Last year we had this girl (we'll call her Ashley, that's not her real name,) complain that Joe (not a real name) had verbally harassed her. The assistant manager too said he asked to “grab your a^xx.” It's inappropriate enough to ask at work, but multiple times after they firmly said no? This goes all the way back to his first day when he said something that me, the assistant manager, and another key holder thought was shocking. Something about a^xx, I can't remember. He even bragged about buying drugs in the parking lot on the clock and showed my coworkers. I might even try edibles. I don't care who smokes what, you do that at home not at work.
You could see the bond he was forming with our manager as they laughed on their way out of the first shift. She got along with him the same as another key holder. And I'll get to her later. Our manager dismissed all this saying Joe was joking, and no surprise Ashley left our neglectful management. We were told she wanted the higher pay from a cleaning business across the street. I'm looking at an ad now this business has on Indeed, and it's probably only $1 more per hr than what she was already getting. Either they would give her just higher enough income for her to live off of, or she was desperate to stop the harassment. Interesting.
And once Ashley was gone there was a promotion available to any non-key holders like myself and Joe. But as if our manager hadn't already lost her employees' trust, as soon as I ask about taking the promotion, I learned it was already offered to Joe. He was only working there for a year at that point, but I had been there for 3 years. And although I wouldn't care if I didn't get the promotion, it's just so suspicious how she sees him. Her excuse was that I already work a second job in the morning so I can't take the 2 weeks of training hours for the promotion which will be in the morning. I told her they are flexible and will let me take the training hours and an extra weekday morning, since that plus weekend mornings and 1 or 2 weeknights would be enough for the promotion. I almost thought it was enough to convince her, but the next day, our district manager came down to tell us no one will get a raise, promotion or no new hires either, because we were over budget. I thought that would be okay as long as I don't have to work with borderline sex offender Joe.
This was last November, and fast forwarding to this February, I found Joe's signature on a paper only a key holder could sign. I asked our manager, and she just informs me the dm gave the ok for his promotion. I never even met the dm. How do I know what she approved if I can't trust my manager. This was it for me, I told my manager I would seek a transfer to another store outside our district in a state with higher wages. It would still be close to my morning job, as I worked and live along the state line. I just had to get our dm to see the other dm and they both could get me out of this hell. But again, to no surprise, I was not even directly denied. I was ignored. The dm may have actually let me go, but she wouldn't tell me that personally, she let my manager tell me whether or not I was approved.
After months of finding a new job to replace my evening shift at the store, I came to the conclusion that I should just leave both jobs. My mornings were no less stressful. Joe continued to harass the assistant manager unfortunately unwitnessed. He even drove past the other morning key holder's trailer park across the street and cursed at her for not staying at work longer for him so he wouldn't have to work past his scheduled hours. A lot of people in this trailer park are regular customers and very friendly with us. This time he had witnesses the manager would listen to.
I don't know how things are now that I quit last week, but maybe finding a folder with Joe's history on her desk might get the manager to think about who she hired. I know he has been on probation after a drug offence that got him in prison and his license suspended in the past. Another 420 friendly coworker said he was punished more than what would be his first time. Unless he is maybe an actual registered sex offender. What do you think? Is it ethical for me to provide the background check my ex-employer didn't care for?