So normally when I come to work early, I sit in my car and walk into the building 2-5 minutes early. On the RARE occasion I walk in earlier than that, I sit on my phone at my desk with the quip “I'm not on the clock yet”.
This week my dad (I'm staying with family, not by choice) took time off and asked to use my car to get some lumber to fix the back step. I said sure and he drove me to work and will pick me up. I was here 10 minutes early.
So me and a co-worker started to shoot the shit cause his work is done and I'm early, and 6 minutes away my start time, 2IC (2nd in command) walks in and realizes im there early. He immediately started telling me to get him files and stuff. Co-worker mentioned to him that I was 10 minutes early and that dad has my car and that he'd get the files. 2IC mumbled a bit then went to the bathroom. I sat down in my seat on my phone for a bit to hide while 2IC got on the phone. A few moments later he comes into the office and tells me to do something with a client account.
Again my shift starts at noon. It's not noon yet. It's 11:57
Now you could say “ah it's close enough just shut up and do it” and I'd agree IF i was paod more than minimum wage.
To recap, 2IC has made many sexual jokes and remarks about my sexuality (I'm a lesbian), told me I didn't need my hysterectomy and that it would likely be cancelled, told my coworkers that he wanted to lay me off while I was on medical leave (I was coming back), mentioned how he didn't know why i was here/ that I don't know what I'm doing, has texted me late at night to get me to cover a shift the next day (instead of asking me before I left to go home).
I was given a raise last year, but minimum wage went up twice and this year surpassed the wage I was bumped up to. So I'm back to minimum wage and the boss doesn't want to give out raises. I wasn't approached about it but another coworker heard the boss complaining one day that I was 5 or more minutes late which wasn't true because almost every clock (except for the computers) were off by 5 or so minutes.
This isn't considering the amount of time where I came in and started early, stayed late and never got paid for it, or the times I'd write down the extra time and before I could point out the extra time my check was written and handed to me. On the few times I brought it up, I was told to just leave that many minutes early or allowed to take an hour off for a covid booster.
We finish our work fast or try to space it out to look busy, but this is beyond. If 2IC wasn't on the phone with a customer also loudly telling me to look something up in the system then set things up (while indicating to the customer that he was talking to me) I would have told him “I'll get it when my shift starts”.
Again, I'm acting my wage. Want me to work before noon, pay me. Want me to show up more than 10-15 minutes early? Pay me. I can't even afford rent.
**Please folks, don't tell me to get another job. I'm already looking and have been for months. I'm in the same recruiting hell you guys are in and no one wants to hire for above scab wages or for full time. I went to school for 2 different programs and I can't move, and a second part time job isn't an option as most part time jobs don't like that (need I say why). I am trying. Only staying until the shop closes for good OR until I find a new job… Hopefully a new job.
Till then I'll keep track of my hours and if they ever complain especially if I pull the “shift hasn't started yet so no” card, then I'll toss the “I worked X hours I wasn't paid for, pay up or shut up” counter argument at them.
Sorry I just needed to rant