Job Probation Over a Kitten - disclose? Forum

[sabraph]

Here's a funny story (and a serious questions) to break up the application monotony.

My sophomore year of college I worked as a Resident Advisor. I had a particularly horrible boss who was very wishy washy on which policies she thought was important and which weren't (ex. she wrote a girl up for having her male cousin sleep on the floor of her room when no roommate was there or complained but [underage] residents brought alcohol into the dorm and that was fine).

End of the year, finals are over, the RAs and desk clerks are the only people in the building setting up for the Special Olympics conference held at our college annually. One of the desk clerks adopted a kitten and it was in the dorm - my boss clearly knew about it (she walked past the resident in question and said "I know what you're up to" and then meowed) so I didn't think anything of it when the desk clerk asked me to watch the kitten while she cleaned her room for check out.

Cut to two weeks later I was working for ResLife over the summer and the boss calls me in for a meeting where she informs me she's putting me on probation and sending me through the conduct process. I went through conduct, told them I thought she knew, but they still found my "guilty" and had me write an essay on what I learned from the situation. I ended up leaving the job because the situation made me realize I was tired of all the drama associated with that position (I actually ended up getting two cats).

Anyhow, somewhere there is a mark that says I was put on probation. Obviously this is an idiotic story, but I keep wondering if maybe I should be safe and disclose it, at least on apps that ask specifically about disciplinary action on work positions. I would hate for some fluke to tick the bar off and have this stupid kitten situation dragged up again. IDK if it matters but I'm 170+ applying to T14 to T30.

Thoughts?

[guynourmin]

I keep wondering if maybe I should be safe and disclose it, at least on apps that ask specifically about disciplinary action on work positions.

this is the right approach: respond to the questions you are asked.

[sabraph]

I keep wondering if maybe I should be safe and disclose it, at least on apps that ask specifically about disciplinary action on work positions.

this is the right approach: respond to the questions you are asked.

Thanks fam! I appreciate the second opinion my IRL friends (none of whom are applying to law school) are all over the board with this issue.

[Platopus]

.

[rpupkin]

Thoughts?

I read your post twice and I still have no idea what happened. What were you put on probation for, exactly? What were you found "guilty" of? Frankly, based on what you described, I doubt that your probation counts as "disciplinary action at work" within the normal meaning of that phrase. It seems like you got warned for having a cat in your dorm room or something.

[sabraph]

Thoughts?

I read your post twice and I still have no idea what happened. What were you put on probation for, exactly? What were you found "guilty" of? Frankly, based on what you described, I doubt that your probation counts as "disciplinary action at work" within the normal meaning of that phrase. It seems like you got warned for having a cat in your dorm room or something.

Sorry about the lack of clarity. I got put on job probation for my position as an RA for "aiding a resident in violating the pet policy". I wasn't warned, I was formally placed on probation by the conduct board at my school. That mark still exists on my student record at the university somewhere.

[ms9]

When my business partner, Karen, was video interviewing people for Harvard a cat once video-bombed the interview and she thought it was awesome.

So this will, if anything, be a fun and elevating C&F. One tip, I wouldn't impugn your boss in the least.

[guynourmin]

When my business partner, Karen, was video interviewing people for Harvard a cat once video-bombed the interview and she thought it was awesome.

I had a video interview almost immediately after my dog adopted a cat he found outside and she was all over the camera.

[sabraph]

When my business partner, Karen, was video interviewing people for Harvard a cat once video-bombed the interview and she thought it was awesome.

So this will, if anything, be a fun and elevating C&F. One tip, I wouldn't impugn your boss in the least.

No of course not, the actual addendum I wrote is completely neutral, just states fact and that I've had five other positions at school and not had any disciplinary issues.

[bmathers]

When my business partner, Karen, was video interviewing people for Harvard a cat once video-bombed the interview and she thought it was awesome.

I had a video interview almost immediately after my dog adopted a cat he found outside and she was all over the camera.

Your dog adopted a cat? That's impressive, definitely a strong soft.