I'm going through a really rough spot right now. Since October 1st, I've been homeless as a result of domestic violence(with no resources that I've been able to find since the abuse comes at the hands of family and not an intimate partner). I've also managed to show up for every one of my shifts despite the fact that I no longer have a safe place to live.
When all of this happened, I thought to myself, “Well, you spent four years working at a hotel so at least you have someplace to go.” HA! Wrong.
I won't go into the whole drama and nastiness that was thrown my way but, suffice to say, my employers told me that I had until yesterday and then I wouldn't be allowed to stay any longer despite the fact that I was paying the full employee rate to do so. I was distraught after investing years of service into this hotel just to essentially be told to go fuck myself and live out of my car while I try to find my footing after everything I've been though.
I'm not gonna lie, it was a real punch to the gut. But, when they asked me to come to the desk before checkout, I was completely blindsided when they called me into the back office to hand me a written warning. Not for staying at the hotel, but a bold faced lie from a new hire that told a completely fabricated story about having issues working with me, DISCUSSING those issues with me, and none of said issues being resolved, which was fucking news to me because the written warning was the very first time I'd heard about ANY of these issues.
I was dumbstruck. Four years of working there, never a single disciplinary action, and they drag me in for this on the same day that they were throwing me out of the hotel, knowing I didn't have anywhere else to go(except for work at my other job that I was already running late for). They wanted me to sign the paper but I could barely even process what was happening. I needed to leave to get to my other job but I wanted to read the paper before signing it and write my input on the back but I didn't have time, I had to go. I pointed out that I wasn't on the clock, wasn't comfortable being forced to sign off the clock or before I had a chance to read or add my own input and was told I didn't have a choice, it HAD to be signed right then.
I pointed out that I'm due back in on Friday and again asked if I could wait until I was on the clock to properly read and respond to the written accusations that would be going on my employment record and was again told no. I damn near quit on the spot over this and the only reason I didn't was because I need this job if I want to stand a shot in hell of getting my own safe place. Instead, I just fucking sobbed while I signed it and stormed the fuck out to get to my other job.
Now I already know that what they've done is ridiculously cruel and beyond malicious but I'm wondering whether it's actually legal for them to have handled things this way. It probably is, knowing how fucked employment laws are in PA. Wageslaves don't deserve meal or bathroom breaks or anything else for that matter!
Still, I figured it was worth asking and would love to hold the people that I've busted my ass for accountable for twisting the knife that much deeper when they know how much I'm struggling already.
And just so nobody worries too much, I'm spending a few nights on a leaky air mattress at a friend's house while I try to get a rental application approved, so I'm safe for the moment, just trying to piece together my poor broken heart and lowkey trying to plot a bit of vengeance for once the immediate emergency has passed.