Hey guys, my first post here. I've lurked this subreddit for a while and realized I'm not alone in hating work. It's a nightmare out there.
Anyway, I recently left my part-time job at Guess after finding a full-time opportunity at O'Reilly Auto Parts, store #2616. Working less than fifteen hours a week just wasn't cutting it, so I had to move on.
I'm not particularly savvy about cars, but figured my sales experience would still land me the job, which it did. The interview went well and seeing the place gave me promise. I had the feeling the store manager wanted to offer me the job then and there, but maybe that's me being cocky? Whatever, I know how to sell shit. I anxiously waited a week with no phone call, but he eventually offered me the job.
So, I started my training about two weeks ago. Everyone seemed to be supportive and I enjoyed this unfamiliar sense of community. However, my first problems with this store happened rather quick.
During my first day of boring training videos, I began to feel uncomfortable. The store's air conditioner was set to an unusually low temperature. I mentioned this to the store manager, but he brushed it off, saying it'll feel nice when you start working outside. But I'm going to be inside most of the time? Alright, whatever. I'll just buy a long-sleeve t-shirt, which I did on my second day.
Aside from that, my first few days were relatively chill. I got along with my coworkers, especially one of the assistant managers. Every day I came home from work, I felt tired but fulfilled. My mother noted this was the first time I didn't complain about working.
Then came the namesake of this post. The retail sales specialist. Whatever the fuck that means.
He was nothing like the others. His immediate energy was that of a drill sergeant, minus the yelling. During our first interactions, he would boss me around by giving me unfair tasks to perform. Ones I wasn't trained on. It would have been different if he was doing it to train me, but I knew what was going on. He wanted me to be his bitch. He wanted my job to be difficult.
I tried to tell the store manager that the RSS was being too harsh on me but he basically told me to deal with it. That's just the way things are with him. What the fuck? So you don't mind someone basically harassing me? Wow.
At the start of my second week, I realized the store manager had scheduled me for ten days in a row, because of a preplanned vacation. Instead of just removing days from my usual schedule, he just moved the five days back. This was gonna suck.
Halfway into this week, I was switched over to the closing shift. To my horror, all of these shifts were with the RSS. But I didn't really prepare for how bad this was about to be.
He would constantly belittle and bully me for every single task I performed, no matter if I did it well. I had to endure talks about my behavior and performance, since apparently I never did things right. At times, he would manipulate me into doing work I wasn't yet trained on. I was constantly in fear for my life at work, because I never knew if his bossing was a joke or not.
On my last day, which was two days ago, he pulled me in for our final talk. He laid out everything I failed at that day: I took too long putting up the planogram tags; I let a line form because I didn't ask for backup; and I went outside to help customers when he was in the back. All of this was because I dreaded going up to him and asking for help. I had no idea if he would snap at me or not.
What upset me the most though? He basically told me to stop being a little bitch. “I'm gonna be tough on you and you're gonna deal with it.” Then he brought up the fact I was gay. To say I was fuming would be an understatement. He implied my sexuality related to my judgment and behavior.
As soon as I got in my car to drive home that night, I vowed to quit this job immediately. I would wake up, call the store manager, and tell him I'm done.
Well, yesterday, I did just that. Well, he refused to answer my call and texted me instead. I told him I wanted to be transferred to the daytime shift, to get away from the RSS. Instead of addressing it then, he said to finish these last two days and talk about it after my vacation. I told him I'd be quitting immediately and his only response was “Okay.”
The funniest thing? Quitting meant I left them desperate to fill my spot for today and yesterday. Suck it.
I'm planning on reporting this to HR, the EEOC, and any other avenue I can take to have this dealt with. I was harassed by the RSS every single day at work, and the cherry on top was his homophobia. Thanks for that. It'll help my case.
Welp, I'm unemployed now. I call it me time.