I work at a retirement home, as a server in the kitchen. My work is bottom of the barrel. You know those kitchen you see in Nightmare Kitchen with Gordon Ramsey? The kitchen is one step away from that. The server area is a cluttered mess; even when the new boss tried to deep clean it. The schedules have me working like a dog currently while I'm still a student and trying to balance paying bills and good attendance. My coworkers are some of the biggest scum I have met, along with my ex boss; who I have to CLEAN UP AFTER. The chef does stuff that would health inspectors in tears; and my GM and his team do borderline illegal stuff out in the open.
I started around 5-6 months ago, when a classmate who was at the job suggested it to me. I happily applied after I had been searching and rejected multiple times because people with more experience had applied to the same jobs I had. I applied- and got a phonecall for an interview almost the next day. My first experience with my ex boss should've been the first red flag. I had to sit in the bistro for 20 minutes waiting for him to stop running around like a chicken with his head cut off. I had finished my paperwork within a few minutes, came prepared WITH my foodhandlers card, CPR certification, SSN card, etc. I researched the company the night before, read their statement; everything to prepare for the interview and dressed as professional and mellow as possible. When he finally went to take my interview, we sat at a bistro table NEAR the entrance so all the elderly could hear my business. The only questions he asked is if I could hustle and if he could take my cards and etc to the back to take a copy. Second red flag. The interview was really only 6 minutes at the most and when I tried to ask questions about the work environment he gave vague answers and just told me that “We are a family here and hustle.”
My first day I was thrown into the chaos, with no proper training. I just shadowed someone, and that happened for the next few days; one of those days my trainer just sent me to bust tables since no one else would. Not even the expo. I didn't complain, I did my work and clocked out. Then we had a lockdown. I had to unlearn everything I was “taught” then relearn the lockdown protocol. That's when I learned they require us to do stuff that's not even in our job description. I had to clean up messes for residents, adjust their chairs, help them around, etc. Once out of lockdown, I was thrown out on the floor without proper training on the BUSIEST section. I had to balance getting orders, running around running other people's floor, etc, etc all while by a fire and at the end of the night do my sidework. They shut the lights off on me while I was vacuuming.
I was the only one to vacuum under tables and chairs before our new boss came; and was scolded by other coworkers for doing so.I have covered once for about every single coworker – and not one has covered for me. The only time that came close was when my manager switched me and a coworkers shift.
At the beginning; all I asked for was Monday and at least ONE weekend day off. I kept my schedule as flexible as possible but ended up having to remind my boss (even when I stated it at the beginning) that I am a student and cannot afford to be scheduled this much; let alone more than people who fully worked there, not part time. I was constantly called in and scheduled on both weekend days, skipped school to come in when other shifts were short staffed. I came in to help a shift that only had 2 people. On a holiday.
Of course, my attendance has slipped, I've been developing back problems and memory issues due to the stress.
A new boss recently came, someone I actually know pretty well, since I referred them to the job. They started off as a server as well, but quickly climbed the ladder to restaurant manager since our current one was going to leave to be a postal man (he's still working here and paid manager wage. he works front desk.) She finally fixed the uneven and flawed sidework; scolded everyone for not vacuuming correctly and setting tables like they've already been sat at. She did all this WHILE working the floor and all my coworkers depended on her and left all the tables for her to bust. Her work started to slip, so our HR manager told her to stop working the floor and let the servers handle it. Then the rumors and shit talk started since the new boss wasn't cleaning up after other people's mess.
Around 2 months ago we finally had our work orientation (which was supposed to happen the first week we were there) in which we were informed not to talk about our wages and that the elderly in our facility are aloud to do and say anything, even if it harms others and we can't do jack about it. I was also informed that my ex boss “never got my food handlers card on record” and tried to get me in deep shit for handling food without it. I almost lost my mind but emailed it to him MULTIPLE times so he couldn't pull anything. I also forwarded the email to HR.
It's slowly been coming out recently that he also didn't get copies of food handlers cards, CPR certificates, etc of other employees. We've been serving old people uncertified.
We've also been feeding them mold, grime, old food. I tried speaking up when I first noticed BLACK MOLD on our soda machines but quickly got shut down. Thankfully, our new boss had a few employees including myself sign up for a deep clean – and I found a new set of nozzles for the soda machine to replace the old molded ones. The chef, often works without gloves- switching from raw meat to vegetables. He does sneaky things behind my bosses back (at least he thinks) and tried to save money by not getting the soda machine and tools cleaned. My boss stole the keys to the machine so he couldn't keep it running, and had it cleaned.
I try to report to HR and the GM but theyre never here – even when it says in the workbook the GM is required to stay for minimum one meal a day. I want to report to the health department but I'm not sure – and my boss is currently dealing with the aftermath of an appendix surgery (to which almost all my coworkers are upset and texting her when she'll be back just so she can come and do their job).
Currently my ex-boss is running the schedule making and I'm scheduled for 5 days in a row – 2 8 hour shifts on schooldays. Both weekend days scheduled. I'm so sick of this job – it's causing me so many stress related issues I've had to schedule so many appointments on my days OFF. My school keeps adding on extra pressure – asking me to attend after school activities and ragging on me for my slipping grades when I've asked them to give me some breathing room.
This isn't all that's happened but I'm tired and have to get ready for another shift with a bleeding nose.
TDLR; my job and coworkers have no respect for me, my time, the law, or my sanity. or my new boss.
edit: i forgot; i don't own a car so i commute by bus!! takes me 30-60 minutes for a one way trip there. i sacrifice a lot of time to get there and get home an hour past closing 😀 and my coworkers still complain i dont do enough work even when i cover