apologies in advance for any formatting issues, i’m on mobile. as a note, i use they/them pronouns! all names in this story will be changed.
i (18) had a job on campus for two weeks, and just got fired this morning. it was very sudden and unexpected, and all happened within a half hour. as it turns out, it’s over something that happened yesterday. i won’t give too many specifics, as i’m not sure how far this post will go.
essentially, i have severe issues with my joints. i haven’t gotten a diagnosis, but it’s along the lines of Elhers Danlos. coupled with getting my period that day, i was in a lot of pain. the job required me to be walking around for 2-5 hours, depending on my shift length, and in my state, it’s SUPER cold right now.
all of these factors culminated in me going inside a building to take a 15 minute break. i sat at a table, and had my laptop out, so i could keep an eye on the time. and just my luck, my manager, Wilson, comes into the building and sees me sitting.
i told Wilson the situation, including my cramps, and he seemed super understanding. i ended my break, and went to another area, since he was taking over that area. then, i get a text from my friend asking where i was.
as it turns out, there was another manager, Eleanor who had come. for some reason, had assumed i was falsely clocked in. i showed up within a few minutes and explained where i had been, and again, included that i was in a lot of pain with cramps. Eleanor also seemed understanding, and clocked me back in (she had apparently scribbled out my clock in time from 4 HOURS AGO without talking to me first. she hadn’t done this to anyone else.)
i had about an hour left on my shift, so i told Eleanor i would be going outside another building, which she said was fine. i spent the whole hour there, and finished my shift without incident. Eleanor finished the shift by giving everyone this big presidential speech about how they were sick of paying us for slacking off. she said she’d seen a lot of bullshit that day, and was tightening things up. then, we were all free for the night.
this morning, i get a call from the head supervisor, Wendy, who usually texts me to confirm my shifts for the next day. she asked me about my break, and once again, i tell her that i was on my period, and just needed a moment to sit and manage my pain. at this point, i was sick of telling people i was bleeding, but i know that my joint pain won’t get taken seriously, and this was my only hope. Wendy says she’s going to contact Wilson, the one who had seen me taking my break, and the call ended.
20 minutes later, she calls me back, and says Wilson had told her i was working on homework. for reference, i ONLY had my laptop out. i was keeping a timer of my break, and he hadn’t even looked at my screen. i had explained that to him, AND i explained that to Wendy. Wendy said that the position wasn’t for me, and that they had to let me go. she told me my previous hours would be compensated, and that i didn’t have to show up today.
when the call ended, i was PISSED. i texted my mom about it, and then checked my bank account. the pay didn’t match up, so i begrudgingly contacted Wendy. because the structure is a mess with this job, i was then sent an email by someone completely different, Phoebe.
Phoebe’s email was essentially such a dumbed down version of US pay policies, which annoyed me to no end. the email told me that my pay was for only one of the two weeks worked, and the other week will be paid out next week. that day can’t come soon enough, i’m so sick of these people.
to that job i say, go screw yourselves. now i know why everyone hates you. good riddance!