I don't know how many people will see this, but I really need to get it off my chest. I recently got a new job, and something seemed wrong from the beginning. I applied to be a hostess at a small-business restaurant in my area. (I don't like serving.) I am in high school.
The manager (let's call her Donna) didn't really train me. She kept insisting I needed to “master” hosting before I was allowed to do anything else. There were no reservations, I wasn't allowed to answer the phone, and I wasn't allowed to do to-go orders. (Because that would warrant me having to learn the menu, and I guess I'm too 'incompetant' for that.)
On my first day, all the servers had something to say about Donna. This warranted many red flags. One called her a micro manager, one said she was, “a raging b*tch” and one said “she liked things done her way.” I should have taken this advice and ran!
On my 7th day working there, I had completely checked out at that point and was looking for another job. My docility towards Donna wasn't obedience, it was resentment. She didn't know how to talk to people without being rude (including customers) and was completely dismissive towards anything she didn't agree with. Most of my training came from the other servers and not her. She didn't teach me how to do ANYTHING. Why would she hire me if she didn't trust me to do my job? I have extensive restaurant experience. Although I am quite young, I know how restaurants operate and I know how to work. I am not incompetent.
On the aforementioned 7th day, I had mainly been bussing because that's the only thing I figured out how to do on my own. (I mean, she wouldn't teach me how to host, so why bother?) After a large table with many children got up and left, I resorted to getting a broom and sweeping up the broken crayons and soggy french fries off the floor. Note, I didn't even know where to get the broom and dust pan, if that tells you how little I've been taught. Admittedly, I set the dust pan on the table. Yes, I know I shouldn't have done that, but it was an honest mistake. The table had to be wiped anyway, I didn't give it a second thought. Donna came by and asked me if I could seat people, and I said there was a wait list. I took it as the CAPABILITY to, not as an actual demand. I resumed sweeping and she screamed at me, “Go seat people RIGHT NOW!” The dining room was full.. she screamed at me in front of dozens of people. We were in the middle of the room, everyone heard it… I didn't feel rebuked, I felt disrespected. Not like a frustrated demand, but like she didn't care if I went to hell or not.
Later that night, I realized that it really just really hurt my feelings. I asked her later when we weren't so busy if I could talk to her.
Me: “Hey, can I talk to you? I don't really like how you talked to me back there while I was sweeping.”
Donna: “Well when I tell you to do something, YOU DO IT. You left the dust pan on the table!”
Me: “I didn't know any better. I don't care how many mistakes I make, I don't like the way you treated me. I want to be treated with basic human respect. I can't know if you never teach me anything.”
Donna: “I don't know who you think you're talking to. You can't talk to me like that in front of all these people!”
HOW IRONIC.
“That's how you talk to me!” I retorted.
Donna: (I kid you not) “I'm operating a multi-million dollar company. You either need to work harder or part ways.”
Me: (I was getting heated now) “I don't care who you are. I want to be treated with basic human decency. If you talk to me like that again, I will walk out of those doors and never come back.”
Donna: “Okay! You can go then.”
“I can go now? Okay, bye!”
(Paraphrased from memory.)
I walked home and cried. I feel like I want to talk to the owner or something.. is it considered being fired if I consented to it? I felt a big relief off my shoulders, however. I knew I was going to be looking forward to a summer of having my neck constantly breathed down if I didn't stop now.
I have to go back in a few days to get my last paycheck. I want to tell one of the servers what ACTUALLY happened, as I can guarantee you Donna will be twisting the narrative on why I don't work there anymore. To clear my name, you know? The servers all loved me deeply, despite me not working there for very long. I haven't found another job yet, but I'd rather stress about not having a job than ever go back to that place. Was I being unreasonable? Understand that this is a small release of a week of pent up resentment and me swallowing my words. She's worked there for 20+ years, but doesn't know how to talk to people nicely. I can't believe i got fired/resigned because she refused to TREAT ME LIKE A HUMAN BEING.
Tl;dr I asked boss to treat me with basic human respect after she yelled at me in front of an entire room of people, she kicked me out.