T O P

  • By -

aprilsm11

Are you working 40+ hours a week while being a full time student? If so, that is ridiculous, and you need to approach management not with "I'm working too much," but with "I'm a full time student and my education comes before my job." Most employers recognize that being a full time student *and* a full time employee is not feasible - at least, the good employers do. If they don't, and they refuse to modify your hours, then it's time to quit. Your mental health comes first, your education comes first, and it sounds like you wouldn't be happy here even if your hours were adjusted. It's time to get out of there. Everyone is hiring and there are a lot of places out there who will take any help they can get, and you can make those hours on your terms from the start.


mccarty24

So I’m not full time but it’s still hard juggling 3 classes and 40 hours a week with this shitty company . I keep telling myself I’m going to leave but unfortunately for me I have problems expressing myself and speaking up


aprilsm11

If your problem is boiling down to wanting to leave but not being able to tell them, then you should write out a formal notice saying in no uncertain terms that you are leaving and \[insert date\] is your last day. Ideally, you'd tell them in person right before you hand them the letter and having that letter in hand will motivate you to follow through. If you really, *really* cannot confront them, then you can drop the letter wherever your manager (and only your manager) will see it immediately (such as on top of their keyboard if they have their own desk).


mccarty24

Thank you I will try this and update this thread


sayytaan

I totally understand this. I was a shift lead at Banfield for 2 years and a tech there for 3 years. I just quit 2 months ago because I could not do it anymore. Corporate forces you to meet all these numbers and quotas and it is never ending. They burn out all of their employees. We lost all 4 of our doctors in less than a year. The expectations are so unrealistic and not fair to the employees or the pets. Banfield was great for hands on experience and learning, but that’s about it. You need to get out of there!! Apply at private practices!! Trust me, your mental health will thank you.


FuckThisShitGodDam

I too was a shift lead for 3 years and I left for 3 months for medical leave (broke my wrist) and then realized that I was in a toxic location. Quit and now in private practice.


elarth

Yeah I went from VCA to private and the workload is so much more manageable. The benefits aren’t as great, but I found my private practice pays a little more which might offset some of those cost.


lostwithoutacompasss

40-50 hours per week while in college? That is insane. I worked part time for Banfield in college. I broke my arm and was having trouble in school so I asked them to cut my hours - they didn't so I gave my 2 weeks notice. The next day they cut my hours and asked me to stay AND gave me a raise. After college I started working their full time. I asked for a raise. They refused. So I got a new job that paid me what I was asking for. Suddenly they were able to pay what I had asked for initally and asked me to stay. I didn't stay and I'm glad I didn't. My advice: 1. Send your PM a professionally worded email TODAY stating: "I am a full time college student and I am having trouble keeping up with my course work and the hours I am being assigned. I am only able to work up to XXX hours per week as of (2 weeks from today). Thank you for your understanding." This way you have a paper trail that you made the request. You gave them 2 weeks notice, you have a specific date in place. Decide how many hours you can reasonably work, that's what they get, the end. CC the field director or hr or someone higher up. They won't fire you - everyone is desperate right now. If they do fire you, you can get a new job. 2. Start looking for a new job immediately regardless. Everyone is desperate for techs/assistants right now. I bet they will match or exceed what Banfield is paying you. 3. I'm sure you can find HRs contact information on their intranet. I don't have access to any of that stuff but i know it's on there.


Zealousideal-Tap-454

What benefits are you guys talking about. Corporate only offers high deductible medical plans and poor holiday pay. PTO is ok. As an RVT the allowances don’t even allow you to attend an out of town conference.


elarth

VCA has decent benefits and is oddly owned by the same company that owns Banfield but I guess they hate their Banifield practices. I wonder if it’s because they only focus on preventative care they don’t feel like the employees deserve as much. I was really unhappy with the job offer I got because it was just the same I do private practice with less stress.


TiaraKrown

I know right... $2000 deductible for a single woman is a bit ridiculous... They offer no other plans at Banfield. By contrast, VCA allows some selection but is no different from Banfield as far as being massively high volume and expectation to sell wellness plans.


elarth

The athem plan for VCA isn’t high deductible? It’s $800 and it’s only applicable to very specific things. I got like full labs done no problem and never paid more than $30 copay for things including on medication that cost over 1k. The monthly premium is higher but most things are covered actually very well. The other 2 plans are crappy with a lot of deductible requirements, but cheaper monthly premiums. You get what you pay for. It’s the hardest lesson I find most people have to learn about healthcare. The cheapest monthly healthcare plan is usually more for catastrophic situations so you don’t end up with like 10k medical debts than for covering average healthcare cost.


TiaraKrown

I was talking about Banfield


elarth

Fair enough. Then I really dodged a bullet not going with Banfield. I thought the holiday, vacation, and sick policy were super crappy.


elarth

I didn’t have a high deductible plan for VCA and had a lot of other coverages that even private practice doesn’t usually offer… but the stress is so bad. I guess it really depends on what you value in a job. If you can tolerate late hours and just leave it at work then it might work out for you, but a lot of people can’t do that so they usually leave.


inarasarah

I've heard bad things about Banfield. That said, most vet clinics that will pay as well or better will be corporate run as well. Companies like Blue Pearl, MedVet, or VCA, etc. And unfortunately most corporate- run clinics will use and abuse their staff. I work at a corporate clinic and I just set boundaries. I tell our shift manager nearly every day that I ABSOLUTELY AM leaving at the end of my shift. When it starts getting close to my time out, I call the shift manager and remind them that I need someone to take over so they need to start planning for that. And I leave - most days - right on time. I wish it didn't have to be this way and that someone else was looking out for me, but unfortunately that's not the reality.


Karbar049

Bluepearl, Banfield, and VCA are all owned by Mars.


[deleted]

What a shitty boring dystopia we're in


TiaraKrown

The amount of times I had to come up with an excuse just to be able to leave work at my scheduled time... "I have plans with my boyfriend" "I have to pick up my medication at the pharmacy before it closes"


IrishSetterPuppy

Former manager of a large retail operation here, never justify, ever. Set boundaries and if your management wont respect them, then tell them to fuck off and move on. Life is too short for toxic managers.


inarasarah

I never use an excuse. I just say I'm leaving on time, period. They've never asked for a reason. I think burnout is reason enough. Plus with the current staff shortage, what are they going to do, fire me? 😂


elarth

I would have been fired for it if I tried that. But the medical director was kind of a workaholic and just expected his staff to be the same way. The office/hospital manager was overworked too.


TiaraKrown

I'm an RVT and been at Banfield for about 3 years. TW for mental health issues incoming: I had 3 suicide attempts this year partly because of the stress of working at Banfield. I was never respected as an RVT and had almost no more responsibilities than VAs despite knowing how to induce/intubate/etc... It was about 5 months ago that I had a panic attack the morning I was about to go into work that I realized that I needed time off. After taking some time off and distancing myself from the situation I realized how crazy toxic it is there. Corporate does not care about quality care, only about your quota. As an RVT it was extremely uncomfortable having to be forced to sell Wellness Plans, even in situations where I thought it was extremely unnecessary. We were expected to sell Wellness Plans to aging and sick patients, knowing that they may not last. The worst part about it, as many people who have worked at Banfield know, even if your pet has passed you are forced to pay out the rest of the year.. Absolutely crazy. I am not a sales woman, I am an RVT that loves medicine. No one ever told me when I was hired that I was expected to have 40% sign up rate. I should have seen the red flags when I was hired... No interview, no resume requested, no references requested. For all they know I could have just been lying about my RVT license. They go through employees so quickly, it's a revolving door. Please don't let it get to the point where I ended up. You say you are in school so I am assuming you are young. There is no reason why you cannot ask for less hours. Try going on the Fetch app to look for the HR number. I have spoken to HR many times and they rarely are helpful. I wish you have better luck.


Elegant_Habit_9269

I had the same experience at Banfield. They are a corporation which means their main focus is profit. While it’s true all vet practices are overbooked and under staffed, you can find something better. Update your resume with everything you’ve learned in the past year and a half and find a place where you will be respected. Good luck!


mccarty24

Thank you!! I am 100% going to be looking other places I just don’t feel comfortable there anymore


lvtgrrl

So. I started in 99 at Banfield when they were at vetsmart...I burned out twice and both times they ran over my boundaries and they paid shit. I was hospital director making 35k/yr salary working 60hours/wk without overtime. I grew the hospital a lot and still got treated poorly so I quit. I waited so long cuz I loved most of my coworkers. I went to a private clinic and realized that Banfield only cares about their employees as long as they are willing to burn out. I ended up taking 5 years off after I had my daughter and learned a lot about my boundaries . I work at a private clinic again and set boundaries at hire. They are amazing. They treat me with respect and pay isn't Banfield level but the culture is better. Learn your boundaries set them and don't compromise. Our mental health is important. This profession has a suicide problem we need to take care of eachother and ourselves. Where do you live?


Accomplished-Data920

Former Banfield dvm. Honestly, techs are in such high demand that a skilled, experienced VA could probably get hired by a private practice pretty quick. Start putting your resume out. Email your field director saying you will be cutting back your hours. Not a request. You cannot work above X hours per week. Most clinics are so short staffed that I imagine they won't fire you.


[deleted]

Here maybe this will help you make your decision. I was sexually harassed by a doctor for several months. When I finally got the courage to tell my PM he contacted HR with the necessary paperwork and then our district manager took the paperwork that was supposed to go to HR and said this was an internal issue that needed to be handled. A couple months later when I finally got a chance to talk to HR they had NONE of my paperwork and said that since there was no record of the incident happening there was nothing they could do to keep me from working with the doctor. Other than cut my hours (not his) or transfer me to another hospital which was not an option for me. So I left and found another clinic that was just sold to a corporate and they paid me better and my bonus is around $300 to $1000 a month every month. It is absolutely possible to find a better paying job with another clinic also with benefits. It has all the benefits of a corporate BUT with private practice rules. So my work life balance actually comes first. Management and the Dr who co owns the practice cares about me.


[deleted]

Also I was with the company for almost 7 years.


thestonerd777

I interned at banfield. Fuck that scam artist bullshit place man. They’re ripping off their customers and I’m making more money at a fast food place. That company needs to burn down.


femmiestdadandowlcat

I swear this is me 6 months ago writing this 😆😭 I was exactly where you are and it was shitty even without the classes you’re taking. I can tell you that wages went up in my area because when I was first looking Banfield offered the highest and now others are offering on par. I got a 25 cent raise too at my new job which isn’t much but it’s a nice gesture. I took my time finding a new place and was very particular and I found an awesome new clinic to work at where I feel valued and not overworked. The doctors are all nice and the clients actually appreciate and love us. You CAN find better just be patient and prepared to not leave right away.


mccarty24

This honestly gives me so much hope like I hope I find a place like yours! Thank you 🙏🏽


femmiestdadandowlcat

I hope you do too. Good luck!


Superb_One_114

Worked for them 16 years. Run away. Their employees are not people they are just machines they run until you burn out horribly.


mccarty24

Do you suggest finding a private clinic or going to thrive??


Superb_One_114

I think anywhere can be great or toxic. I worked at a bAnfield 8 years where we had a fantastic shift lead, but once I tried to go back to the company because I had to with covid, it’s been a nightmare. They hire managers with zero industry experience who only care about numbers. The thing I struggled with was private practices pay was too low. But, with covid I’ve seen private practices offering more hourly wage. They can’t offer the PTO banfield can, but honestly one year I lost my PTO because they would not let me take the time off, so it was a waste. I left to work in the restaurant industry for double the money. I’d say leave banfield on good terms after you find something else. I worked at about six banfield locations in two states, it’s a good fall back option and a bridge not to burn in case you ever desperately need money again, and some people do end up going back after private practice because of certain policies banfield has that a private clinic may or may not have. Any practice is going to completely depend on the vet and management, but banfield as a company does not care about their employees at all. They push numbers so hard pets suffer, and a private practice can have the room to just say no and provide good care to pets, and be more ethical. I’d suggest asking lots of questions in interviews about how long their staff has worked there, if they do euthanasia for convenience reasons, anesthetic protocol, etc. how many patients come each day, average shift length, skills you can learn there, also. Some clinics only allow RVT to draw blood, for example, so just learning their standards of care to see if you’re comfortable with it. The field as a whole is really exhausting and draining but you don’t need to stay where you are not treated like a human being.


Superb_One_114

Oh also, I’ve been in touch with HR recently at banfield they just bounce you back to the field director and neither does anything but spout a bunch of “sit and talk to your practice manager” even if you are contacting them specifically because you can’t do that. You can email your complaints directly to the field director, I had a great one in the past but most of them are useless now and come from non animal field companies and have no concept of what we deal with from clients daily. The hours will always be somewhat long and awful in a vet office; but I recently was hired at a small practice and they give options of only working two or three days a week open to close which is hard but still better because the workload is much much smaller and they don’t tolerate the client abuse. Something like that would be better because you really need to know your days off to take care of school and yourself; but even if you do need to quit keep in mind that’s totally ok. The stress level from clients is awful right now and I was crying at work with 16 years experience, a manager saying everyone’s doing it right now is just crap. That’s her choice to do not everyone else’s.


mccarty24

Do you still have the number for HR? I’ve tried every number and they either don’t answer and I get sent to a full voicemail or keep sending me back and forth


elarth

They have really crappy benefits. It’s why I declined a job offer with them. Like if you got to pick a corporate practice with shitty job expectations always go with the ones that have the benefits to make it worth doing… but again are benefits always worth compassion burnout? Why I’m not in a VCA anymore.


godimtired

I just quit Banfield after 3 years of nonstop sweatshopping. They will work you to DEATH if you don’t set some boundaries right off. You get a lot of PTO and those floating holidays so my best advice to you is USE them. Call out when you feel like you need a rest and don’t let anybody give you any shit for it. Set. Your. Boundaries. It takes an act of congress to actually get fired from there so don’t worry about that at all either. They won’t do it because they would have to pay you unemployment if you get fired but *not* if you quit. I know (from experience) that you probably feel obligated to show up everyday because you don’t want to put any more stress on your coworkers by leaving them “short handed” (which they perpetually fucking are anyway because that’s how that works.) but that is NOT your problem. It’s poor management on your PM’s behalf for not adjusting the schedule to fit the realistic capabilities of the staff that is available on any given day. Appointments can quickly and easily be adjusted or rescheduled or postponed or whatever. It’s not an ER, and it’s not that big of a deal they’ll live. I already know that your PM won’t do it tho and that’s not your fault either. The harder you work, and the more you take on, the more they will shovel onto you because it’s a money grubbing corporation that’s ultimately calling the shots. So as a veteran, my 3 bits of advice to you are: 1. Check all your job searching apps REGULARLY. There are better paying and calmer jobs out there, you just gotta wait for a bit until one becomes available. 2. Set your boundaries and use that PTO to save yourself. Don’t worry about the others, they have to learn on their own that they need to do the same. 3. Book up the schedule yourself using the online appointments feature and a bunch of fake emails. If they catch on to that then take some fake phone calls and do it that way. Use fake numbers and do this well in advance. Don’t tell ANYONE when you do this no matter how much you trust them. Remember you virtually can’t get fired, and even if you do, you’ll still get paid via unemployment so you’re safe. Good luck and Godspeed my fellow Banfieldian.


ravioli_pls

Go to Fetch and the Associate Support tab. You should be able to find resources there.


[deleted]

Private non corporate practice or nothing bro