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Antiwork

Unsafe commute: legitimate reason to leave a new job?

I started a new job last month. Though the office buildings are only a few blocks from each other, to briefly compare: Old job * WFH 3 days, in-office 2 days * Moderate interaction with the public * Otherwise, general office work * Trusted to work independently 50% of the time but also had collaborative and team projects the other 50% * Some phone calls/emails from the public New job * In-office 5 days per week * Constant phone calls from the public * All of my calls have to be on speaker phone (“for training”), which makes it extremely difficult to hear anything or help anyone * Constant appointments and drop-ins that I do not schedule or know about but am expected to drop everything and take on immediately * There's no actual training, it's just my team members telling me what to do. Which would be fine, except…


I started a new job last month. Though the office buildings are only a few blocks from each other, to briefly compare:

Old job
* WFH 3 days, in-office 2 days
* Moderate interaction with the public
* Otherwise, general office work
* Trusted to work independently 50% of the time but also had collaborative and team projects the other 50%
* Some phone calls/emails from the public

New job
* In-office 5 days per week
* Constant phone calls from the public
* All of my calls have to be on speaker phone (“for training”), which makes it extremely difficult to hear anything or help anyone
* Constant appointments and drop-ins that I do not schedule or know about but am expected to drop everything and take on immediately
* There's no actual training, it's just my team members telling me what to do. Which would be fine, except everyone has a different idea and different directions and rules to follow.
* It is full of constant interruptions, I mean if you don't send an email in less than 1 minute, don't even bother.
* Extremely strict workplace

My boss wasn't very transparent about many things about the job. During the interview, I was told telework was available after 6 months. Now that I'm here, that appears to be untrue for my job classification.

The real issue is the commute every day. It is in a very dangerous area downtown. I use public transit and it's to the point where I am terrified going to and from work every day.
Two days a week was manageable, every day has been terrifying. I am street smart and grew up in high risk communities, but it has never been this bad.

3 of the 5 days each week, I get threatened and screamed at and/or followed by a person on the street, minimum. I witness community violence at least 1-2 times per week.
Last week, I saw someone who was walking next to me get bludgeoned repeatedly in the middle of the sidewalk. I was 2 seconds away from it being me.

I feel like it's only a matter of time before something happens to me on way to/from work. I can't concentrate when I'm at work and I can't remember anything about work because I'm so nervous about getting home safely.

I don't want to die for my job but I can't afford to not work.

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