Pros
The mission - although it's often difficult to feel connected to health centers as the national organization is not as directly involved in the truly good work they do. Many members of the staff are lovely people I am lucky to have met, but - all my love to them - these bonds are not worth the anxiety, dehumanization, and disrespect I suffered in my time at NACHC.
Cons
There is no professional support or security for anyone who isn't close friends with or literally related to the CEO. This organization has been around for such a long time, and it is truly sad to see the way it is crumbling in on itself. It feels like everyone who works here has a horror story of being ignored or actively mocked when experiencing hardship or challenges in the office. Brand-new and entry-level employees have had to hold down the fort as single-person teams (traditionally made up of 4-5 people) for MONTHS because leadership refuses to prioritize hiring or promote from within. Leadership does not listen to concerns of staff, and if individuals complain one too many times, they are retaliated against. The organization did not respond well to the switch to all-virtual working in early 2020, and continues to refuse to respect the personal boundaries of actual office hours, since everyone is at home now. I do not have faith that the organization will establish an actual telework policy once they return to the office, even though this has been a request from employees for over half a decade now. They do not promote from within, but they will string you along for weeks upon weeks, making you think you stand a chance at a higher salary. They'll give you more responsibility, but god forbid they change your title or make it easier for you to afford a living. Nearly every reason I heard offered as to why an employee was passed up for a promotion was ultimately negated, as it was extremely common for the actual new hire to not possess the so-called "must-have" traits that current employees lacked. There is no paid family leave, the pay is underwhelming, and the CEO makes FAR too much for the lack of adeqate pay to be an actual budgeting issue. Early on in the pandemic, while other organizations offered stipends to build at-home workspaces and help cope with the turbulence of a global pandemic, NACHC mailed a frozen turkey to each staff member, without warning or much stated reasoning. Those turkeys cost over $100 each, and I know for a fact that most people would rather have just had the cash. Multiple employees left as a result of the organization's response (more appropriately, lack thereof) to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent reckoning that seemed to happen at literally every other nonprofit regarding racial equity and diversity last summer. The first steps toward even acknowledging a need for a DEI initiative followed after two employees had already resigned, and the conversation led by leadership (MONTHS later) was offensive, painful, and ill-timed. Employees of color were put on the spot to lead the discussion and comfort upper-level white employees about their shortcomings. Although leadership eventually brought in external support for these issues, there continues to be a refusal to admit to mistakes or show any sign of remorse for the mistakes made during the past summer, let alone any discrimination or micro-aggressions experienced prior. It is an open secret that some of the older male executive leaders engage in sexist, preadatory behavior and commentary, specifically at conferences, where there is also a heavy drinking culture. This is another circumstance during which upper-level leadership will encourage lower-level employees and middle management to make themselves vulnerable in order to "connect" with those in leadership and create a false sense of accessibility. The truth is that there is a hard line between those who are seen as worth being taken seriously and those who are viewed as less than human. I do not write this review lightly. I have seen so many well-meaning, intelligent, incredibly talented people leave work they LOVED because they felt ignored and belittled by the leadership at this organization. The pain and invalidation employees go through here is unnecessary, and like nothing I've seen at any other workplace. I really mean it - no matter how desperate you are to find work, this is not the place to find it. Keep looking. This place is not worth what they will take from you.