For context, I’ve been working for the same restaurant chain for nearly 9 years and in management for 3. I’m not the typical of this sub – I generally don’t mind working overtime. I prefer to stay busy. In 9 years I’ve only used vacation three times: Once when the restaurant was closed for nearly a week due to a hurricane, once when I went to part time and my boss used it to pay me full time hours for a few weeks, and once when upper management agreed to pay it out when a COVID case in the restaurant caused me to be let go from my second job. Also I’m technically salary but because I’m under the threshold, I’m classed as a non-exempt employee and still get paid overtime for any hours worked over 50 per week.
The one thing I don’t like about my job is late nights. I typically have 2 closes per week. I hd made a specific request for those two days I normally close to be day shifts or half days – but if I was still going to have to close that week not to bother, it defeated the purpose. I tried to take that a few months ago for my birthday but the person who would have been covering my shifts quit abruptly. So I carefully picked a week, over a month out, where working half days would benefit me. Again I made it clear if I still had to close, don’t bother. Instead I was scheduled for 48 of my contracted 50 hours and a close on Monday instead of Wednesday and Thursday. I ended up even coming to meet with the district manager over this and some other issues that were not being properly addressed (unpaid, mind you). I ended up having another team member volunteer to stay while I left early that night. All told I worked 42.27 hours that week of my allotted 50.
The next week I came in (originally to drop off product, which I do occasionally on the agreement I get a soda) and ended up working 3.5 hours on my day off. I compensated by leaving early the next day. So all told I was over about 1.5 hours.
Today I get my check. It’s $40 shorter than normal. And I realize I’ve only been paid for 6 of my vacation hours.
I’m still waiting to hear back from the district manager but I can only imagine she hopped me because of the extra overtime.
And I’m pissed. They tried to bully me into taking vacation time for jury duty (which ended up being canceled days before and then she got mad for me covering a shift to make it up). Now I’ve made 2 extra trips to work, using my gas, not always getting my meal benefit and nothing to show for it.
I can’t wait to finish my project management certification and get the hell out of here.