I have worked for a small 'manufacturing' company for 7 years. I have worked in a grunt-esque secretarial/administrative role. It was my first real job out of college, and I lowballed myself for the position by only asking for around 36K with no real benefits. I was young and naive. I still only make $50k.
I have done everything to try and prove myself and gain the respect of others in the company, all of whom are at least 12 years my senior. However, the culture is toxic beyond belief—physical assaults, verbal abuse, sexism, racism, and even some weird nepotism. Assaults have been done to me and others.
I have gone above and beyond, becoming a well-rounded employee while doing favors for the owner, such as being a shuttle service for his girlfriend, going to his house to turn off his alarm, and even being a food delivery person, etc.
So when it came time last week, when I asked for a cost-of-living adjustment because I live in California and gas costs $100 to fill every other week, it was intended to be the first real raise since my last raise 1.5 years ago, which was only $1500 and the ability to make commission (which is nonsense). Before that, my last raise was around two years prior, so I have only received a $1500 raise in 4 years, and again, no real benefits.
The conversation pretty much went as poorly as it could, turning into an hours-long performance review (which is fine, to be honest). But the best they could come up with in terms of what I needed to improve was fixing 'daily mistakes,' such as not turning off the light when I leave a room or not turning off the AC when I leave for the day, etc. They also mentioned that the only way I could be given a 'higher bracket of pay' is if I gain the respect of the other people I work for. Considering I handle tasks like licking their stamps and hole-punching their invoices—tasks they don't want to do—good luck with that.
Anyway, this conversation did end up with the owner of the company saying he would give me a raise, but not what I was asking for ($58k); it would be considerably less. I was expecting this; I went in knowing that I wasn't going to get what I wanted, but he asked me what I wanted, and I told him. However, I was visibly upset due to the 'performance issues' they tried to use as a reason I can't achieve more money. So we ended the meeting, and I went back to work. Not even half an hour later, I got a call from the owner of the company for a one-on-one. He was trying to calm me down and explain his position as the owner of the company, stating that he has to make tough business decisions and that he's never going to be able to give people what they want. He suggested that I lower my expectations for the type of salary I should expect working in a small company. Again, I was expecting these typical things he has said in the past. However, what really pushed me over the edge and led me to write this essay and complain on Reddit is when he said something along the lines of 'you're also not the type of person who has the caliber to make the $80-$90,000 you want to make.' All this while saying he doesn't understand how young people in California can live on X amount of money because it's so expensive, etc., etc. He lives in two multi-million-dollar homes in the Bay Area and Southern California. If he had not said anything and just ended the raise conversation, I wouldn't be making this post, and I also won't be handing in a letter of resignation tomorrow, stating my two weeks.
I know I can find something better. Hell, I can work at McDonald's and probably make the same as a manager. The abuse stops here, the micro-aggressions, all the insults stop here. I will update if anything changes.