Big post incoming. I’d add more but it’d be more ridiculous.
I worked a graveyard shift 5-6 days a week, 4 pm to whenever we got finished which was normally around 4-5 am at a warehouse once I left college (another story entirely). I needed the money and I didn’t care to break my back for a little while. Mainly wanted to work there because a friend of mine worked there, so I went and got hired immediately.
Essentially, I learned the job better than everyone except for my friend on a few things and my bosses. I filled in for people when they were out, I stayed late nearly every night, I came in at 1 pm to work on machines on Sunday’s, Friday’s I worked produce, and I learned how operate our old 1980’s computer software (wish I was kidding). Whatever the time, I could fill in for any employee, the assistant, and two of my bosses.
The job was horrendous. I worked in the freezer technically, and it was -20 F all the time but the drain pipes for our refrigerator units busted so guess who got to work in sub-zero conditions while getting misted with water and slipping on SLABS of ice? The steel that we held product in was not bolted to the floor, ALL the fire exits were blocked by product, and other workers regularly got hit and/or injured from lack of safety precautions.
Needless to say, everyone hated it. We were short staffed as it was, sometimes 4 or 5 people doing the work of a dozen men. And of course people just wouldn’t show up for work, ever. But what made that worse was our bosses refused to hire people as it impacted their yearly bonuses. Fed up doesn’t quite describe the feeling.
Well the time came for me to say goodbye and I did it in the best way possible. I talked to the main boss and told him I was gonna go back to school so I’ll be leaving in 3 weeks or so. He told me okay, no need to worry about the others I’ll let them know. Good deal, glad that’s over with. Worth noting we didn’t do 2 week notices. People literally walked out every week or so. My 3 week notice was an anomaly.
3 weeks later and I’m going in for my last shift. At the end of it my boss tries to make me reconsider leaving. In his words, “You’re young, I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal but medical insurance is important. If you work a 4 day shift you can keep it.”
This is my favorite part. “You never gave me insurance.” The stunned look on his face I’ll never forget.
I had asked several times about it previously and was told that the office would handle it. They didn’t. So my bosses freaked out that they were going to lose me, and failed to realize I had all the leverage and they had none. I made myself so valuable to that company and they couldn’t even give me the insurance in my contract.
Jokes on them. 3 people quit the same day I did (one being my friend) and it doesn’t look good. There’s only five people working full time now and one of their stores just closed down.
Lesson learned. Don’t endure a workplace for months hoping and praying things get better. Better is out there.
TLDR: boss tries to stop my departure by letting me keep the insurance he never gave me.