Clearly, I feel so stuck at my new job. It’s been close to 5 months and things were going well to start I thought. It’s a cabinet shop placed underneath his family home. I am his first employee ever. He was on his own for well past 8 years. This is my first cabinet shop job. I was hired because I have experience in teaching woodworking (fine woodworking more so) and I know my way around a shop since I have my own and also had one at the woodworking retail store I worked at for a few years. I was recommended to him by one of my coworkers there. I had to heavily negotiate just to get a somewhat fair starting wage. But he was a nice guy and I really wanted this opportunity since I plan to open my own business soon (not cabinets though). I knew it was a risk from the start so I’m not entirely surprised that it may not work out. I have learned a ton in this short time and obviously made some mistakes. He said he wanted an apprentice. I’ve no experience in cabinets as I told him. He wanted someone honest he could trust around his family and that knew how to use tools but that he could mold from the start to do things his way because he is very specific. I said fine let’s do it.
Months later I have had to remind him, sometimes several times, to do my payroll every other week except one time (my first paycheck) else he will completely “forget” and I get it late. I accepted that this is how that is.
He won’t pay me for travel time back from the job site to his shop, which is legally mandatory in NYS and he says that the fact he pays me for the morning ride from his shop to an install, is bonus pay. Constantly saying that no other shop would do this or do that.
Granted he has paid me for days that he had to take the day off and I would normally be scheduled. He is going on vacation for 4 or 5 days soon and will pay me for that as well since I cannot be there without him. These things have made it difficult to stand up for myself when I need to. However they are his choices and I feel like I should be compensated properly regardless.
He is frustrated that I have not reached what he feels is the level of learning I should be at by now. Which I would say you could compare to a full blown journeyman in his 5th year or higher. I feel I have learned insanely fast for never having done this before and yes I make mistakes but nothing crazier than what I’ve seen him screw up.
He is annoyed that I ask questions, albeit frequently, but nowhere near as many as I did to start. He is so specific about how he wants things done that when I do decide to take charge and make the decision on my own as he says I should well guess what, it’s done wrong somehow. I wanted to label some stiles and rails that were out of the norm configurations and he said that he felt I was an employee that wouldn’t do what she’s told. And I always do what I’m told, unless it’s unsafe. Like ripping a piece of wood that’s wider than it is long on the table saw…
I don’t know if I’m being a baby but I really don’t think I am. The amount of builds and installs that get done now must be well over double since he’s taken me on but it doesn’t seem to matter to him that much. I’m still not moving fast enough. When I rush I fuck things up. That’s how I am.
Should I stay and suck it up? Or should I go elsewhere and keep saving to start my business? We are not communicating properly and it’s become a problem. I still haven’t received my login for ADP, the contract I requested to begin with and well I could keep going, I’ve asked repeatedly. I bring my own tools when I don’t have to. I mean it’s just downright frustrating. Anyway that’s my silly work rant.