Hello- this is my first post here so go easy on me. I’m a college student in the US and have recently went on summer break. I’ve been working retail positions since 15 (I’m 20 now) and decided to go into it one last time before I get a job in my field.
The first job I got was a disaster. Completely disorganized. My manager would often make jokes about wanting to off himself (in front of customers) and they hiring manager legit told me this place had a high turnover rate after hiring me. Nonetheless, I attempted to work there as long as I could. That was until my monthly review. They told me my numbers weren’t high enough and they threatened to hold my pay (note: I got paid on an hourly basis not commission). After I threatened to get a lawyer, they caved and paid me. When I put in my two weeks, they told me they wouldn’t accept it. Even though they didn’t accept it, I quit after 2 weeks
The second job is the one I quit yesterday. Like the other job, it was an assistant manager job in a retail store in the same mall. I genuinely had one week there before shit hit the fan. After a week of working there, without my training completed, my boss scheduled me alone for Father’s Day. According to my boss after the fact, Father’s Day is the second busiest year behind Black Friday. He knew yet still scheduled me alone because he wanted to go to a bbq. He knew I was not finished with training yet still scheduled me alone. Fed me to the wolves. He told me to expect being alone at this job and proceeded to criticize me for closing the store an hour early. Then told me to grow up. When I threatened to quit, he begged me to stay because he can’t find anyone to work there.
My question for all of you is is this normal? Is this abuse from upper management the norm? I don’t remember it being this bad before COVID. These companies are desperate for workers yet treat us like this. Threatening to withhold pay and putting us in situations where we cannot succeed… it’s awful. My friends tell me that’s just retail. To deal with it. How do you deal with it?