So, yesterday I asked for my first raise. I’ve been with the small business for 11 months and have grown quickly. In that time I have identified organizational issues, created training documents, and act as a manager without the title. So I asked for a dollar raise. I deserve it, and my boss agreed. During this conversation she admitted to me that she docks an hour or two from other coworker’s tip share when she feels they looked at their phone one two many times, or handed out a wrong order, whatever. (This is not news to me – she has passive aggressively bullied other coworkers into quitting by reducing their hours, giving them the silent treatment during shifts, etc.).
My manager later asked me how the conversation went, and I was transparent with her. Cut to – I get home, receive an influx of berating text messages from big boss lady. How could I be so unprofessional, immature, unethical… It is strictly forbidden to discusses wages at all between coworkers…
I reply with my confusion and ask her to call me, as this conversation is not appropriate over text. (She has a history of sending text barrages to employees whom she is upset with).
Luckily I recorded the phone conversation. She screamed for 20 minutes about how badly I make her look and how everyone is going to want a raise because of me. As if I was unionizing everyone against her. She insulted my work ethic and said if she knew I was going to tell my manager what happened then she never would have given me a raise in the first place. The key here is we found out my manager is getting paid less than me, and has been there for 8 years. Barely over minimum wage, mind you. I was honest with my manager and said I think she deserves a raise too. Boss thinks because she plows everyone with alcohol and weed and food that we should forgo all of our rights as workers.
Anyways. Long story short – I feel super uncomfortable and unsafe in my workplace. I know she has a history of retaliation. I am living paycheck to paycheck right now. I’m scared. I have evidence of these events but I have no idea what to do. I struggle with CPTSD attacks regarding verbal abuse and I can’t stop shaking. I need to leave, but I want to do so safely and cover my ass in case I need to. (Apply for unemployment? Use up all my sick time? Call for an HR investigation?) If anyone has experience with something like this or a perspective they could share, please do 🙂 I would really appreciate it.