Sandwich Shop Nightmare: Douchey Manager and Law-breaking Store Owner

Hello once more RHU.

I will be blunt with this one.  I have the worst manager ever.  Let us call her "Hook." 

Now, as I said in my last post I work in a small chain sandwich shop that has about 20 or so employees currently and about 6 supervisors.  I like most all of them.  But then there is Hook....

Hook is not a good manager.  She does close to nothing, tells you to go faster when your already moving at light speed, gets pissy looking when you ask her for help and motivates people by threatening to write them up.  I've been there only about 5 months and shes already brought up write ups to me on several occasions.  

Also she divides the work so that the newer people get the most.  Today I had to clean all the glass, clean the lobby, wash dishes, clean the ledges, clean the dishwashers, clean the restrooms, fill all the napkin dispensers, stock, and clean the dish area.  Now this would be fine normally.  IF I WASN'T ALWAYS THE ONLY PERSON WORKING THE FRONT ON THE BUSIEST DAYS OF THE WEEK EVERY TIME!  

Here's a good example: I am in the bathrooms scrubbing down the toilets when she pages me.

Hook: Bug, we need you at front.

Now, when we clean the bathrooms we have to get a new towel, gloves, ect whenever we have to stop to do something else.  So it's a huge hassle for me to be pulled out.  So before hand I told her I was going to clean out the bathrooms so she could watch front.  Being the naive fool I am I assume the best of her and think that she would only page me if there was a massive line up of people that she and the other 3 people working could not handle on they're own.  So I toss my stuff in the trash and wash up quickly rushing out, and what do I find.

There is one frickin woman standing at the counter and hook and the other employees are just standing three feet away chatting.

WTF?!

Even as I rung this woman up fuming the custy even asked me why they couldn't help her if I was doing something else.  

The only thing I could tell her was that I didn't know. 

Even worse is that once I had finished cleaning the bathrooms as it was time to punch out I went and told her I had to leave.  And what does she say?

Hook:  Okay, but if I go in later and the bathrooms aren't clean I'm going to write you up.

Okay.  First off, where does she get off saying that shit?  Second, what if some douchetards came into the bathrooms just as I was leaving and left a huge fucking mess? Just no fucking comment....

Hook isn't the only problem though.  Oh, no.  One thing that I just found out is that we cant have sick days without bringing in a doctors note and if we don't we get written up.  ARE WE IN FUCKING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!!!!!!  

I can't afford the fucking $100 it costs to go to the fucking doctors every time I'm sick!  I am a minimum wage employee in fucking collage!!!  It would cost me almost 2 days wages to to this fucking song and dance!!!!!!!  And like I am going to go to the doctors when I puking just so I can pay him to tell me what I already fucking know!!!  

(deep breath)

I mean whats up with this place?  The store owner has even made me do work after I clocked out! and when I told her I already punched out, what does she say?  

"Oh, well just do it quick."

Well guess what?  I looked it up and making me work off the clock is a violation of the "fair labor standards act" and a federal offense.  

Honestly I am thinking about doing something.  

What do you think RHU?

With love - Bug

 

 

Comments

[The Last Archimedean]

Document, document, document. And if the owner tries to make you work off the clock again, report her to the labor board.

[NC Tony]

What TLA said, and don't sign ANY write ups that you know are bullshit. She can't force you to sign them, after all what is she going to do? Write you up for not signing a write up? If there's someone over her head you can go to, do it. If nothing gets done, keep kicking it up the ladder until something gets done.

[scarm]

Honestly, outside of what the other posters have stated previously, it sounds like you work in sales. Managers do this, she obviously gets a kick off of threats and enjoys writting people up because it gives her power to do so. If you're in college and they know you won't be there for the long run then they'll work you until you can't walk. It's how retail and food industries work. Find a better job and don't stop looking until you do. Fill out your two week notice and leave on a good note. Once you're out write letters with the documentation you've taken of how they treat workers. And don't be afraid to call people out. It seems very risky but attention is given even if it doesn't seem so if you call management out on their screw ups as well. Being in management myself I constantly ask my workers to come speak to me if they don't feel like my work is as adiquate or if I'm putting more on them they feel is fair. Don't belittle or trash, be professional. But if you feel that attention needs to be brought up on hooks performance then you need to step up and let it be brought forward. And requiring doctors excuses for calling out sick isn't illegal. Some places don't let you get away with that period even with doctors excuses. But the rest of what you said is inexcusable for her. Good luck.

[Sales Agent Guy]

Simply put, you need to be reporting the manager to someone. This is illegal and if it's not stopped, things will get worse.

As for Hook, you should be finding someone to complain to about this. This is blackmail if you ask me.

[Mollywobbles]

We have to have a doctor's excuse at the Arches, as well, but I've gotten away with it almost every time I've called in sick (I actually did bring an excuse one time out of the 5 or so times I've called in in the 4 years I've been there), which just shows you how much that little piece of paper is worth to them. I've called in over headaches, period pains (I get extremely horrendous cramps for the first day or two of my period and these are the days when I am physically unable to be vertical) and colds (something you'd think they'd want you stay home from a food service job for), and when I had a cold I was told I needed a doctor's excuse but was never asked for one and never written up for it. One time I had a particularly nasty cold - I was sick for about 2-1/2 weeks - my job was threatened because it was the first of the month and they "need"ed me because they were so busy, apparently. I told them that I needed my job, but I was so sick that I couldn't even get out of bed and whatever happens is going to happen. I showed up the next day (still really sick but not as bad as the day before), was asked if I wanted to work, replied with "I'm able if I'm allowed", and haven't called in sick since. That was almost two years ago now. After having worked there for two years, I couldn't believe they'd threaten my job over being sick, but it all worked out.

I have a manager kind of like Hook, too, except she's not as lazy. Being management she doesn't have to clean bathrooms or anything, but she will send you off to complete a task and then call you back the second a customer walks in the door, no matter what you're doing, as though she can't take 30 seconds away from her precious spot bagging food to take an order, even when it isn't her beloved Shop Time. It drives me absolutely nuts.

[photoslave]

It sounds to me like you may need to start looking for another job. Don't tell your bosses, just do it. And don't give your notice until you are 100% positive that you have a new job. And as soon as you leave, turn them in to the labor board.

[LadyRed]

I have to agree with what everyone else so far has said. Also, definitely start looking for a new job, so you can get far away from this place . be sure to give them your two weeks notice so you leave on a good note.

[Skittles]

One thing to look into is going to a free clinic when in need of a doctors note. They do take more time to get through but you pay less for the time spent. Definitely look for another job though. It might be worth it to see if their is an anonymous corporate ethics line you can call to report your supervisor. The owner might not care but if it's a chain corporate cares insofar as their image is concerned.

[BookBitch]

One of my coworkers said the exact same thing about the doctor's note the other day - her elbow had swollen to the size of a cantaloupe and she'd brought in the ER report to justify 4 days out. Fortunately, they only require a note here if you're out for 3+ days, so I haven't had to deal with it, but I do admit to going to work with fevers when I just can't afford to miss a shift. Not something I'm proud of, but when a shift = whole week's groceries, you gotta do what you gotta do! And yes, document EVERYTHING - might even want to try and record the staying-after-punching-out request if your phone will do that.

[perky]

20 years ago I worked at a restaurant that also required a doctor's note for any missed work. One waitress's car broke down on her on the way to work. They refused to let her come back to work until she got a note from her doctor. I kid you not. 90% of the time most of the people who worked there just quit after the first time they missed a day.
Another time one of our waitresses was sick with a stomach virus, but dragged her butt to work because she could not afford to go to the doctor and loose her job over it.
One of my customers heard her in the bathroom throwing up. And ask me to tell my manager, and I said I will, but they knew she was sick. I explained about the "zero tolerance" policy for sick days. They were shocked, and said they would report us to the health board. (I had already lined up a new job so I was not worried about getting fired.)
I don't know if they ever did or if they changed their policy, but 2 years after I quit they were out of business.

[Chicajojobe]

Okay first off, stand firm about not working off the clock. Don't take "oh well just do it quick" as an answer. Respond "oh that's okay, I'll just punch back in real quick *big smile*"

Secondly, something to consider about the doctor's note. You said you're in college. Does your school have a student health center? If so then most can see you to get a work/class note with minimal hassle and cost as long as your student health fees are paid up.
When I was an undergrad my school made it ridiculously easy. All you had to do was go in and say "I need a note" and they'd give you one at the front desk. Probably a measure to avoid clogging up the clinic and letting the doctors see people who were actually sick, not just faking to get out of class/work.
I don't expect all schools will do that, but if you really are sick they might be able to see you and give you a note without charging you a lot.

[Larry Berry]

That made me think of one of my old managers (though not as bad). When it was time for me to go home (and my replacements had arrived) she would give me a list of about 20 things to do before I left. So about a half hour to an hour before it was time for me to leave I would ask if there was anything she was going to need for me to do, before then. She would tell me she didn't know yet and still wait til it was actually time for me to leave then give me the list. If my replacements showed up late (common occurrence) and I was there a half hour to 45 minutes late anyway, she would still give me a list after they got there, before I could leave. She once told me that she wanted me to do this list of stuff so that her 8 oclockers wouldn't need to do it. A. I had worked from 11-7, the 8 0clockers had come in at 5, so it made more sense for people who had only worked 3 hours to stay a little late than someone who had already worked 8 hours +. B. There were 3-5 people getting off at 8, easier for all of them to get the list done than 1 of me. The really fun part was when I would be working on the list, usually finishing up dishes, already been there a half hour to 45 minutes after I was supposed to be off, and they would get busy so she would have me get to work on sandwich prep to help with the rush, then when we were done with the rush (now I was supposed to be off an hour ago) I would ask if I could go now that I helped with the rush. "Is everything on the list done?" "Well it would be if you hadn't had me help out cooking"....

[Larry Berry]

As for the doctor's note, we had that rule at several places that I worked, but they never actually enforced it except in extreme cases (the girl that always called in sick on payday, After picking up her check. People who consistently called in sick on the weekends or just a lot). I rarely got sick, but when I do, it kicks my ass, so I was out for 2 weeks once, but they never asked for a doctors note.

[SA]

Who let you into college? You can't even spell the word correctly.

[Bug]

@Larry Berry
Wow. That's pretty bad. I often end up staying and hour to and hour and a half after because if a customer comes in we have to serve them before we leave. Unfortunately I am often scheduled during the lunch rush. -_-

@SA
Your right. I'll go drop out of college right now for my horrendous transgression. (Sob) I'm so ashamed! Seriously dude, I look forward to reading about your Darwin Award. ;)

@Chicajojobe
Unfortunately my school does not have a health center. As for the punching in issue its only happened twice. once was a two minute thing and the other was just a bit longer. I'm not very assertive so standing my ground is difficult.

@Perky
(Sigh) My faith in humanity is ebbing... Though it would be funny to go into the doctor for a car. LOL.

@Everyone
I have gotten another job at a little family owned place and the owners are the greatest! I decided to only work for them during the school year since I just don't want to deal with the craziness. Thank you all (minus SA) for the advice!