Pros
There seems to be a lot of controversy throughout the web about ABA companies staying open during this time. And I would like to speak on this topic as well. First and foremost, not only do I feel blessed to currently be employed, I am happy to continue serving families and kiddos diligently. I’m not going to lie, I am scared. We are all scared. We don’t want to risk being exposed or potentially exposing others. But despite personal opinions on the matter, ABA is deemed medically essential. And as long as our doors are open, and kids are coming in, I am HAPPY to continue doing what I love and earning for my family, especially in these rough times. Yes, many people were furloughed here due to COVID-19. I was not one of those people, and I believe it’s due to my tenure. Majority of the cuts were new-hires still in training. BI already goes above and beyond with extensive paid training for new-hires, and it’s just not feasible at this time. At the end of the day, this is a business. Money has to come in for money to go out. If clients are not coming in, money is not coming in, and therefore employees can not get paid. Nobody saw this coming. Nobody budgeted for this. And for that reason, budget cuts do have to happen. Other ABA providers in the DFW area have closed, not willingly, not to “slow the spread,” but simply because losing half their clientele puts a strain on the business. Simply put- it’s costing them more to stay open than to just shut their doors. Those companies closed “until further notice” which gives 0 job security to full time employees! So let’s all just be practical here. No company can please everyone. The same staff that were angry that BI stayed open during a this outbreak are now the ones upset that BI can’t afford to keep them right now. Meanwhile, unlike other companies, BI has given those employees a potential start date where they can hopefully be back. In my opinion, that is a BLESSING right now. If the company had better options, they would make better choices. But there is no “ideal” situation right now, for anyone. And I am not going to bite the hand that feeds me. I put myself at risk every single day by showing up to work, and that’s a choice I have every right to make. And each staff member currently active at BI has made that choice too. No one is being forced to work. But money doesn’t come free to anyone so unfortunately the company cannot pay to let everyone stay at home. This is a HELPING field, our services are DIRECT. This is what I signed up for, and I will continue to provide the highest quality of services I can as long as our doors are open. Even if I do end up losing my job due to this pandemic, at least I will know that the company truly did everything they could to stay open as long their financial state allowed.
Cons
I think the only con for me is pay. I will say that active employees should be compensated for working during this crisis. I understand that the budget is tight, but anything helps. I’ve been called a hero several times over these past few weeks, and as much as I love verbal praise, money is definitely a higher reinforcer for me! Matching law is real!!!