RA Supervisors were not trauma informed. They made up rules as they went. They gossiped about other clients and staff, often using derogatory statements towards clients behind their backs.
Con #4: Getting your shift covered is a nightmare. If you want to use PTO, you must first find someone to cover your shift, which often involves trading shifts with them. Meaning you're not actually even using PTO or getting time off, you're just switching around schedules. This job is stressful. It's taxing on the mind and self-care, family balance is important. Not being able to utilize earned PTO to take care of personal matters is ridiculous. Oh, and if the person who agreed to take your shift backs out at the last minute, you are still responsible for the shift. Supervisors provide no support in getting shifts covered. It should be their responsibility, not the RA's.
