Hey guys, so I’m in a bit of a pickle. I recently returned to a restaurant job I left to start school during covid and I’ve started back about 3 months ago as a server. When I first worked here a few years ago the place was always pretty spotless for a restaurant, managers were thorough in making sure everyone was held accountable and there were no bug problems. Each day of the week we had specific cleaning jobs to do on top of regular things. Ex. Monday we’d dust our sections, Tuesday we’d bleach and polish shelves where food is stored, etc.
Fast forward to now and all of the old rules and procedures don’t seem to exist. The place is roach infested, food still caked on the walls that I saw my first day back months ago. I’m entirely squeamish about the germs and the contamination so I have a hard time being here, but of course I’m working because I need to. Anyway, I’m painfully aware of the walls caked with hardened old sauces and food debris, what I’m sure is mold growing in a lot of wet/damp places and even the places where food and drinks are served being disgusting. You can see roaches crawling out from behind the bread oven and the drink stations.
I’ve mentioned the conditions to management and nothing has changed- one of the assistant managers even tried to blame the exterminators who spray for bugs when the problem is the place is filthy. They no longer care that the restaurant has fallen apart and it’s a stark contrast to how thoroughly well maintained it used to be.
I now have coworkers coming after me and telling me I’ll be the reason the store gets shut down and they’ll lose their jobs. They’re saying that I’M the reason that our coworkers with kids will lose their income etc. That I don’t HAVE to work there and if I don’t like it, leave. And I’m just shell shocked.
This is a big corporation by the way.
I feel sick to my stomach because on one hand, I do care about my coworkers, though I dislike the guilting. But on the other, I know for a fact if our customers could see what I see, they would never come back.
Management likely already knows or will know soon and I’m worried they’re going to go ahead and fire me even before I’ve done anything. There’s also a sexual harassment case with another manager with an employee.
Am I in the wrong for reporting an unsafe and unhealthy work environment? It can’t possibly be all my fault as people keep implying? I’m not sure if I should try to lawyer up, I’ve never been in a situation like this