Burger Bitch's Hell Week and Other Fun Tales.

Words cannot describe how pissed off I am, though, I will try. Right now, I would rather listen to Nickelback with Rick Santorum while playing with Justin Bieber’s butthole than go to fucking work at my job. BUT PLEASE, ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN.

I think I mentioned a few posts ago that when I was hired, I told my manager that I could work weekends, but that I needed a lot of notice because I don’t have my own car and don’t have access to one on weekends. However, I’m working the next 2 weekends in a fucking row, because why the fuck listen to me, right? I told her that I would have to walk from my house to work, which is over 12 miles, and all she said was “That must really suck.” YEAH. YEAH IT FUCKING MUST. My friend from OTTAWA (An hour away) offered to come and drive me to work, but I said no because I felt terrible. And a cab is over $40. Fortunately, my dad doesn’t have to leave for work this weekend until 7AM, but that is fucking RARE, so next weekend? Going to be walking 13 miles. Super swell times, let me fucking tell you.

So that’s just one of the many things that are pissing me off right the fuck now. Next is that I’m working 8 days this week, all starting at 4:30 AM. ALL OF THEM! I haven’t had any more than 2 hours of sleep a night since Saturday. I am so fucking tired that I started petting my fucking sofa this morning because I was positive it was my dog. And I think at that point, even my dog was thinking “Bitch be straight trippin’.”

My schedule has always been the morning shift on Monday and Tuesday then afternoons for Wednesday to Friday, that way I have time for my schoolwork (I take extra courses because I didn’t take Chemistry in High School and want to be a paramedic.) But nope, I just work the morning shift.

I asked my manager why I had to work this ridiculous amount of days (47 hours this week) and she told me “Well, I’m going on vacation and everyone else who can work has kids. And they need time off to be with their kids.” OH. WELL, PARDON MY FUCKING CHILDLESS GENITALS. So, with her logic, because I’m 20 and childless, I have ZERO life and ZERO responsibilities so I can just work all the cocksucking time. Fucking fartass!

And now, the two things that REALLY made me want to choke a fucking newborn. I haven’t booked any days off since NOVEMBER, keep this in mind. I’m getting my wisdom teeth out on July 10^th and I booked that entire week off (My bottom ones are on the nerve, so I’m going to have stitches, so the surgeon recommended a bit more time) and I booked July 7^th off. Let’s start off with the story about the 7^th.

It’s a Saturday, which I should have off anyways, but I booked it off because my friend (Awesome!Manager from my last job, remember the one I spoke of who had dreads and a huge pig that lived in a doghouse? Yeah, her) asked me to babysit her daughter. My friend’s sister is getting married 6 hours away and the wedding is strictly no children, she wouldn’t tell me why, but said that her sister is a weirdo, so I didn’t ask. But anyways, her daughter just turned one and is hilarious and a great baby. Did I get the day off? NOPE.

NO, I SURE DIDN’T! I have no clue what to do, I’m contemplating just not showing up and saying that I don’t have a ride, which I really don’t since my friend is dropping Baby off Friday night. I told my manager that I will literally have to bring a baby to work, even if I find a ride and she told me “Well, nobody else can work.” I took a peek at the paperwork, NOBODY ELSE BOOKED THAT FUCKING DAY OFF. Luckily, Mama!Bear said that her children are with their dad that day, so she can probably take that shift for me. But honestly, nobody else booked that day off, so why the fuck is my manager a cock-knuckle?

Then, just yesterday, she told me that if she couldn’t find someone to work in my spot when I get my wisdom teeth out, I’d have to come in THE SAME DAY AND THE DAY AFTER. Yeah, ok, I’ll only be on laughing gas and percocets, so telling me to come in is DEFINITELY a good idea. I’ll only pour coffee on people and probably try to put donuts in my panties, but please, tell me to come to work. I refused and told her that the students will be out of school and if she can’t find someone, she can work it.

That was a long fucking rant, sorry about that. But thanks for listening!

--Burger Bitch

Comments

[WhoaNelly]

What the ever living fuck?? At this point I would be looking for another job. It seems like she is acting like this is on purpose. You could cry discrimination about not having kids thing but it'd be hard to prove and do you really want to waste the time? I'm not sure what the job opportunities are up there but hopefully you could find something.

[Kiddo]

Seriously, what the hell? Does she honestly think you're her fall back employee, to pick up any shift that otherwise wouldn't get covered? Also, doesn't she know people are supposed to rest, with supervision, after wisdom teeth removal? She's putting you at risk if she schedules you, especially since she knows about the surgery and I bet you can bust her on it.

Stay strong!

[shuichiboy]

I saw that you wrote "Ottawa." You're in Canada. There are laws against this sort of thing. File a complaint with the Ontario human rights commission.

[The Worst]

I think it might be time to adopt a fake child. A fake child with special needs who gets sick often and without warning.

[Boho]

When you find a retail/fast food job that will give you every weekend off, I wanna know! I've never heard of a thing like that. I don't feel too bad for you about the weekend thing because an employee in retail or fast food should have weekends available. Also, have you considered bicycling to work if you don't have a ride?

About the 8 days.....that sucks. And for those of you crying foul about the labor law, here at least as long as you don't work more than 5 days in a work week, then it's okay.....so you could technically work ten days in a row (Tuesday through saturday one week and Sunday through Thursday the next.)

I would say try to find a job but you'll never find one that will give you weekends off. Just stick it out til ya finish school.

[Burger Bitch]

@BOHO: I said I gladly could, I just needed notice. Plus, there's SEVEN OTHER people who can work weekends. I never said I could NEVER work weekends.

[Michael]

It sounds to me like a clear case of someone trying to push you into a ragequit. I've had management conspire against me in this manner myself (most recently at the ACE Hardware, where the personnel manager and the closing supervisors gave me mutually exclusive goals until I went mad).

Start finding your next job now, and switch ASAP.

[Boho]

Yeah I think Michael is spot on. So you say you can work weekends although you need notice. To them, you have weekend availability. They schedule you on a weekend, you can't make it, and they fire you for not showing up. It tends to happen quite a bit unfortunately.

[The Last Archimedean]

BB, go to your manager's boss and tell them everything your manager is doing, and back it up with documentation. See if you can get HER fired [and hopefully replaced by someone with a functioning brain.]

If I were in upper management, I'd immediately fire any manager dumb enough to even suggest one of their employees come in the day after having their wisdom teeth pulled. That's just asking for the employee to screw something up and expose the company to a huge lawsuit.

[frozenterror]

I worked a job (very briefly) one time that involved three people quitting in the week before Christmas, all related to time off. In each case, it involved someone absolutely needing a brief period of time off...for one guy, it was two days (his parents had to go to a funeral three states away after a sudden death, and he needed to watch his young siblings), for one it was one day (family emergency), and for me it was half a day (family event).

It's incredible to think that someone would put together a schedule, not knowing that they may not have any real leverage. The option is to give someone the requested time off and everyone's happy, or to not do it and then have to cover a bunch of shifts and juggle everything when that employee inevitably goes apeshit.

@TheWorst: I like that idea too. For a nice literary touch, name the fake baby "Bunbury". As long as the manager has never read "The Importance of Being Earnest", it's smooth sailing.

[Less Than Zero]

I just started a new job, and the first day that they tried to schedule me after my training day (which actually turned into a nine hour shift, but hey, I'm always cool with being paid) was the ONLY day I'd requested off when they hired me. (I work freelance as well and had to be at a venue for 4 PM to start running safety checks for a performance that night.)

I'm kind of terrified of what might happen next. :/

[CheckoutSlave]

They're either trying to make you ragequit, or hopelessly unaware of how terribly they are doing with your rosters...if you don't say NO the right way, they may not be listening?

My work used to do this to me, until I learned the best way to tell them to get lost (depended on who I was talking to, though!)

[lisa2]

Honey, they are trying to get you to quit.

[Burger Bitch]

@Lisa2: It's just ONE of my managers though, and she's doing it to 3 other people. My other 2 managers actually put in a word for myself and Mama Bear to get a raise. The asshole Manager is just a cranky old cow.

[TimmiHoe]

Ugh that is horrid BB! You should def not go in after your wisdom teeth are pulled and when beotch manager complains you can give her the doctors note (GET ONE, it saves your ass) When I worked at my last job I booked off a week for ear surgery, one of my coworkers complained about having to work my shifts. The played with the calender we all used to book off so I ended up being scheduled to work the day I was in the hospital.......I was pissed!! Thankfully my manager and owner were awesome enough to know of my surgery and quickly switched the schedule.

But honestly, GO FIND A BETTER PLACE TO WORK! They obvious don't care about your life outside of work and either want you to ragequit or fire you but need a reason so they are making one.

[The Last Archimedean]

Maybe you and MamaBear could conspire with the two good managers to dig up dirt on scumbag manager and have her fired...

[Box Office Wench]

Jesus Christ.

I'm getting my wisdom teeth out on the third of July; my awesome boss at the nonprofit told me it was no problem for me to be out for a few days, and in fact gave me the whole week off. Not just because she's nice-- because my job involves mainly talking to people on the phone, people who typically give us LOTS OF MONEY, and it's not a task that should be handled by someone who's high on Vicodin. Wisdom tooth removal is MAJOR SURGERY. There is no way you can come in on that day.

I agree with what others are saying. Document the shit out of this nonsense and complain all the way up to the top.

[Finder Queen]

Ugh that sucks! I myself had my wisdom teeth out asked for only 3 days off (day of and 2 after). My work called me just hours after I got home with my face still numb and gauze in my mouth to see if I'd work... Needless to say I told them no way I'm too looped out on painkillers. Thankfully they listened and excused it but still if you file for time off it's not THAT tough to have the scheduling manager work around it when you give it in advanced time and this seems to be in enough time for them to find shift coverage.

Just watch out for them playing with your hours now. Not just days you work but I bet your hours will change around from super low to really high. They also play that game to get you to quit. If you tough it out and they fire you it's unemployment. Though for me I'm already getting partial unemployment due to getting under 17 hours a week. Though the number of hours to get that varies place to place in terms of states.

I suggest finding out about unemployment in your area so if they mess whit hours or fire you you'll already have some knowledge on the matter and how to do what they ask to get unemployment.

[mystic_eye]

I'm not sure where you are, as an hour from Ottawa could put you in Ontario or Quebec.

I worked in a place with one crappy manager and two good ones. When the bad one was being a twat I'd call the labour board, explain, then put them on hold and forward them to her.

http://www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca/en/wages-pay-and-work/work-schedule/index.html
WEEKLY REST

Each week, an employee is entitled to a rest period of at least 32 consecutive hours. In the case of a farm worker, his day of rest may be postponed to the following week if he is in agreement.

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/guide/hours.php
Weekly or Bi-Weekly

Employees must receive at least:

24 consecutive hours off work in each work week;
or
48 consecutive hours off work in every period of two consecutive work weeks.

http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/brochures/br_leaves.php
Personal Emergency Leave

Personal emergency leave is unpaid, job-protected time off work for up to 10 days per calendar year. To qualify, your employer must regularly employ at least 50 workers.

[Spritzy]

Arg, why must all the awesome people be treated so carelessly? I hope that they give you the time you need to recover from your surgery...would taking in some sort of doctor note saying you can't work for X days help?

[Antonmommy]

Burger bitch if i were you I would complain to the high-up this is not right. At my work if i have to go for an operation i will get time off for it and will have to use my vacation but still will get paid. Also your manager should be nice to you. Just because you don't have a kid doesn't mean you cannot have a life.

[NC Tony]

It's time for the 3 D's of RHU. It might also be a good idea to go over her head and do everything you can to get her in deep shit or fired (preferably both). As for the situation with getting your wisdom teeth out, even if she can't find someone to work, don't fucking go in (and like someone suggested get a note from the dentist)!

If all else fails, I say we load up all the RHUers, grab our clue by fours, take a road trip up to Canada, and beat some sense into this twat.

[Michelle C]

BB: Unfortunately I don't have anything to add, but I live in Ottawa too. *waving hello* If there's every anything I can do to help, let me know.

NC Tony, I offer my backyard for camping. :)

If you have to go in after surgery, you're going to look like Weird Al in "Fat", I did when I had all 4 of mine out. Only my face was also black and blue and everyone thought my hubby had beat me. If any customers ask what's happened, you say "I asked for time off and my boss *cough*beatme*cough* said NO."

[Burger Bitch]

@Michelle C: I'm definitely not going, I have a note from the surgeon. And hello, fellow Ontario-an.

[H]

Hey BB, under ontario labour law, if your employer employees over 50 employees, you can get 10 personal emergency/sick days a year. So if the owner of your store owns another store, I think that counts and you can take the days off.

[Chicajojobe]

Okay, so I'm a little confused about the story about July 7th, but let me see if I understand.
You booked July 7th off. Your friend asked you to babysit. You said 'yes'. Boss asked you to work that day even though you'd booked it off?

If that's how the series of events worked, then it doesn't matter what you're doing the answer when she says "Well no one else can work" is "Including me. That's why I booked off that day in advance."

Also, you made the right choice taking a whole week for your surgery. My teeth weren't impacted, surgery went totally smoothly, and I didn't even need stitches. But I scheduled it during Spring Break and I was glad to have that week to recover without worrying about classes (I wasn't working then, but I can't imagine that either). At the least you'll be sore and not sleeping well for a few days, which will make you more emotionally raw.
Don't let them talk you into working. Everyone will regret it if you do! Trust me.

[Bluey]

I'm from Ontario as well (place with a big famous waterfall ;) and if you work for the coffee and donut chain I think you do... Then they promote "schedules that fit YOUR life."
Complain to head office.

[Hapax Legomenon]

If you can revoke your weekend availability without getting fired, do it. You might also just change it so you can't be in before a certain time--no way should you be walking 13 miles at 2 or 3 AM, and you're probably a lot more capable of getting a ride during the day. But that manager will KEEP pulling this shit unless you find a way to work around it.

[Burger Bitch]

@Chicajojobe: I booked off the 7th, a day that nobody else booked off and she still scheduled me for it. I even booked it off in like... April? I think, or the beginning of May.

[Queer Geek]

B.B. start looking for jobs everywhere. If possible go online and apply to everything you're suited for. As soon as you book something, get the hell out of Dodge!

[emmaworksucks]

Wow this sounds familiar, i work in a deli which nobody wants to do, and frankly i don't want to either, but because i'm not big mouthed like the rest of them i get chucked the cleaning late shift jobs, i don't live far, but still have to walk and bus's are expensive, i havent had a hoilday in 6 months, i got my step mums birthday next week doubtful i'll get to go.

[BookishGirl]

I know this is a bit off-topic, but what's wrong with Nickelback? One of my favourite bands. (Although I'm over 50 so maybe their music doesn't suit the younger generation?)

[Daisy]

When I got my wisdom teeth out, I didn't need any painkillers at all... but I had bloody gauze hanging out of my cheeks for the next three days straight. It just kept bleeding and bleeding. Show up to work looking like that and see if they still want you :P

On a more serious note, I only booked two days off, and that was a mistake. I called in sick the third morning (luckily, my manager was very understanding; probably had to do with the fact that my jaws were clamped shut so I was pretty incoherent). The fourth morning, I went to school, but I regretted it. After one class, I skipped the rest of the day and spent it sleeping in the library until I felt well enough to walk home.

TL;DR: Don't work anytime soon after wisdom teeth surgery. Everyone heals differently, and you might be fine but you probably won't. Do whatever you have to do to get out of working.

[SquadUpGoons]

I <3 Burger Bitch BUT...in the post submitted on 6/2 you said "When I was hired, I told my manager that I couldn’t work weekends, not because I just don’t want to, but because I live out of town and I have NO WAY of getting to work." Now on this post you said "…I told my manager that I could work weekends, but that I needed a lot of notice because I don’t have my own car and don’t have access to one on weekends.” Sooo just kinda confused on what really happened with all of that when you were hired? Either way, sucks that they’re giving you a hard time but good luck w/the surgery and all!

[wisdom tooth extraction]

I'm feeling ya right now. Had a few wisdom teeth pulled around the same time you had your work done.