I started a new job as a machinist last week and I’m on my second week and I’m already being humiliated by HR and management.
Right now I’m training as a machinist, it’s 46 hours a week which I’ve never done before. I graduated college back in May and the job market has been such trash that I decided to take this opportunity since the money is pretty decent and so are the benefits. However, I am not used to this much physical labor and being constantly on my feet. Nearing the end of week two, I’m finally adjusting to it and I’m not as physically tired anymore.
Yesterday, while my trainer was fixing something I decided to sit down for a few moments to rest my feet and body. The trainer thought I fell asleep, I very much wasn’t asleep. I was well aware of what she was doing and had taken the moment to take pressure off my aching body. She stepped away for a moment to do something. Apparently she told management I was sleeping instead of watching her and that she was “uncomfortable” because of that (this is what I was told by my manager and tbh feels very grade school tattletale-like to me). I got pulled into HR at the end of the day and told I fell asleep and if I do it again I’ll be “let go”. I tried to tell them what actually was going on but they wouldn’t listen. Then they used me being tired while listening during the class room sessions the week before as evidence, which is bullshit.
I came into work today to find I’ve been moved to another trainer until I can prove I’m not gonna be tired or sit down during work hours. Then not even a half hour later I get pulled back into HR and told I need to get it under control for “my safety”. I once again explained that I didn’t fall asleep and I was just not used to the physical labor. Again, because they thought I was asleep (I wasn’t) during some classroom talks and that I sat down during work that I can’t be trusted to not fall asleep while working. Thus, I am not allowed to train until Monday when I get to wear a special ear device that makes a loud sound in your ear if you begin to fall asleep. I’m the only one that has to wear it and it’s absolutely humiliating.
To top it all off, they had me clean their storage room today alone instead, which is something interns do. Tomorrow, I get to just shadow in a different department. While cleaning the storage room, I cried. I felt so humiliated.
To add in some more context, I learned a lot already to the point I was doing so much work and so well over the last three days that my trainer got to stand next to me and read a book (which I brought up but they excused because she’s not new). At one point, we had to wait for something to get done before we could continue. So my trainer literally just walked away and left me at our station. I couldn’t do anything but wait and I got lectured for looking at my phone and not asking my trainer questions (which I couldn’t do cause she wasn’t there, I had no idea where she went).
I found out through some digging that upper management is basically like it’s own little fraternity, they only do what’s best for them and definitely play favorites. Some are even related. It doesn’t matter how much I explain the truth to them, they won’t listen. Instead I feel angry and humiliated.