Report on Cashier and Food Service Assignment

I registered at a temp agency as a very experienced Administrative Assistant/Data Analysis Specialist. I received my first assignments from that temp agency in 2011.

The first assignment was working for one day at Martens Volvo at the reception desk. I was called about that assignment the same day I was expected to work at the assignment. That assignment went well, even though it involved a lot less than my qualifications.

The second assignment I received was taking surveys at a Shell gas station for 4 days. That assignment went well, even though it involved a lot less than my qualifications. My total report on that assignment is in my previous blog post.

The third assignment I received was as a "Cashier and Food Service Worker" at FedEx Field, Redskins Stadium. Here is a description of the assignment from an email I received -

Here is the information for the Cashiers and Food Service position. Sign up will take place on Saturday May 28, 2011 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon at FedEx field (Redskins Stadium) in Washington DC for the start of the summer concert series with Kenny Chesney! That will take place on Saturday June 4th from 12pm-11pm. You can park free at the south field tunnel entrance. Take the elevator to the 3rd floor to the Club Monte Crisco cigar bar. Be prepared to take the drug test and bring a picture ID so you will be able to obtain your stadium ID.

Getting to the paid training session for the assignment involved 33 minutes of walking to the Stadium.

Getting to the paid training session at 9:00am on a Saturday was prevented by Subway station closure on Saturday for repairs.

I regret not being able to work at the Monte Cristo Cigar Bar during the Kenny Chesney concert at Redskins Stadium.

Report on Survey Taking Assignment

I was offered a Data Entry assignment that never occurred. Then, I was told that I was "definitely one of the persons needed for" a computer-less survey taking assignment, for some reason. A possible reason is because of lack of assignments for me from that temporary agency, (even with my 25 years of Admin Assistant experience).

I arrived at 7:40am, 4/26/2011, at the offices of the temporary agency, for the 2 hour training session for the survey taking assignment. I was the 2nd out of 8 persons to arrive. The 8 persons that temporary agency, (in the suburbs of Washington DC), had selected for that assignment consisted of 3 black women, 4 black men, and 1 asian woman, no caucasians whatsoever. Because this assignment didn't involve working with a computer, I received the impression that the selection of persons for this assignment was an insulting slavery reference, and the 1 good-looking asian young woman was possibly there for psychological warfare purposes.

The hired temporary survey takers were seated in a close circle, with chairs arranged in a close circle in the temporary agency's offices. Basically the same start as the EDJ assignment. The hired temporary survey takers, not including the asian woman, then engaged in idiotic conversation that seemed to be influenced by illegal drug use.

The employees of the survey taking research company then arrived for the training session. They were 3 white women, and an all-white group, unlike the all non-white survey takers. They had travelled from New Orleans, Louisana, and addressed the non-white survey takers in "Miss" or "Mr" followed by their first names, as in slavery. I also had the impression that the research company employees, being from the south, and all white, and the survey takers being all non-white, was a slavery reference.

The survey taking research company doesn't work with experienced survey takers, possibly for slavery, confusion, and impoverishment purposes. The hired temporary survey takers didn't seem to have experience in this work.

The survey was about the advertisements around Shell gas stations in the suburbs. One type of advertising device was called a "Free Standing Wind Master" sign. Another type of advertising was called a "Bollard Wrap". It is interesting that there are psy-ops possibilities with these sign names.

After this suspicious start of the assignment, the 4 day survey taking assignment then went well, (without any incidents), and the research company employees then travelled back to New Orleans, Louisiana.

EDJ Associates - Grant Management Center Assignment

EDJ Associates - Grant Management Center Assignment

by John A

Naomi Pizarro, of EDJ Associates, called me on Tuesday, 12/7/10, about my availability for an assignment. On Thursday, 12/9, I was offered an assignment via email, ("contract position Data Entry /Short Term Employment opportunity"),

text of email:

----------------------------------------

John A / Data Entry-Admin Assistant Short Term RE: Assignment availability

Naomi Pizarro

To:"johna@johna1.com"

Cc:HR

Sent: Thu, Dec 09, 2010 11:00 PM

Hi John,

We are very interested in pursing you but we need to confirm you're able to respond to

the questions below. Could you please get back to me on these as soon as possible?

Thank you.

Thank you very much for your interest in this contract position Data Entry /Short Term

Employment opportunity and for contacting EDJ Associates, Inc. What time would you be

available for a phone discussion today?

This position is going to be at an hourly rate of $13.00 can you please confirm this rate

will work for you?

The hours are 8:30 - 5pm, Full-time 40 hours a week on Short Term Basis. Are you

available for these hours?

This is a temporary employment position, there are no benefits for this position and is

short term through approximately the end of February, there is a possibility that based

on work flow the assignment could be extended.

How soon can you start? We'd ideally have you start this coming Monday, December 13th.

This position is in Crystal City, Va and metro accessible.

Thank you for getting back to me as soon as possible, you may reach me at 703-395-9748 if

you have any questions.

Naomi Pizarro

HR Consultant

EDJ Associates, Inc. | 13873 Park Center Road, Suite 301 | Herndon, Va. 20171

________________________________________

From: johna@johna1.com [johna@johna1.com]

Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2010 10:24 AM

Subject: Assignment availability

Hi,

I am available for temporary assignments. I am proficient with MS Office, Database Integrity, and certified in Enterprise Content Management and Electronic Records Management.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

John A, ECMp, ERMp

Data Analysis Specialist

202-538-3302, johna@johna1.com

Certifications at www.johna1.com

----------------------------------------

end of email text

I sent an reply email with positive answers to the above questions. I spoke with Naomi Pizarro via telephone, and she asked me to take 2 skills tests online. On Thursday, I took 2 Prove It! skills tests online, a Data Entry test and a Microsoft Excel test, with my Netbook PC at the Library. I scored 8774 kph on the Data Entry test, and 90% (27 out of 30 questions right) on the Excel test.

On Friday, I received a voice mail message from Mr. Kerry Milstead, he sounded nervous, and said that I had until that afternoon to call him back, or he would have to get someone else for the assignment. I called back after receiving that voice mail message at around 10:59am. Kerry Milstead repeated that the assignment was a Data Entry assignment plus binding and filing HUD applications. Kerry Milstead asked me in depth about my PC/Data Entry skills and experience. He then said I would receive temporary employment offer emails from Yolonda Harris.

Below is the first offer email I received:

----------------------------------------

Offer of Employment: John A

Yolonda Harris

To:"johna@johna1.com"

Cc:Kerry Milstead , Keith Royal , Denice Hairston , HR , Naomi Pizarro

Sent: Fri, Dec 10, 2010 06:01 PM

Offer Letter John... (175KB)

Good Evening John,

Please see attached your offer letter for temporary employment with EDJ Associates, Inc. If accepted, please respond to this email by 4:00 pm Saturday, December 11, 2010 , sign the attached letter and bring the original with you Monday, December 13, 2010.

We are all very happy to welcome you into the folds of the EDJ Family! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached at (703) 597-3432 anytime this weekend.

Directions:

EDJ Associates, Inc.

HUD-GMC

Century One

2461 South Clark Street, Suite 430

Arlington, VA 22202

(703) 415-1700

Crystal City is the nearest Metro station to our office. It is approximately one half mile north of our office. The station entrance/exit is on the intersection of 18th Street and South Bell Street. Next walk south on South Bell Street until it ends on 20th Street. The Crystal City Marriott is on this corner. Next walk right on 20th Street for one half block and then walk left (south) down South Clark Street and passed Chili's restaurant. Our building is across from the Hilton Crystal City on the left.

If you are driving, there is limited street parking and garage parking available (but expensive). We are a few miles south of the Pentagon off Jefferson Davis Highway near the intersection of 23rd Street.

Yolonda Harris

Director of Administration and Support

EDJ Associates, Inc.

13873 Park Center Road, Suite 301

Herndon, VA 20171

yharris@edjassociates.com

Phone: (703) 738-9150

Fax: (703) 738-9149

www.edjassociates.com

----------------------------------------

end of email text

Below is the second offer email I received:

----------------------------------------

Request for References, EDJ Application and EEO-1 Form - Administrative Assistant - HUD Contract

From: Yolonda Harris

To:"johna@johna1.com"

Cc:Kerry Milstead , Keith Royal , Denice Hairston , Naomi Pizarro , HR

Sent: Sun, Dec 12, 2010 07:00 AM

Equal Employment O... (54KB); EDJ Employment Ap... (1.0MB); Job Description - ... (28KB)

Dear John:

Thank you for accepting our offer, we look forward to seeing you Monday morning!

I have attached a copy of the job description for the Administrative Assistant (Data Entry and Production) position for your reference.

We'd like to also ask that you please complete the attached application and EEO-1 form and provide at least 3 professional references who've supervised your work. Please either email me or bring with you Monday morning.

Please email me if you have any questions.

Thank you.

Yolonda Harris

Director of Administration and Support

EDJ Associates, Inc.

13873 Park Center Road, Suite 301

Herndon, VA 20171

yharris@edjassociates.com

Phone: (703) 738-9150

Fax: (703) 738-9149

www.edjassociates.com

----------------------------------------

end of email text

I downloaded the forms attached to the emails, filled out the forms with my Netbook PC, emailed back the filled out forms, then printed out and signed the forms.

I brought the signed forms to the assignment on Monday, 12/13/10. I arrived at the assignment at around 8:15am, and was well-dressed with a business suit.

Interestingly, there were only black men at the Data Entry assignment. After meeting three black men at EDJ Associates, I then sat in a conference room, and a black woman and a fourth black man were brought in.

Then the caucasian Kerry Milstead arrived, I was moved to a second conference room by myself, and the woman and man whom I was with were moved to a third conference room. Then a fifth black man was seated across from me at the conference room, that was without any PCs.

When Kerry Milstead visited the conference room I was in, I asked him if the assignment involved Data Entry. He said that it was production work, and then "persons would be selected for other work based on what they were good at". I asked him if he had seen my resume, he said yes, and didn't seem to think my work history was relevant.

After Kerry Milstead left, as I was sitting in the conference room not doing anything, I started to write about how the assignment had started, with a pen and paper I had available.

Then the nervous, casually dressed, Kerry Milstead returned to the conference room, walking with and surrounded by 4 or 5 black men, and asked to talk to me outside the conference room. Outside the conference room he said I wouldn't be needed for the assignment that was supposed to be an "Administrative Assistant / Data Entry / Production" assignment, and that I would be paid for transporation, and would recieve an email from Yolonda Harris.

Outside EDJ Associates' office I passed a security guard near the elevators. On the first floor of that office building, (as I was putting on my coat, packing up my paperwork, and resetting an appointment for the next day, Tuesday, via cellphone), the security guard asked if I needed help with transportation, and inexplicably, if I understood that I wasn't supposed to go back to the EDJ offices. I said I didn't understand why it was thought that I would want to go back to EDJ's offices. I then walked out of the building.

The EDJ assignment that was supposed to last for 10 weeks turned out to be fake, and only lasted for 30 minutes.