Some background:
I’m a student worker as an office assistant for a college program for disadvantaged students. I really like working where I study, it makes things convenient, they are very flexible with my hours and working in a cushy office is nice as a community college student. Unfortunately the program never really recovered from covid, and we’ve struggled to maintain enough students for funding(and enough employees to keep up). This has really stressed out my boss’s boss who has taken out their frustration on me and my boss as far as I’m aware. She’s singled out my cellphone use, and constantly accused me of inappropriately being on my phone, this was only true two times, and it was after a recent change in our cellphone policy, which seemed to only be enforced on me… Sarah also singled me out infornt of all my coworkers and told me to take more initiative on a project that I had stayed late with them to finish. A project which wouldn’t have been competed in time had I not stayed late since we finished about 5 mins before we closed. For this same project, Sarah suggested I check out a new technique my coeworker had come up with. Upon hearing this I got to go ask, and Sarah stops me and says, something about me not having to use my coworkers system, and to just use what ever works best. Later she sees me using my own technique and tells me I should be using the other method and that this was why I’m so slow…
A few days ago, after scanning some documents on the office scanner/printer, I was waiting to see them appear on my phone to make sure everything came out okay. As I check my phone, my boss’s boss walks in, let’s call her Sarah and asks me what I’m doing on my phone. I explain it to her but she doesn’t believe me. I then show her, and she states that I’ve obviously changed it. Then as we’re arguing the document pops up, time stamp and all. After realizing her mistake, she changes the subject and says she’s not actually mad about the phone…
She says she’s been wanting to reach out to me regarding my performance, as it has been severely lacking, and that she’s suspects I’m either:
Dealing with debilitating family issues
Or unhappy with my job
Then suggests I take have more initiative
I look at her like she said something incomprehensible, because those words came completely out of left field.
I asked her if she was serious since I haven’t pickup on any of that, and I’m myself, and she just blankly repeating herself. Then told me she wanted to talk to me alone in two weeks after her field trip with students to SoCal.
Later as I’m working, Sarah right in front of me very obviously walks over to my boss’s office and closes the door loudly. She loudly talks about me, and what happened at the printer. Sarah then leaves visibility upset. Given what little my boss told me, it seemed like my boss did back me up
I don’t really know what to do, I’m tired of being harassed but I really do like this job. I’m thinking of maybe joining a new work study job, but I’ve already ran out of federal work study money, and I’m not sure anywhere will want me without that free coin. The place I’m working at is paying me directly out of their own pockets since they are desperate for workers, and can’t risk losing me. I honestly think that if I quit the whole office would come to a snails pace.
I don’t really know what do, any advice is more than welcomed, especially some info on entry level jobs similar to what in doing now
Thank you!!!