I was cleaning the house this weekend and my mind stumbled upon an old memory that really pissed me off for younger me. For reference, I am 34 now and I was between 20-22 when this employer was exploiting me.
I was a young mother with a special needs child, hired as the only front office staff for a small specialist doctors office. I handled everything front office related, cleaned the office and even triaged any walk-in patients when the doctor was at a satellite clinic two days a week. I was more than capable in this role, I excelled, even as such a young woman. I started out in the medical field at 15.5 years old so I was already familiar with how things should flow.
Anyways, I am making minimum wage, trying to scrape by on food stamps and state insurance while working 40 hours a week for this doctor and I let her know I am looking for additional side work to try to make more money… She has me start cleaning her house and her friend’s as well.
At the time I didn’t see it like this because I was just trying to get by but looking back on it… I had to take more time away from my sick baby in order to clean houses as a second job to make more money when I was working well above minimum wage in effort and capability in my full time position working for her!
I truly believe that no one should have to work more than 40 hours a week just to survive. I missed out on a lot of important moments because of that and I resent it.
I’m sorry to anyone who is in the midst of this struggle right now. Fuck capitalism.