A new career path

[julix]

I have not been happy in my work-life for over 6 years because I have done retail to be able to work nights to stay home with the kids.  It is not a very fulfilling job, I am someone who needs to do creative and meaningful things.  I do think I made the right choice in doing what i have for my kids.  This week something really hard happened and I am mostly posting this to get it off my chest.  I have had problems with the scheduler at my job for 2 and a half years.  There always seemed to be an issue with my requests for time off.  In the last three months she has lost 3 of my requests.  She has a horrible system to begin with.  She is also a young twenty something and single and I have seen her work "miracles" for all the men at the store..................hmmmmm.  Things that make ya go hmmmmmmm.  But I have asked around and I seem to be the only one who gets requests lost.  HMMMMMMMM.  So anyway on this last occasion, I told my boss I would not be comming in for my shift.  First off the last time this happened I made a compromise and worked part of my shift and he told me to from here on out call her and make sure she got my requests.  Which I think is silly, if you have a good system you shouldn't need to do this.  But I did.  Last month I called her and told her the dates I was checking on and she said she would call me back.....................of course she didn't.  Then, I saw the scedule and of course she had me sceduled.  So, I left a note saying that was the date I called about and we needed to fix it...............did I hear from her? No.  Then I told my boss about it.  He said "oh she has been out sick ut she was in the office that day so I should hear from her"  I gave it 4 more days........nothing.  So I call her.  Before I even talk to her about it, I check to make sure she had my request for my daughter's birthday in March...........................SHE DIDN"T HAVE IT.   HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM  So I say how can all my slips be getting lost?  She says I must be putting them in the wrong box...................hmmmmm.  I say if I was putting them in the wrong box, you would never be able to give me time off.  She tells me well no one else is having a problem............I say that is what worries me!  She basically leaves it with I don't know what to tell you.  i get a hold of my boss and tell him the conversation and the first thing he says is .............I am not gonna get in the middle of some fight between the two of you!  I said, that is not even the point.  He is the front end supervisor........that is his responsibility!  Mind you he is also about 22.  I have nothing against twenty year olds.  I used to be one.  One boss that I had that was 19 was one of the best ones I have had.  my old boss who is 25 was wonderful!  So it is not that.

[julix]

Sorry this is so long!  So I had told my boss I wasn't comming in this last saturday.  mind you I only work 4 hours and he had plently of cashiers.  So he tells me he will call me back.  I had a message from him when I got home from picking up my daughter.  I called back in.  Now it is obvious to me........they planned what was about to happen.  He got on the phone and put me on speaker and to shorten this story they ambushed me with another manger who is also 20 something and procedd to chew me out.  They were unprofessional and never addressed the lost slips.  The manager I saw once and he doesn't even know me.  What disaapointed me was they obviously made this plan and the scheduler got them on her side.  I don't know how............My boss that started as a cashier with me(same training class) and knows me didn't even ever stand up for me.  They ended up bringing up how I missed two days in January cause of my husbands poisioning and my back going out.  I couldn't believe it.  I was devestated.  I ended up bringing in the paperwork proving the days I missed but i just couldn't believe it!  So I am trying to look still for a new job.  It leaves me with difficult choices though.....................I don't want to stay in retail, I am beyond burned out.  But, If I get a regular part time job...........the kids will have to be in day care this summer.  It is such a bummer. if you guys think of anything let me know..........

[zankoku]

I know what I would suggest but that would be slightly illegal or at least frowned upon. :twisted:

You did not say if they fired you or what. If you are still employed with them, you should confront them AFTER you check with the Board of employment about their apparently illegal discrimination of an older woman. You might also check with an employent attorney.

Dust off your resume and look for a new job. Sorry if that interferes with daycare, and I know that is a worry. My son has that issue with three kids and being a single parent.

If you want to blow off steam, you can always IM me. In the meantime, :hugs:

Jim

[julix]

They did not fire me, they gave me three points.........you get 10 before they fire you.  I had a hard time working wednsday night but got through it and I go back tommorrow night so we will see.  Thanks Jim, I hope to be online for a bit tonight , if possible.

[zankoku]

I still believe you have a legitimate grevience against the company. Are they anational company or a local one?

You hang in there and FIND ANOTHER JOB

Jim

[julix]

They are a national one.  You know how work politics go though............there may a hotline to call in about complaints.  Wish me luck with looking for one.  I feel like it will be hard to make any good choices, it is so complicated when you have kids.  Another thing those 20 year olds will find out about.

[Breea]

hun,

i agree with Jim...check out this site ..it might give you some ideas....


http://www.discriminationattorney.com


this will give you an idea about different things...

[Dawg]

I hate hearing stories like this.  I hate it because - particularly with big companies - they'll have a system that lets them get away with such things. They'll always be just within the letter of the law.  If they want to get rid of you, they'll find a way.  It pisses me off something major.

If I might make a suggestion: checking with a labor lawyer or state employment agency to see if they are descriminating is a good idea, but don't hold your breath that anything can be done at this point - you're still working, after all.

But if you want to stick it to them just a touch, something you can do is make sure you toe the company line.  Dig out your employee handbook.  Play their game and see if you can't beat them at it.  If there's a definitive procedure for asking for time off, make very sure you put that slip of paper in the right box - after you make two photocopies of it: one for your supervisor, and one for yourself.  With the date you submitted it written on it.  After all, you certainly don't want this kind of misunderstanding to jeopardize your future employment with this fine company, do you?  

It might not make any difference in the way they treat you, but if you are a model employee it makes it hard for them to find a reason to fire you.  So if they do then you can claim unemployement benefits and maybe even go after them for unlawful discharge - they have to pay back wages and maybe even penalties for that.  And if you photocopy all your internal  transactions you'll have a paper trail your lawyer can use.

Also - most corporations have a separate HR department - and the HR department in addition to doing the hiring and firing also deals with employee discipline issues - and working conditions.  Find out the person who heads up the whole HR Department - the HR Manager, the HR Director, the VP of Human Resources, whatever - and if this behavior continues drop that person a little note saying you believe you are being discriminated against because of your age (or some other factor not known to you).  Hit the high points, don't go into too much detail, but name names.  Do not threaten to go to the authorities, but make sure you keep a copy of whatever you send them - and don't do it by phone, do it on paper or e-mail (print out the e-mail) so you can prove you went through proper channels before you sue.

And as you do this - have you considered temping?  Depending on your skills, a temp/staffing agency might be something to think about.  Depending on the market, you can tailor the jobs you accept to meet your needs.  Of course, there are a lot of variables in that equation but if you need to work special hours and you can be a little flexible on income, that might be an avenue.

A staffing agency might also be a good idea for helping you hunt for a new job.  Just avoid any that want you to pay.

Sorry for the rant-like nature of this - but I've been there and I have little faith in depending on justice at the hands of others.

Stay warm!

I am
Dawg

[Breea]

all excellent points Dawg...nice to have you around...

[zankoku]

It is a good thing we have a lot of jail house lawyers here. :twisted: Dawg made some good points. Don't rely on verbal communications.

Another suggestion. When asking for time off, hand it to the person or if you have email, email it with a return receipt requested. That way they can't say they never got it. Keep a hard copy and a computer copy, just in case.

Jim

[julix]

Thanks guys!  Good to see ya Mr. Dawg................say hi to Mrs. Dawg
You guys all bring up good points.  I am lucky to have all of you. I have to work tonight and am not looking forward to it.  But I will do the best I can.  It is not the customers fault.  That is why I think I do a good job.  I love people and for the most part am very friendly and helpful.

[zankoku]

Do you need us to come up there and whip some A**?

 :twisted:

Jim

[julix]

Do you need us to come up there and whip some A**?

 :twisted:

Jim

LOL,
That is a tempting offer.....most of the people that this happened with don't work nights.....it is beneath them perhaps?

[zankoku]

having done my share of night shifts and week end shifts in my lifetime I learned one thing. Don't mess with the night shift. If tehy don't show up the day shift will have to cover and they won't get their beauty sleep. day workers sometimes get uppity if they never had to pull a 12 hour shift. I did once for or 3 weeks without a day off. Then about a year and a half of 12 hour night shifts.

I also spent 7 years working McD's in teh grill on weekend nights. Saturday night closer. (In addition to my regular day job.) (Worked 2 jobs about 20 years- that's 20 years 7 days a week (except for holidays and vacations)

[mikedx]

Julix,

It sounds like you work with a bunch of high school heroes that are more interested in flirting with each other then working.

You certainly could stick it out, raise enough noise about you being screwed, and they would have to stick to the letter of the law.  But of course once they are against you, do you really want to keep working there?  It's not like they will suddenly become friendly.

I don't know exactly where you work, but aren't there other similar type stores that you could work at?  Unless you are making more money because you have been with them for so long.  I know you don't want to work retail, but you are working there now so why not think about going somewhere else until you find something.

Zan, I worked for McDonald's for four years.  I opened, closed, did maintenance, and worked just about every non supervisor position there was.  6 months after I quit to work where I do now my blood pressure dropped 25 points and I gained 10 pounds.  I'm sure you don't have trouble believing that.

So unless you have achieved something with the company for having worked there for that many years, jump ship to another similar company until you find out what you are looking for.

Mike