I haven't worked since last summer. And I'm not sure if I can function normally as an employee at any job ever again.
My last boss told me to take out the trash after telling them someone threatened to kill me just before work. Boss responds casually telling me another employee was threatened with a stabbing just outside the front door. All saying it like it was nothing (except for the taking out the garbage part. very adamant about that)
And the employee who was threatened with stabbings?? Boss told me they were thinking about firing them – all because it took too long for them to park the tour van out front (like 5-10 minutes, in the middle of one of the busiest parts of downtown in the middle of summer). Not even giving a thought this employee gets 5-star reviews from tour guests. And travels about an hour to get to work.
And this was just a week after telling them about a houseless individual who stopped my tour group to show how someone had tried to set them on fire the night before (their right shoe partially melted, and one pant leg all blackened from the attempt). Boss couldn't care less. A human being had just been set ablaze – and not even a hint of emotional reflection from the statement.
A few days later a guy with tattered clothing and a gaping wound on his face walks in with his hands turning something around in his front sweater pocket, and just stares at me. I say hello, ask him if he's okay…he just grins at me and walks out the door. I made that my official last day.
Sent the boss a letter of immediate resignation, stating the job is unreasonable to perform due to safety concerns and lack of care about it. Let them know explicitly how uncomfortable the situation had become in such a short amount of time. …About 10 minutes later boss calls and texts me frantically offering me $100 to come in, saying that if I don't, no one will want to take my shifts.
Employees being threatened with extreme violence and death didn't matter that much. Just 100 bucks.
A bicycle tour company specializing in downtown routes through a downtown of a city in the midst of a housing, drug, mental health, and gun violence crisis.
I've had some pretty bad work experiences and bosses, but none that ever made me question if the person was a legitimate sociopath. The absolute lack of emotional intelligence was astounding, and I think it's left me feeling like employers don't really care.
All my previous bosses now, I wonder if they would act the same – even the ones who were nice.
I took on the job because I love riding bikes with people and helping them to feel safe and comfortable while doing so. I took on the job because I love the city and showing people around in it. I took on the job because I love human beings in motion.
I took on the job to feel good. Not to be death threatened and then made to feel like garbage for voicing it.
The pay wasn't even adequate, and I still wanted to do it. And I might have stayed if the company had shown care to that. Instead, they showed me nothing but a toothless sham operating as a supposed highlight of a city – possibly staying open just to milk whatever essence of popularity it's struggling to hold on to. No actual care to help or change what's happening – just postering.
I walked in off of the very streets the business proports to care about, and they showed me just how much. I even went out of my way to stay in hotels close by so I wouldn't be late. Literally costing me more money to go to work than the job pays ($15per hour).
I was coming in purely out of good spirit, and all I got was spit on.
How am I supposed to feel good about giving a tour in a city with residents following through on death threats daily?? And especially so in a business that's supposed to be wholesome acting like human life is cheap.
At the very least, it would have been decent to hear, “Sorry that happened to you. Are you okay? I'm glad you're here with us. We have your back.” Instead, it was:
'Don't worry, your coworker was threatened too. Just take out the trash. I'll give you barely anything to risk your life. And I talk casually about firing people for unreasonable reasons while struggling to find people for the job who want it.'
I went nearly broke to become a tour guide in a city I love very much. I enjoyed touring everyone I did, keeping them as safe as possible, showing them a good time despite the city going through a living nightmare. I could have looked to do anything else, but I chose tour guide specifically.
I wanted to make a positive difference. Even going broke over it if necessary.
If I ever interview for a job again, I'm letting them know about this.