i've been lurking here for a while, but i'm at the point where i just need to rant to someone now. tl;dr i'm super burnt out at my job and not getting paid enough, and i'm scared my partner may get fired because of his disability.
i (21M) had to drop out of college and work full-time due to financial problems. i started my current job (at a nonprofit, specifically a 24/7 facility within that nonprofit) in april of this year and my monthly take-home is about $2k ($16/hr with a little extra depending on the shift i work, with benefits/taxes subtracted etc.). that's the lowest end of the salary range i was told. their reasoning for offering the low end was that i am young (so therefore not super experienced) and don't have a college degree. part of me had wanted to argue, but at that point i had $15 in the bank, $16,000 of debt to my name and $1,000 to pay for my share of the rent — i didn't want to take risks because i needed money fast. i just took the offer. my boyfriend (23M) had been giving me money to support me, but it was not sustainable, his salary alone wasn't enough to cover both our living expenses.
even though i'm only 7 months in, i'm already so burnt out and exhausted. my requests re: scheduling are rarely respected. my schedules vary wildly from week to week, and overnight shifts are very common for me, which really messes with my sleep schedule. sometimes i have an overnight shift and then 24 hours after it ends, i am right back to work for the morning shift. it is wrecking my physical health. i'm fatigued all the time and i've only just now found a good eating schedule for each type of shift.
despite all that, at my 6 month review, i got told i am slightly exceeding expectations. despite my inexperience, the fatigue, my own separate health issues, etc. i have managed to do a good job at work. but i have not gotten a raise. i need a raise so bad.
why do i need a raise so bad? i'm terrified that my boyfriend might get fired from his job. he has had his job for a little over a year, and we moved in together in june. he's disabled, but has still managed to go to work in-person 4 out of 5 days each week. well, recently, he injured his knee pretty badly, such that it's extremely difficult and painful for him to get around without a wheelchair. we also don't own a car — he has to use public transit. so he has been working from home every day instead. he's supposed to return to the office tomorrow. but wheelchairs are crazy expensive, we don't own one yet, and his health is bad.
his manager does not seem to understand or accept this situation. my boyfriend's condition is chronic. it is not going away. and his injury may have permanently made it worse. i've heard horror stories — i would unfortunately not be surprised if he got fired because he's not able or willing to go into the office. yes, disability discrimination laws exist, but obviously it's possible to circumvent those. and then what? we'd have to survive solely on my income? choose between a wheelchair to make job searching easier for him vs. paying rent? we have other support systems, but it's not as though any of us are rich enough… and my income by itself doesn't even cover the bare necessities!!
just… ugh. i hate the system we live in. i hate our high cost of living. i hate my job.
thanks for reading :,)