I’m 16 and a half and just started a part time job as a cashier. I’m the oldest kid in my family and don’t have other friends with jobs. My mom hasn’t had a similar job since before I was born, so I don’t know if what she thinks is weird is normal by now. I thought this would be a good place to ask.
The first odd thing about this job is that I applied to be a cart clerk, which I was hired for. I did my orientation to be a cart clerk, and my first shift was the next day. The evening after my orientation, I got a call about some “good news”. They didn’t need any new cart clerks, so I would be a cashier (I did not want to be a cashier). This was “good news” because I’d be making $13/hr instead of 12. I have social anxiety and my role as a cashier has not been easy for me.
They also said I’d be cross-trained, but I’ve only done cashiering.
Second thing is that I was only trained for maybe 2 hours total. This was on-the-job training. My mom said she was surprised I didn’t get like a week of training like she expected.
Third thing: when I worked an 8.5 hour shift (my third shift not including my orientation), I got a half an hour lunch break and two ten minutes breaks. This is the same for the 7.5 hour shifts I’ve worked. When I worked 5 hour shifts I got just one 10 minute break. My mom seemed shocked that I got so little time for breaks.
Fourth thing, they take disciplinary action when you’ve had 3 sick days in 3 months or 5 in a year. If you get covid, you’re not allowed to come to work, but every day you miss is a sick day unless you’re accepted for FMLA.
They never mentioned an employee discount, which my mom found weird.
Everyone my mom has heard from has loved working for this company, and most people at my work like it too. But i did tell one other employee about the breaks I get on an 8.5 hour shift and he was like “oh that’s nothing” (in a way that implies he works longer shifts with the same/fewer breaks).
I’ve worked 6 days in a row including my orientation. half of those are 7hr+ shifts. My last shift was 7.5hrs yesterday and my next is the same tomorrow.
When I interviewed, I said I didn’t care about hours, I just wanted to work about 3 days a week. Being part time, I didn’t think I’d work full days.
I’m exhausted. I feel like I can’t keep my eyes open. I’m stressed and depressed and unmotivated but I don’t know what to do. My body hurts, especially my legs and feet from standing for so long. I don’t want to be a cashier. If every job is like this, how am I ever supposed to keep one?