Do I have any rights in this situation?

I’m so scared HR is gonna turn everything against me. I’ve had it happen before so it’s hard to calm that feeling down lol. There’s a lot of nepotism so I’m double worried.

Hello HR Team! I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to reach out and share some context before we meet. Because this situation has been really stressful and difficult to navigate, I’ve written everything out in detail so that I can communicate clearly and stay grounded. I know it’s a lot, but my hope is that by laying things out fully, we can have a more productive and supportive conversation together. I am reaching out because in my most recent meeting with my direct supervisor, Lucy, I was trying to express that I did not feel the conversation was being had in a respectful or supportive way. Lucy mentioned that she would bring HR and Lisa (her manager) into the discussion, which I felt was a great idea. However on 12/1 she did not get back to me on that. On 12/2 she then said the HR team is really busy and that Lisa was out all day on 12/1, but she will try her best. Because these conversations have been difficult to navigate one-on-one, I am hoping to connect with HR for some support regarding my onboarding and training experience. I would really appreciate the opportunity to continue that discussion with HR present so we can all get aligned, clarify processes, and make sure that communication and expectations are consistent. In addition to that, I’ve been experiencing some ongoing challenges in my interactions with my direct supervisor, Lucy, and I feel that additional clarification and support would be really helpful. Over the past several weeks, there have been repeated situations where communication has felt unclear, expectations have shifted without warning, and feedback has been delivered in a way that has left me feeling uncertain about how to succeed in my role. I’ve been trying to address these concerns directly and ask for clarification, but I’m still feeling confused and overwhelmed, and it has begun to affect my ability to stay grounded and focused. I feel that feedback has been more focused on pointing out what I am doing wrong rather than offering solutions or collaborative guidance, and I would like to work toward a more solution-oriented and supportive approach. Since starting in September, I have been doing my best to learn the role and keep up with the expectations, especially with Massachusetts being a new state and processes still being created. However, I have been feeling increasingly overwhelmed by how some of the recent conversations with my manager, Lucy, have unfolded. The way the conversations have unfolded also gave me the impression that I am being seen as insubordinate and dishonest. On one occasion, 11/28, I brought up a concern and Lucy said “You have brought up concerns about understanding processes, but it's consistently been after I've identified that something wasn't done correctly—not before, and not during our regular meetings when we have dedicated time to discuss challenges.” This made me very uncomfortable because it made me feel as if she saw me reaching out for help and guidance in a negative way. It made me feel discouraged and disempowered. Concerns with understanding processes is something that I have been repeatedly bringing up. In fact, upon looking back I noticed that since I started I have brought up concerns weekly. Here are some examples I have found, there are more but compiling all of this got very difficult so I stopped here. SEPTEMBER 5 • I asked whether Indiana rules were the same in Massachusetts • I asked what actually applies in Massachusetts because I did not know SEPTEMBER 16 • I asked if I should report things the same way Indiana does • I said I did not want to do it wrong • They admitted they did not know Massachusetts guidelines SEPTEMBER 17 • I asked if Massachusetts has the same requirements or something different • They told me they were not sure OCTOBER 3 • I asked which parts of the Indiana care manager checklist apply in Massachusetts • I asked what does and does not apply here • I was clearly asking for state specific training OCTOBER 16 • I asked if I should follow the Indiana daily checklist or if there is a Massachusetts version • They said they needed to review and adapt it • That meant I could not have known the correct process on my own OCTOBER 21 • I asked how I am supposed to start my days since the Indiana checklist does not apply to Massachusetts • I asked what the actual Massachusetts process is supposed to be • I asked how to send out order forms in MDS because no other state does it NOVEMBER 17 • I asked if Massachusetts has its own caregiver app • I pointed out that the only one shown is the Indiana version • They did not know the answer until I asked NOVEMBER 28 • I explained that most of what I shadowed was Indiana based and asked for the Massachusetts version • I said I still do not know what the acronyms and sections of the dashboard mean • I said I am still trying to understand which Indiana processes apply here and which do not

On the same day I brought a concern to Lucy about being confused and her feedback was “If you don't understand a process or need clarification, you must come to me proactively—not after I've identified an error.” She then provided examples of what she meant by that and two of them stood out. “This means: Asking questions when you're unsure before completing a task incorrectly Communicating confusion in real-time, not letting it build up or using it as an explanation after the fact” I explained to her that when completing tasks incorrectly I am not aware of it, which would make letting her know first impossible if I am under the impression that I am doing the task correctly. The way she explained “letting confusion build up or using it as an explanation after the fact” was very passive aggressive and came off as if she was accusing me of doing so even though I have been asking for help and communicating confusion this entire time. I really want to make sure I’m aligned with expectations, receiving appropriate well-rounded training. I would really appreciate the opportunity to talk with HR so we can all get aligned, clarify processes, and make sure the support structure is in place. My goal is to feel supported, and clear about my responsibilities so I can perform well and continue contributing to the Massachusetts team as it grows. Please let me know when you’re available to connect. Thank you so much for your time and support. Sincerely, Mari Brooks