So the soon to be old office job(the ppl that abruptly and unapologetically screwed me out of hrs since I'm the new hire)yest said sign this bday card for the nurse manager I did and then was informed half hr later that I owed another nurse $10 for my part in the gift(that I wasn't asked about or asked to chip in for prior)
No other nurses' hrs were cut-only mine since I'm last hired-and I'm expected to give gift $$$(that I clearly dont have)-it took all I had yest to keep my composure and not flip out and say "F*** Off"...
I am I being ridiculous about this???? I'm disgusted and annoyed by the whole situation....

I agree with you...I've never liked the practice in larger offices of "WE'RE getting so-and-so this for her birthday and you owe us $$$" To me if you weren't consulted on the gift or asked about it and AGREED to it beforehand, you owe them nothing, regardless of job status.

Last hired. first fired is an age old concept but you should not have to chip in $10 for the gift, that should have been told to you beforehand.Heck I don't even spend $10 on relatives anymore.

Agreed. Nicely decline participation in contributing to gift. If pressed, just tell them you can't afford it.

It would be one thing if you were politely asked ahead of time and agreed to chip in and it was time to cough it up... But for someone to demand you pitch in money... yeah, that is pretty rude of them. I wouldn't chip in, either. All my Xmas gifts this year will be home made... I just don't have the $$ either.

I wouldn't give them the money.
Whenever we have events, like someone having a baby, we are asked if we want to chip in money, it's not required. And for something like a birthday we don't even worry about getting a gift.
If you were just barely hired and hardly know the birthday person, and they are cutting your hours, you should not be required to chip in. Just give them some BS excuse about why you can't chip in.
That's my 2 cents.

i think i'd look at them and flatly say "my hours were cut i can't afford to participate in this. sorry." and walk away. i don't think you're being a jackass, but i also think you shouldn't act like a jackass about it either.

^ I agree. I wouldn't make a BS excuse because I really don't think you have to. I think your real reason is good enough. No one should tell you that you owe them for an office gift.

I don't think your an azz - you don't even know the person.
I work for a very small company now but when I worked fora larger
one people would get asked if they wanted to chip in, if they did
not that was fine - but you didn't get to sign the card.

Yeah, definitely nothing wrong with not putting in $10 if they didn't even mention it to you when you signed, so I'd just flat out tell them no. That's just rude on their part to assume you'd give them money.

Devils advocate here -- I think there's something very important to be said about maintaining positive work references even if you already know you're leaving - and it's "just" ten dollars.

If ten dollars IS too much for you, then KINDLY explain your situation, perhaps in private with whomever is asking for the money - but for now, don't bite the hand that feeds you.

I agree with eskimo. I don't think $10 is worth creating office drama over. Relax take a few deep breaths and go with the flow. Try not to bring angry annoyed energy to the job it will make things worse.

If it's not working out just let it go. I've been guilty of staying with bad jobs too long, being stubborn and trying to MAKE people like me. Don't do it. It sounds like this job is all drama and politics. Your in nursing, a very in demand field, don't stay in a job that makes you miserable.

If necessary tell your supervisor you need a certain number of hours to pay your bills and have a discussion with her.

$10 is a very, very small price to pay to not burn a bridge.

I 100% understand where you are coming from, and I would feel the exact same way. But I would bite my tongue, smile, sign the stupid card, and fork over the cash. It can be a small world and who knows where those people (or you!) might end up.

Now - if you werent leaving or hadnt just gotten screwed over on your hours...I would politely pass. But you know how work place drama goes, no matter what reason you give for declining people will presume you are bitter.

Even if you are bitter, and rightfully bitter, I would suck it up for my own sake!

I would kindly and calmly talk to the person who put the idea together that,while you wouldn't mind chipping in,you just do not have the money to do so and leave it at that.To some,10 dollars may not seem like alot,but for others,it's a homemade meal for the family,gas money to get to work,and with the holidays coming up,money for family gifts.

Personally though,I think it's rude that they just assumed you would chip in and not even ask beforehand.