Towing of car was unfair
How would you like to go to work, park your car, put in eight hours and get ready to go home, only to find that your car had been towed away at the employer's request? Well, that's exactly what happened to me Thursday.
I work at Nathan Littauer Hospital. Yes, they have a parking policy in effect for their employees, although this policy is randomly enforced at best. Daily, you will find a multitude of employees who have parked "illegally." Their policy states employees will be warned two times and towed on the third offense. I was never spoken to regarding a parking violation. Not once did a member of the security department come to me and ask me to move my vehicle. My only contact was via a supposed notice on my car. I spent eight hours caring for sick patients (perhaps you or a family member), and at the end of the day, I received a note telling me my car had been towed.
I had to call a family member, who lives in Mayfield, for help. They had to drop what they were doing, drive 10 miles to get to the hospital (at today's gas prices) and then take me to Johnstown (another 7.5 miles). I was charged $75.60 to retrieve my vehicle. Who's next? Will it be one of the many employees making slightly more than minimum wage, with hungry little mouths at home to feed, living from paycheck to paycheck? This could spell financial disaster for them. I should consider myself lucky that they waited until payday so I would have money to pay for this unexpected financial burden.
I would like to remind everyone that the parking lot at Nathan Littauer is for the public. Perhaps you should check with the security staff upon entering the hospital to ensure that your car will be there when you get ready to leave. This facility prides itself on its care and concern for the community, but it obviously doesn't have that same concern for their employees. I revel in the knowledge that my 29 years of loyal service hasn't gone unrecognized or unrewarded. Oh yes, Nathan Littauer is a great place to work with many hidden and unexpected fringe benefits.
JOYCE MORGAN, RN
Mayfield
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stretch
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06-29-08 11:43 AM
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I work at NLH and I make every attempt to park in my designated lot. nine times out of ten, when I arrive to work, the lot is full. It is an employee lot, but it is full of visitor/patient cars. I am then forced to park where I am "not supposed to". I have brought it to the attention of Security several times with no results. I understand Joyce`s side !
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JUSTME2008
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06-27-08 11:36 AM
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I know they have a current parking policy. Sounds like they need a new one, one that is fair to all employees.I was feeling the same way as you, if you look at my earlier posts. Once I read other employees comments they kind of detered my thoughts to see that there is a problem.
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Indianajones
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06-27-08 11:30 AM
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JUSTME2008---It seems that the Hospital has one. Employees should be familiar with it, understand it and know the consequences! If you live by "rules are made to be broken", be prepared for the inevitable, it could be expensive!!
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JUSTME2008
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06-27-08 10:45 AM
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After reading other employees comments appears to be a big parking problem for staff (more than we knew). NLH needs to implement a policy that will benefit "all" employees.
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Stardust
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06-27-08 10:28 AM
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Take the bus ...... or a bike
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Guinta
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06-27-08 7:12 AM
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Snowgrinch, my personal favorite was the letter from the boy who didn't like his school lunch. That generated over a hundred replies. Hysterical!
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Nortin35
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06-27-08 6:38 AM
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Sighing. NO it's not to far to walk, but count the parking spot, by the time the later morning shift comes in there full, and because there are no signs saying vistor and employee, alot of times visitors park in our spots in the other available employee parking. I say what we do is when no spots are left for us is hand our keys to security and ask them to go find a spot.
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teebzz
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06-27-08 1:00 AM
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i seriously cant believe all the comments this letter got. lol she probably wont even see one.
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ohmygod
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06-27-08 12:17 AM
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29 years of "loyal" service to NLH? You don't sound all that loyal. You should be at the very top of your pay schedule and you need to wait for payday to find less than $80 to get your car out of hock? I guess you manage your finances about as well as you manage your parking. You knowingly thumbed your nose at the parking rules and you lost. Get over it and move on.
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Ernie9
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06-26-08 11:33 PM
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Nowhere is your letter did you indicate why you felt it was necessary to park illegally. Perhaps if you had parked in the proper place your car would still have been there when you returned. Please don't use the "but everyone does it line", it is such an adolescent excuse. You do something improper and then place the blame elsewhere. How typical these days. No one takes responsibility for their own actions. Wha wha wha...woe is me.
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sighing
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06-26-08 10:44 PM
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Isn't there a parking area on the left (as you pass Mountain View). Why can't the daytime employees park there? So, you have to walk a bit, it's better than getting a parking ticket! Please don't say it is too far of a walk! Work at Ellis or Albany Med and see how far you need to walk to get to the hospital, then an even more of a hike to get to your floor! You guys at NL have it too easy.
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slider
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06-26-08 9:05 PM
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Thanks Nortin. There are always two sides to a story and it is good to get both. All too much we tend to jump to conclusions (yes me being one of them) without all the facts. Sounds like it is a crappy situation all around. Doctors are gods so they can park anywhere, arent they ? :)
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Nortin35
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06-26-08 7:55 PM
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HI Slider... Some are in the union , some are not. I am not so I don't no if it has been brought up , NO there are no signs I was just trying to make a point. Employs can basicly park only in the very far parking lot near the apple trees, and only in the last row of each of the other parking lots, 2nd shift has a parking lot of there own, maybe at best 20 cars can fix there. Oh and you should no, each employee was given a sticker, the color of your sticker tells you where you can park. Some have stickers that say they can park right up with the visitors, guess what kind of employees they are. Yes managment, and of course the Dr's get there own parking lot bigger than 2nd shifts and rarely do you see it even half full, but don't get caught parking there either, some employees have had to park on the grass behind the nursing home to just get a spot so they can go to work, don't be late trying to find a spot your pay will be dectuted.
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slider
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06-26-08 7:41 PM
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Hi Nortin. A double standard on this issue is not fair at all, that I agree. Rules are meant for all, however all too often we see people who are held to a higher standard. That is crap. Regardless of money, fame or prestige everyone is the same no matter what. Let me ask you, are you unionized there? If so has this not be brought up before? I have parked at the hospital on many occasions and really have not seen signs indicating what is what. Are there signs and if so should they be made bigger? Just thoughts..
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Nortin35
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06-26-08 7:27 PM
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I would almost agree with all these comment's about taking responsibility for your own actions. But I also work at NLH and can tell you that there is not enought parking for all the employees, and I can also tell you that a few empolyees day after day park in the prime vistors spots and security let's them get away with it because there well liked. And I wonder if most of the comments are directed at NLH it's self, face it people in this community look down at the hospital for what ever reason's, that doesn't make every employee there bad, uncaring or unresponsibe. If the hospital had enought parking that would be one thing but it doesn't. And let's turn this around, how many patients park in the employee parking spots ? Several !!! Let's tow there car's... See what your comments are then.
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slider
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06-26-08 7:26 PM
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LOL, very true Snowgrinch. We need something to keep our blood boiling :)
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Harley
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06-26-08 5:49 PM
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So the parking policy is randomly enforced and other employees do it so she thinks it's ok to park in the visitors parking spots? I hope nobody jumps off a bridge where she works. I just hope she wrote this letter in the heat of the moment and really didn't think it through.
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optionsmonster
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06-26-08 5:39 PM
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What a great letter!!! Are you for real!!! An RN who can't follow directions. Is that what they pay you the big bucks for!! You deserved to be towed away and the charge was pretty cheap. Either your part of the paroblem or part of the solution. In this senario, you are part of the problem!!
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heavengolfer
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06-26-08 5:38 PM
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I BET YOU WISHED YOU DID NOT ADD YOUR NAME!!!HOW MANY LEGALLY PARKED CARS OWNERS FEEL SORRY FOR YOU? NONE/./.YOUR CAR BEING TOWED WAS NOT UNFAIR IN ANYONES OPINION BUT YOURS..AS THE SAYING GOES,"PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES AND GET OVER IT"
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Indianajones
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06-26-08 5:26 PM
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From my research you are an RN and either head or former head of the nurses union at NLH. You should know the rules and play by them. How many times has security warned you and you ignorded the warnings. Admitting you are wromg has answered you own question. Have you ever screwed up caring for a patient??? This could be you "Last Crusade" as you have missed an opportunity ride the "ark" for the last time. I never knew an RN that is a minimum wage worker!!! Your letter was inappropriate---move on an follow the rules!!
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SNOWGRINCH
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06-26-08 5:25 PM
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This is what I like most about the Leader Herald. The small town feel of a local paper where a stolen ring, or someone getting their car towed, will elicit hundreds of comments. I LOVE IT!
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sighing
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06-26-08 5:10 PM
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Good lord, woman, you are an RN, for crying out loud! I hope you use better judgment in passing meds, giving patient care, or shuffling papers than you do parking your car! If this is any indication of the caliber of nurses employed by this hospital, then those admitted are all in for some rough in-patient experiences! No wonder the majority of people around here would rather go to St. Mary's than NLH. By the way, Joyce, those employees you referred to in your letter, "one of the many employees making slightly more than minimum wage, with hungry little mouths at home to feed, living from paycheck to paycheck" Their cars won't be towed as they have more sense than to part where they shouldn't!
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midosc
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06-26-08 4:17 PM
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You park in the wrong spot waiting to get "caught" twice and then you were going to follow the rules?? It's called personal responsibility....!!
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itsjustme
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06-26-08 3:24 PM
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I used to work for NLH.. Although i never parked in vistors parking because I WASNT A VISITOR.. I parked in EMPLOYEE parking.. because that is what i was along with Mrs. Morgan... uhhh hunny dont park in areas where you are not supposed to and you wont have to worry about where your car is when you get done working! DUHHHH
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SNOWGRINCH
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06-26-08 3:06 PM
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If anyone knows Joyce personally, I think she’d be interested to see our opinions. Kindly print these posts and mail it to her. It might open her eyes.
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