So, I work a minimum wage job in Long Island, New York. I work for a family owned business type of arcade. This guy owns 3 stores. Lately, business has been declining and he's been decreasing hours and raising prices. For context, I fell down the stairs in July at home and this has since been an ongoing issue. I busted up my right big toe, ankle and knee. I'm still in pain and can't stand for long. Since August, I've had a valid and signed doctors note, that my manager has, stating that I can't stand for longer than about 30 minutes and I'll be in a boot until stated otherwise. I'm currently working on finding out what's wrong still. So, I only work the weekends due to college and my injury. So I barely make a living and need money. I also pay my parents money every month so it's hard to get by for me. On the weekends, I work on a position where not many people come by so I can sit for a while. I still do my job and do what I have to get done, but during my down time instead of looking pretty, I can sit on my chair since I'm in a room alone. Today, before I even fully clocked in, my manager said he needed me somewhere else today because the new girl called out. I told him, “but I can't stand and you know this. I have a doctors note.” He wanted me there for 5 hours, then to do double closing work tonight. I was mad because he got snappy and basically told me he doesn't care about my injury or note. So he said either I work on the position that puts me in pain, or I go home. I called my coworker/friend to get his opinion. He said stay for now since my other coworker was going to cover the area on break. She comes back from break and I ask my manager, can I go back to my position now? He tells me, “No. Either you go home or she goes home. I only need one of you. Just because you have a doctors note, doesn't mean you can be wherever you want and do whatever you want. That's not how this works.” I told him that was not my thought process at ALL. I didn't choose this injury, I wish I didn't have it, actually. Then he proceeded to basically call me useless to him at that moment and told me it'd be best if I just went home. I held back the urge to slap him and/or cry. I then said, “No offense, but this is only happening because the new girl called out. She's been shifted for like 2 or 3 weeks and only showed up once or twice. Every other day she called out.” He then said, “Well that's why she doesn't work here anymore.” So then I had said, “Then why is she still on the schedule?” He replied with, “The schedule was made a week ago and already out.” (It can be changed and has been in the past, MANY many many many times. Mind you, this is NOT the main manager, this is the assistant manager who doesn't even make or edit the schedule in any way.) So I was like, huh??? “And NOBODY in management thought to ask anyone if they could cover her shift?” He paused and told me about how that's not the point. I then just walked away, spoke to my coworker, decided to go home and left. Then, after I clocked out a coworker asked me, “Oh, you're leaving?” After only about 45 minutes of being there, and said “Yeah, it's really my only choice.” My manager then complained about leaving not being my only option when I was walking to the back door. I just okay'ed him and said sorry, but I can't cover her and you're refusing to let me work on my scheduled position. Goodnight. I refuse to worsen my injury to save the owner like 100 more bucks, when this guy has more money than he knows what to do with. I try so hard to help them out and do as much as I can, and I do more work than the people who are fine and just lazy, but I've been at this job for almost 2 years and I'm so over it. Mentally and physically over it. I do and have done so much for this job. All of my coworkers who only got hired a few months before me get 16.00+ and I still only get 15.00 after nearly 2 years of busting my ass off, working 25-30+ hours for them until I started college in September of this year after being out of school for a year and working for them almost every day. This isn't the first time something sketchy has happened. (Minors selling alcohol, allowing SA and VA between employees because of “insufficient evidence” when I saw it with my own eyes alongside others. And unpaid breaks, also improper break times. For example, a 30 min break on a 10-12 hour shift.) I just want to know, can I make this a legal issue or anything? I have proof of my injury, MRI, physical therapy appointments and stuff like that, and the doctors note.
TLDR; Manager got mad at me for not wanting to cover a position I can't do due to an injury, then sent me home early because our owner is cheap and wants to save money. He was being extremely rude and disregarded my signed doctors note and all other medical proof.