Kilgengoor said:
So, I'd like to know if any of you fellow Escapists have been through something similar. I'm just ranting here, but I think would be nice to share experiences on the subject..
While I've never been actually fired from a job, I did leave when I knew I was going to be. A couple years ago I worked as a general associate at a gas station which I won't name. My job was to keep things stocked, clean, bag ice when needed and fill propane tanks. The station was always busy and I was hired after another worker left to pursue a career he'd gone to school for, so I was to assume full-time hours ASAP. Before accepting employment there, I had to make sure the manager knew I needed time off to go to a cousin's wedding a few months down the road and after I would need a flexible schedule when I went back to school, and also that I was hoping to transfer to a store closer to me when I wasn't needed as much at that location.
I was hired and after three weeks I started working full time, with most of my schedules being spent outdoors, in the sun, in 95+ degree heat with high humidity. When I would take my only lunch break at a reasonable time, between 12-1, even though I'd only use five minutes tops I was told that I had to wait at least 2 hours after starting a shift to grab something to eat, and if it was 2 hours until I was out, I could wait. This lead me to losing about 20lbs during the summer because I couldn't grab regular meals in between filling propane tanks and keeping stock on the shelves, and I still managed to make sure I did what I was supposed to do, and pick up anything the person before me left behind. I received a few customer thanks for doing extra jobs for them that were relayed to the manager, and any tips that customers insist I take I gave to the stations charity bucket.
After I came back from my cousin's wedding, I found out I only had five hours a week for the two months I would still be there. I asked my manager repeatedly for more hours, saying I could work after my classes and on the days when I didn't have class, which would still make me a part time worker. No dice. She said that it would disrupt the schedules of the other workers, (even though I'd been asked numerous times to work outside my established schedule, and twice with only six hours over night between shifts) and that I'd have to deal with it until more things opened. Not a week went by before I got my first performance review stating I hadn't done a single thing satisfactorily, that I'd been disrespectful towards customers, and that my schedule was too confusing and I'd refused to work around school hours. After hearing my manager would speak to me only in the presence of the district supervisor, I told her that a meeting would only waste both our time and gave turned in my uniform saying she shouldn't schedule me anymore.
The whole time I was there, she favored one guy who routinely stood around talking with friends, making costumers wait and leaving messes behind, because he was her neighbor. So yes, I do understand (somewhat) what you're feeling. That job was an escape from an even worse one that I'm currently back in now so I'm able to get some form of money. It's not fair and it's completely uncalled for, but people are jerks (to be polite) and that's never going to change.