So I have been working at a company for a year now, when I first started things were great. I got paid minimum wage but I got tips that made up for it. I liked all my coworkers, I was even friends with some. In January things were dead. I was always “on call” and only worked 10 hours a week. I was promised things would pick up and maybe I’d even be promoted.
That was not the case. Things were slow for months. They could barely keep anyone around. I only stayed because this is my first job in a field I’ve always dreamed of and I wanted the resume and experience to move up eventually.
I asked for a raise when my one year was coming up. I had covered shifts and worked 60 hours when no one would. I had stayed late and missed so many events to fit their schedule.
They kept putting it off and finally said they didn’t have the money. Which was funny because the whole year they had bragged about having more business than they could handle, not to mention the owner had just retired at 40 and left the business to her 20 year old kids.
Fast forward to a month ago when I requested two days off. The scheduling manager very rudely said she needed a months notice. I had never heard that in my year of working there but I let it go.
Until they put out the schedule, which had me working both days. I talked to my actual manager (also the owners teen daughter) and she said it’d be fine. I asked if I needed to get those dates covered. She said to wait and see what the appointments we had that day were.
The day before I asked if I could do anything to help. She said I would be on call, but likely not needed. I reminded her I wouldn’t be in town, I’d be two states away. She messaged me later saying it was my job to get it covered. I said that I had talked to her but she didn’t respond.
The next day she messaged me saying someone at a different location was sick and needed me to come in. Before I could respond some in the group chat said they could cover it, so I continued on with the concert I was at.
The next week I came in and worked as usual, until my manager called me in. She said they needed someone more reliable when things got busy. I decided not to say anything in order to keep my dignity and not embarrass myself. I was so stunned it didn’t hit me until I cleaned out my desk. I said I love you to my coworkers who I’d bonded with even though they had all been hired recently(after everyone else quit)
Do I regret leaving? Not at all. I had the first real vacation in a year and I enjoyed it. Right after I got interviews at other jobs. Jobs are replaceable, memories aren’t.