Melmark reviews

-Expensive Benefits (and a three month waiting period to even have access to said "benefits") -Payroll will find ways to avoid paying you -Upper management does not care about direct care staff -Policies in place that make the work environment incredibly dangerous for direct care staff, and I have worked in several Residential Treatment Facilities prior to Melmark. Don't be distracted like I was by the "fancy" terminology and so-called "management" of the environment, many people have been severely injured on the job by clients. Do not risk your health--and life--for a mediocre paycheck -Unreliable coworkers. You cannot trust many of your coworkers. -Interviewers are misleading. You are not told many of the responsibilities because they know that they would deter many applicants. The interviewers will tell you what you want to hear--many of my coworkers told me this. -Unreasonable expectations of staff (e.g. you are expected to carry with you many items that are required for the job while physically managing the clients. You could find yourself attempting to document a crisis situation while having your hair pulled and attempting to run goals and cooking dinner...all simultaneously).

Management can be abusive to staff. If you have a question it won't get answered; they'll stare at you waiting for you to answer your own question- essentially pulling ineffective/ condescending forms of ABA on their employees- they will belittle you. They expect you to "advocate" for yourself but the moment you do they will say you're not holding yourself accountable or "owning" your own behavior. Yet, management does not own their own behavior. They give excuses for their insane turn-over rate; thinking people can't handle the kids. People can't handle the abusive treatment. No one wants to be belittled. Give your employees room to breath and stop assuming no one can be productive without a supervisor harassing them into "compliance". This is why people leave, it's not the kids. Every moment of your day is outlined for you. No time for paperwork. If you are 1 minute late to work, once, you will get in trouble. Management is not professional. You would think a non-profit would be a wonderful place to work. There is a corporate feel to the place and you will be treated like fast-food workers, not professionals. Management will talk down to employees. In training, management will make derogatory comments about people's clothing choices, thinking it's funny, it's not (classic slut-shaming and cultural warfare- Google "unprofessional hairstyles"). There's a ton of vacation time and sick time but you will barely ever get approved for either. There is a sick culture at the company where they look down on anyone who takes sick time. It is illegal to require a doctors note or even an explanation for sick time that does not go over 3 days in a row. You will be seriously injured here if you stay for a long time. Think bite scars, and missing finger nails/ finger tips- all of which is on upper management.