I've tried so hard to work with the public for 20 years. Where I can tolerate customers, especially when I have authority to tell them off if needed (which usually is only when they are getting violent with a colleague or with me), I cannot tolerate the back stabbing and disrespect from colleagues especially if they are abusing their position over me.
I have ADHD and Dyslexia, I have decided that I will proudly talk about having these disabilities because I had tried to avoid get help for the 24+ years I've been diagnosed with the conditions. It doesn't make me any less of a person, but the suppression had given me severe depression and social anxiety. I am done trying to hide and recently took steps to properly get treatment.
Anyway, I changed jobs because a manager absolutely begged me to join her team from a competiting store. It meant I had to give up my old job even though I wanted to work casually, given how short staffed the original place was and how much I liked the manager there (even if they refused to deal with an aggressive colleague that was trying to fight me daily). The new place offer a union position, a title (and pay) of supervisor, plus other benefits that were too good to pass up on.
But, here is the problem. The new place's manager has known me for years, I used to babysit her kids and my mother was close friends with her when she lived in my hometown. She knows I have ADHD and somewhat of a learning disability (counselor described dyslexia as being on the spectrum of learning disorders). She knew what she was going to get before she pestered me into joining her store.
The old store I worked for only (mostly) employed people with mental disabilities of various kinds. The colleague I had issues with was in the early stages of dementia, and all I wanted was the managers to speak with her about her aggressive behaviour being inappropriate. Everyone else either had ADHD, depression, or one guy even was schizophrenic (he was actually awesome, if he forgot to take meds he would cope by telling others what he was seeing until his girlfriend showed up with his meds). The general manager herself was extremely ADHD.
The new store apparently never had to deal with a person with adult ADHD symptoms. I was having issues with my symptoms worsing my Executive Functions and Working Memory, that I decided to seek more medical help, as the new management I was under doesn't know how to respond appropriately. I also took it upon myself to inform HR about my disabilities and that I was planning on getting an updated diagnosis to give them a copy… HR apparently didn't know what ADHD was or how to accommodate it… disability management is part of the Human Resources course I'm currently taking in my General Business course… I told them I could ask for extra resources if I can get an early booking (though it's HR's job to research this stuff not mine exactly).
Anyway, my coping methods, poor time management, and bad working memory, has caused the management to become extremely nitpicky about how I completely tasks. Like borderline OCD level of nitpicking. I can't even remove myself to somewhere private (other than the bathroom) without someone following me just to overhear me swear or tell myself what I was hired for.
Like just recently I had an assistant manager accuse me of being impatient and aggressive towards customers, when I only raised my voice because I was asked to. Instead of listening to me explain the context, she kept claiming I was making an excuse and it was unacceptable no matter the reason. She also accused me of complaining about not being paid enough, and didn't listen to the context of that either. (I had told myself: “I am not paid enough to do an IT's job…”, which I ment as people who are IT professionals get paid more to answer the questions a recent customer kept asking me. Not that I wasn't paid enough for the position I'm currently in.).
Anyway, since she completely disrespected me and wouldn't listen, I shut the conversation down immediately. Which she snarkingly said “Kisa, do you know what responsive feedback is?”, which I just said “Yep, sure.” before walking away to help someone. She then proceeded to get mad at me for saying “Yes?” instead of “Hello!” over the intercom, when she called in from outside and marched back in just to lecture me on how she wanted me to answer when it was never a problem before.
Basically if and when they attempt to fire me (still don't understand the point of begging me to join the team if this was a goal), before I get my updated diagnosis/get properly treated and accommodated for my disabilities, I will move forward with a discrimination lawsuit. My counselor even mentioned that I might have to be the wake up call this company needs to realize they cannot be playing these little power games, especially if they hit the wrong person. I mentioned I'm in general business, I am literally paying $10,000 to do management's job with professional training (instead of being promoted into the position through back stabbing and smoozing my way up). I know my rights and actually think it would be fun to go through the court process, especially when I know I would win no matter how many corporate lawyers may attempt to fight me (which they wouldn't after 2 seconds of research, since I'm a protected class).
TL;DR: Retail sucks, I'm thinking of becoming a freelance writer after my current job attempts to fire me before I can get properly accommodated for my permanent long-term disabilities.