Hello. Thank you in advance for reading my post.
I have been working for a cannabis company for over 5 years. I've been with the company through multiple management changes and corporate restructuring. I've had over 40 Assistant Managers and 8 different store managers. I've worked at 3 of our 5 locations throughout the years.
I started seeing problems long ago but considering this has been the best job I've ever had, I have chosen to ignore them time and time again.
The most recent I can't seem to get over.
A little about me and my skill level: I have over 8 years of accumulated customer service experience. In the past I have also been a line cook, a server and a farm hand. I'm no stranger to hard work, and going above and beyond for my team.
When I started with this company 5 years ago, it was my first and only legal cannabis job. I was more than ready to give it my all, and for multiple years I really did give it my all.
I was promoted 2 times in my first year. I was hired as a cashier and quickly got promoted to budtender. From budtender, I was promoted to Expeditor, which is basically an order picker and liaison to Inventory Control.
I worked that position for well over 3 years. I repeatedly busted my ass, stayed over my designated shift, and was constantly trying to learn and grow for the next position.
I've applied to Assistant Inventory Control over 5 times now. Every single time, the position is given to someone else younger than me or someone with a different gender.
At this point, I think I've been with the company long enough to see why. They are big on appearances and have had lawsuits in the past for favoritism and sexism, so they are essentially trying to “not look a certain way” but at this point it's blatantly obvious and extremely unfair.
I could go on and on about all that's happened in the past but I will just mention the most recent.
I applied to an Assistant Inventory Control position within the company. They informed me that they chose someone else, and told me better luck next time.
But here's the kicker: The person they hired, a female, was a person that I trained. They chose her over me despite her having no more experience, and less seniority with the company.
ANOTHER kicker is that she used to date somebody who works at the location she was hired at. This is a big no no in the company, yet they would choose her as a candidate instead of me.
This is just one of MANY of these kinds of situations, not only to me but also to others. Everybody says I should just leave but the thought of leaving without being heard or even acknowledged just hurts me to the core. I have bled for this company and worked so hard for so long, only to be ignored and disregarded.
Please help
TLDR: The company seems to bend over backwards for all the wrong people and all the wrong reasons. I know my success and well-being are being directly affected but I don't know what to do.