Finally today, at 4:30, I received the A-OK that everything - yes absolutely everything - is OK for me and Ian to return to Manila. "Bureaucratic nightmare" fairly acurately describes the paperwork process to bring the baby home. It culminated today when I received a call from the medical office that they couldn't find Ian in the "e-med-2" system and my HR Tech needed to enter him. So I called my HR Tech (who was out for the day). Her back up informed me that if I had my travel orders, he was in the system, and the Med office had to figure it out. I was about to pull my hair out, honestly, since I cannot see either of these systems, so I have no idea who is right and who is wrong, and for some reason ("confidentiality") I have to be the go between.
All I did know is that this is a silly reason to not be able to return to post. I am healthy. Ian is healthy. We both have passports, visas, and airplane tickets. I wasn't about to let antiquated software systems (yes, apparently one has to enter a new dependent in multiple systems; do not ask why it is not coordinated) stand in our way.
Finally, at 4:30 on Friday afternoon, Med called me to say they found Ian. Apparently, he had been entered in the system on his own, not as a dependent. Why the HR Tech thought a one month old baby was an employee is beyond anyone's comprehension, but at least he was there, floating about in the "system" on his own. And now, the independent Ian has a Class 1 ("worldwide") med clearance. *phew* I am not going to worry (just now) about making sure he is "attached" to me.
Instead, I'm going to enjoy the next three days without having to think one minute about what is my next step to make sure we can return to Manila in a timely manner. That's all behind me now! And with a sympathetic Delta agent having arranged for the bassinet seats for the long haul flight, I really am not worried about the flight, either. Just enjoy and relax.
All I did know is that this is a silly reason to not be able to return to post. I am healthy. Ian is healthy. We both have passports, visas, and airplane tickets. I wasn't about to let antiquated software systems (yes, apparently one has to enter a new dependent in multiple systems; do not ask why it is not coordinated) stand in our way.
Finally, at 4:30 on Friday afternoon, Med called me to say they found Ian. Apparently, he had been entered in the system on his own, not as a dependent. Why the HR Tech thought a one month old baby was an employee is beyond anyone's comprehension, but at least he was there, floating about in the "system" on his own. And now, the independent Ian has a Class 1 ("worldwide") med clearance. *phew* I am not going to worry (just now) about making sure he is "attached" to me.
Instead, I'm going to enjoy the next three days without having to think one minute about what is my next step to make sure we can return to Manila in a timely manner. That's all behind me now! And with a sympathetic Delta agent having arranged for the bassinet seats for the long haul flight, I really am not worried about the flight, either. Just enjoy and relax.
2 comments:
This could have been such a relaxing interlude, if only you hadn't been obliged to joust with the bureaucracy every day. I'm so glad you've prevailed.
Maybe they should start paying him if he's an employee... ;)
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