I'm home early from work because I work in retail and we were slow, and quite frankly, I didn't want to be there. Work is actually what is making me want to stress eat.
Without going into too much detail- I work in a family owned store in a small town and I loved it.. until Saturday. You see, I was hired under the pretense that I would be made manager after the first of the year. I was told that all I had to do was prove myself through December and the job was mine. December, as anyone who has ever worked in retail will know, is NOT an easy month to work during. I worked my booty off for my boss, I worked ridiculous amount of overtime (without proper compensation), I did the jobs of three of my coworkers who seemed to think that it was okay to not do anything, and I generally kept a positive attitude throughout the whole thing. I worked so hard to prove myself to my boss and her family and they all told, on multiple occasions, that I was doing really well and they were excited to have me in the management role.
We were told all during the Christmas season that changes were coming, and that when we came back after Christmas everything was going to be different. Then it was after Christmas and we were told the changes were coming after New Years. I was told that "...the things (I) had been waiting for were going to be implemented on Saturday." I was excited! But I was also worried about my coworkers reactions. Oh well, management!
At our meeting on Saturday, which the boss did not attend for health reasons, we were told some pretty ridiculous things and then peoples hours were changed. The meeting ended. Nothing I had anticipated happened. The person leading the meeting DID say that someone was going to start being trained to do more. Naturally I was like "yes!" and was pumped to finally be learning the things I has been asking to learn for weeks. A few hours pass by and I was looking at something on my current managers phone and a text message popped up from the boss. I didn't try to read it, it opened automatically without any warning. The gist of the message was that the manager needed to start training *Susan on the things that needed to be learned by someone. I am not *Susan. *Susan has been working there for a week and a half (she started while I was out of town to have a postponed Christmas with my family) and hasn't worked hard yet. I don't have anything against *Susan, I even kind of like her. But I found out *Susan was hired being told the exact same thing as me, but I'm pretty sure they're training her for the position instead.
Basically, I feel like I was suckered into working my hardest, for 60+ hours a week without overtime pay OR minimum wage (she said that the first two weeks was a trial so she wasn't going to pay me full wage - or even minimum wage, and after 3 weeks I asked her about going to the normal wage and she tried to insinuate that I hadn't earned being paid more yet), for these people during the busiest and hardest part of the year. Was I duped? I really feel like I was taken advantage of- telling me that I was GOING to be manager if I proved myself, telling me that I had proved myself and then finding out that behind my back they are training someone else, who doesn't even know the basics of our jobs yet, to do the job I was hired to do. I also found out that my boss has told many people the exact same thing, and done the exact same thing, and that's why she has such a high turn over rate.
Okay, sorry that was so long, I just needed to vent and give myself something to do for a little bit while I was fighting a stress craving.
Any thoughts on what I should do? I've already started looking into new jobs, but am I jumping the gun? Being lied to is something I do not tolerate, and having been lied to about something so big, it just kind of made me lose all respect for the place. If I don't respect or trust where I work, how am I supposed to keep working there?
That sucks. And yes, I do think you got duped. It's good that you're already looking for another job. I don't know much about employment law, but the not paying minimum wage thing sounds really fishy. If you find that what happened to you does appear to be illegal, I think you should seriously consider filing a complaint with the relevant governmental agency and/or a lawsuit against your employer for wage theft.
I know how you feel, being suckered into working ridiculous hours with the promise of a promotion or raise is something I to have faced while working in retail. Last year I was told I would get the assistant manager position of the retail store I worked at, I was also told I needed to prove myself. Like you I worked crazy hours, sometimes I would go in early and not clock in so the company wouldn't be paying me any overtime. Just before Christmas last year I was told that I had to position and received the relevant raise, I worked the hours of the assistant manager and more all of December. I realized my pay checks seemed low but since its such a crazy month I always forgot to check into it, at the end of December when I took a look over my pay stub I realize that I had in fact not received me position title but also did not get the raise. Which also took away from the Christmas bonus I was supposed to be getting, they duped me out of $1000. When it was brought up the district manager told me that she was "Sorry" and "Only human" but I would NOT be getting back paid like I should. I felt tricked and mislead by the company.
I did try to move on from the incident but I could never trust them again. They even kept promising raises that I never saw when I did eventually get the proper title. November 2011 I quit, although I loved the people there, I found it extremely hard to work for a company who didn't place any value on there own word. I think your best bet would be to look for a new job and contact the proper government agencies to look into what your right's are and even file a complaint or even a lawsuit if you wish to take it that far.
I agree with the previous comments: find a better place, and sue them. There is always a lesson to learn: no company owner will promote somebody who has just joined the company to a management position. Probably *Susan will be duped in the same way, and will work her a-- off for a couple of months till she learns that ... *Mary is also being "trained." I hope you find a new position soon and that this becomes just a bad memory. Good luck! And don't break your diet for these people, because they shouldn't hurt you twice!
Last edited by inglesita64; 01-16-2012 at 05:55 PM.
theox- I've been doing research online tonight and it's not legal to do what my employer did, I already knew that them not paying me overtime was illegal, but I thought there might be a loophole somewhere that said a "trial period" at less than minimum wage was legal. I just moved to this state and didn't bother looking up employment laws before I found a job. Dumb on my part.
Isis- It's a terrible feeling. I left work early today, I offered to go because I can't even stand to be in the store anymore- I just feel so betrayed.
Crazygurl- Thank you, I'm certain there are!
inglesita- The worst part was that I was hired for the purpose of being manager at the beginning of this year. After I was hired all of these precursors were implemented. I offered to leave early today and I used part of that time to apply for a few jobs. One already called me back and I have an interview on Thursday, which is my new day off. I stuck to my diet and exercised twice as much as normal to work out some of my tension. I still feel all riled up so I'll probably do a couple of laps before I wind down to do to bed, and exercise as much as I can until I feel less wound up.
Thanks for responding everyone. I was worried that I was being over-sensitive or over-reacting.
One thing I've learned throughout my wonderful years is...people will screw you over no matter what. The one person you need to look out for is yourself. It seems that it doesn't matter how much you kiss ***, or generally kick as someone else may in fact get the position you've wanted.
It sucked for what they did and I'm sorry for that, but I guess that's business. I would though demand that money they owe you for over time and if they don't give it go to the labour board and file a complaint. It isn't illegal to give someone else your position, but it is illegal not to pay over time!
I say you're making the right choice in finding a new job, but I'd definitely be fighting towards that money they owe you for all your hard earn time and work you've done for them.
I'm glad you're finding a new job. I felt that I was screwed by my last job and as soon as I had enough money saved up for bills I quit and started looking for a new one. Most people didn't agree with the way I did it, they thought I should find a new job before I quit. I thought I would be really stressed out not having a job, but I am not. I'm happy for the first time in MONTHS. I have really bad anxiety issues, and my anxiety is down and everything. It'll be okay! Find another job though...let someone else get &?$!ed over!
I have an interview on Thursday for a book and record store! I'm MUCH more interested in it, and it won't be such a threat to my diet. I hope I get it.
I talked to the shop owners daughter today and she tried to pass the blame to the current manager for not starting school like he was supposed to. Ugh.
Glad things are working out for you elsewhere! You may want to look into your state's labor commission and see if they have policies against these practices. Especially not being paid minimum wage!!! I hate to see these companies treat people like crap and think the laws don't apply to them. The labor commission would typically investigate and file suit on your behalf. You wouldn't have to do a thing. PM if you need help.
Writing so I won't eat.
And yes, I do think you got duped. It's good that you're already looking for another job. I don't know much about employment law, but the not paying minimum wage thing sounds really fishy. If you find that what happened to you does appear to be illegal, I think you should seriously consider filing a complaint with the relevant governmental agency and/or a lawsuit against your employer for wage theft.
