Trained, Then Forgotten: How New Hires Were Left Without Hours

There was a period where they pushed students through my training program - knowing full well they had no hours available for them afterward.

They still went through orientation. Still sat in my classroom. Still completed skills checklists and exams. The classes were five days long, totaling 40 hours of training.

But once they graduated? Nothing. No hours. No clients. No real job.

I was in charge of two training sites approximately 25 miles apart—Jamestown and Fredonia—and I oversaw Personal Care Aide classes at both.

And yes, I remember the students. I know the names, the dates, the locations. I know exactly who was affected and when. It's undeniable.

I felt horrible. Not just during the process, but especially afterward when some of those students reached out to me—disappointed, confused, and asking what went wrong. I had no real answer to give them, and it broke me. I had poured everything into preparing them for success, only to watch them be set up for failure.

I voiced these serious concerns directly to Elizabeth Schmidt, and her response was simply, “They know.” As in—HR, recruiting, and the administrator, Debbie Rougeux. Everyone knew. And still, nothing changed. It was just passed around like part of their normal pattern of dealing with serious concerns—acknowledge it quietly, then move on.

We lost most of those students. Many left out of frustration or found jobs elsewhere. Some gave up on home care entirely. I, too, faced consequences—I was forced to teach under false pretenses, which weighed heavily on my conscience and integrity. And now the company is facing the consequences of how they chose to operate.

This wasn’t a one-time mistake. It was a pattern.

And it hurt not just students and new hires—but the credibility of the entire training program, the morale of instructors, and ultimately, the company’s reputation.

What they did may also carry legal consequences. Misrepresenting job opportunities to students can constitute fraud. If state training grants, reimbursement programs, or Medicaid funding were involved, then knowingly pushing students through without viable employment options could also be viewed as training fraud or misuse of public resources. Falsely advertising guaranteed job placement can trigger violations under consumer protection laws.

Now that the truth is coming to light, I am within my rights to raise these concerns to state agencies, licensing boards, and oversight bodies. As a whistleblower, I am legally protected—and the company may finally be held accountable for what they did to those students… and to me.

Much more to come. Stay tuned.

-- K