So about 18 months ago now I left my IT job with over 100k a year salary to find what I wanted to do because working in that corporatocracy was literally making me want to kill myself. After a long discussion with my wife, we decided it was time for me to leave. Over the next 18 months, I bounced from job to job looking for a nice fit. I worked as a Delivery Driver, Gravedigger, and Landscaper then as a Lawnmower on the local city council. A lot of those jobs brought me outside which was so good for my spirit and the work was always reasonable and made sense it was good, the only problem was with increasing inflation none of them provided enough income for me and my family.
So I started looking again and found a position for a Driving Instructor, this is something I have looked at seriously in the past but it was never really feasible a lot of upfront cost, and then a slow burn to get a stable income again. Anyway so I respond to an ad, get the job, and begin training, over the course of 3 months, I pay out over 8k in fees, car modifications, and, training and we are living on the line.
For the entirety of my training, all I would hear is that way have too much work we can't handle it all, so when I got my instructors license I thought things would start to look up, I have now been an instructor for 4 weeks and I have had 3 clients from the school, each one coming with a 50% commission on the first visit and then a 15% on all following lessons whether they send them to me or not. I accepted this in the contract with plans to do maybe 3 months then get out on my own.
Well, I get a call last week from the Boss let's call him Fred, Fred says there is an amazing opportunity for you, another independent instructor named, Bob is going away and wants someone to pick up all 25 of their clients. Now there is a clause in my contract stating I can't work for other schools but here is the boss telling me it's fine but I will need to pay the 15% commission on every visit. I agree because some work is better than no work, sign the agreement with Bob.
The next day Fred asks to meet up with me and when we meet he says he is leaving the school the co-owner is unhinged and he can't take it anymore. I let him know that I too am leaving I was going to leave it for a while but seemed like the right opportunity. So I handed in my notice.
I then get told I need to give 4 weeks' notice for a job I had been doing for 5 weeks, I begrudgingly agree, notice is not enforceable here but I thought it was the right thing to do. I want to add here I am 100% sure they doctored the contract, I remember vividly 1 week's notice cos I was planning to leave from the start. I was never provided a copy from the business and when I requested one after my notice I didn't get the physical copy but a digital one where the page re notice period had been switched with one that said 4 weeks. Yesterday, I get home and I check FB to speak to Bob in case there have been any new developments or new clients to contact.
Bob tells me Fred's unhinged partner has reached out to him whilst he is out of the country looking after his sick mother. Fred's partner, Joan sent 32 messages to Bob, along the lines of
“X is my driving instructor”
“X works for me”
” You must tell me the details of your arrangement with X”
Bob is obviously upset they left their business for me to manage and they are now having to deal with this maniac. I try to call Joan but she ignores the call, I call again and leave a voice message explaining:
- do not contact Bob the agreement is between him and me and has nothing to do with you
- As per our contract I am now exercising my right to time off with no permission til the end of my notice period. Which is listed under the perks on my contract with them.
This kicked her into overdrive, and she sent back a vicious and unfounded email making claims I know to be false. Saying she has a copy of my agreement with Bob, and I have breached their agreement and I will be taken to court. As Fred and Joan arent talking she is unaware he sent me to Bob and condoned the work. She has also locked me out of the diary system she is contrary obligated to provide me so they can monitor my work and calculate fees. Which I find funny as she has now breached the contract.
It's a real shit show but I am glad I stood up for myself and stopped taking shit from her.
I am now an independent instructor myself, I don't need to pay a commission or work in a certain area I have full autonomy and I love it.
I think the key to enjoying work as much as you can in this dystopian future is to work for yourself in a field you enjoy otherwise work is just too painful.
Anyway, thanks for reading.