I applied to a small restaurant close to my house. I went through an in-person interview with them where I was transparent I can only work for the next 6 months. Mind you, I was ready to be rejected for this fact but wanted to be honest since I respected it’s harder for small businesses to see employees leave unexpectedly. They agreed this was fine as long as I would be free every weekend. I let them know I had one trip from 8/9-8/12 and one possible weekend day off in August. At the time my family was planning a grad party for me and just wasn’t sure on the date yet.
During this interview they tell me they want to do a 2 hour paid trial run. Fair enough. I show up to the trial run and they just throw me in. It’s a weekend day and I had little to no training to do more than just buss tables during this rush. I understand this is a fair test to how quick I am on my feet, but any time I seemed the least bit confused during this day I was told I needed to “get to work”. At the end one of the owners, let’s call her Sally, asks if I like it. I say I do and I’m ready to join. I ask how many hours I would be given and she says, “as my main person, you would be given 5 days a week. Promised.” We talk about my first day and she leaves off our conversation with, “Welcome to the team your first day is next Saturday.”
Mind you this was Saturday when she was telling me. So I had a whole week in between until I officially started. I don’t sign any paperwork just yet but this was what I understood as a clear agreement on both parties that I was already on board.
Later that day she sends me a text about with a few questions pertaining to when my last day was and how I am used to handling breaks at my previous jobs. The first question I had verbally given at least 3 times in person, and the second seemed not urgent. So since both questions seemed to be not needed answered right away, I decided I’d get back to her sometime the next day.
The next day comes and I see her name on my email pop up, I quote,
“I want to thank you for coming in Saturday for a tryout. I did send you a text needing some additional information from you and did not hear back so I am thinking at this point you are not interested in the job.
That is fine, we completely understand and wish you the best in your future endeavors.
I went ahead and offered it to another candidate who can also commit to a year with us. “
I was shocked, I never showed any disinterest in the job. So I messed her back informed her that she had already hired me and this must be a misunderstanding. Without apologizing, she swiftly acts like that didn’t happen, but goes to only offer 4 days instead of the initial 5 and push my start date back for another 3 days. I reluctantly agree.
My first week of training consisted of the most I have been ever micromanaged. The first day I showed up she gave me a lot of crap about parking at a meter, when I tried to explain to her I’d pay for it and move it on my break she didn’t even let me speak and made me move my car – then scolded me for being late even though I was on time. Any little mistake I did with taking orders she took over speaking and made me look stupid. Sally could not even know how to do certain tasks like open the patio (which came with many complicated step she just handed over for a buss boy to do) but expected me to know how to do it within a week. Opening consisted of many tasks that were impossible to finish by yourself but was expected that I already had a grasp on right away. Again- this exception of perfection was in the course of 5 days. I know I am a good worker and although I might not get things right away- I was treated like shit for no good reason.
So I’m coming on my second week there, and my family decided on a day for my grad party. Of course it has to be a weekend day. I debate on just calling out first, but then I thought that lacked integrity. So I decide to text sally asking for the ONE Sunday off in August. I feel guilty doing it knowing I already had the trip before that, but I decide I the worst they say is no and I just show up to my own party late after work.
When I text her about this she asks if she can call me. As soon as she can she starts explaining that she believes this isn’t working out and I asked for too much time off when I already had the vacation off and she thinks it’s best I “don’t miss out on my party and find another job that can accommodate me”. As soon as I try to say I was willing to accept a “no” she replied with “well I have had people like this before and they just end up not showing off and I just don’t have people to deal with that” . After she says this I ask for this statement on writting via email, she angerly asked “why” in which i responded with “for my personal reasons I like to have everything on record.” Sally snaps with, “well then I’ll need on record you asked for a weekend off when you already asked for another one off in the same month”. I thought this statement was stupid because it was both inaccurate and is already in writting via text.
As a cover for “not missing your grad party” I am now unemployed and without an income I desperately need for rent. I turned down two other job offers for this one and had never even been fired before. This restaurant gets great reviews for their customer service but behind the scenes the owners are completely terrible people.