Unfiltered Story #250179

(I am a 23 year old female and had to leave my job of 6 years due to medical reasons. Since I’m 6 months away from finished college, I decide to look for a part-time job on the weekends to earn some money until I find a job in my field. After about 2 months of looking, my mother told me her work, a retirement living home for seniors, is looking for receptionists. I have a lot of front desk and customer service experience so I submit my resume to them and score an interview. The two women who did my interview (Boss 1 who is my main boss, and Boss 2 who handles the work schedule and is my age) explain that it was a part-time position and I would be in charge of my own schedule; meaning I access an online timetable and let them know what hours I can work while in school. They also told me I had to work at least one shift in three months to stay on as an employee; this seemed weird to me, as I told them I would be available every weekend and some evenings for emergencies, but I was reassured I would get a lot of shifts on (desk 1) and not to worry. I was also expected to fill in as a receptionist for another part of the building (desk 2) and I would get trained for that as well since the procedures are different. I end up getting the job and am required to complete some paperwork and online training before starting shifts by myself. On my first training day, I am told to go to the same building I was interviewed in and would be paired with a co-worker for the day on the front desk (desk 1). Day one goes as follows: I arrive early and wait until the co-worker comes down to meet me.)

Me: Hi! My name is (name) and I’m the new (desk 1) receptionist. I’m scheduled to train with you today.

(Co-worker introduces himself and takes me on a tour of the building; or building(s) is more accurate. It’s a complex of huge and incredibly similar 3 buildings with the same room set-up that are connected by halls inside. Once I get my bearings, we head back and I meet another lady from HR who gives me my “new employee” paperwork. I start reading over it and realize it’s not right: the heading of the sheets are labeled “Casual Position”.)

Me: Sorry, I think there’s been a mistake; this says casual and I was hired for part-time?

HR lady: Oh, really? I was told you were casual. Let me call (Boss 1) and ask her.

(She uses the desk phone to call her; after three tries to get a hold of her, (Boss 1) finally answers. I ask her if she sent me the wrong paperwork; she says no, I am casual and it is correct. Keep in mind when I was interviewed, they did confirm it was a PART-TIME position so naturally I’m confused. When I told her this all she said was that it WAS a casual position, but I’m still in charge of my own schedule and my shifts wouldn’t change since my availability is full days on the weekends. I accepted it and decided to just move on since my pay doesn’t change.)

(My first few shifts by myself went really well; the job itself isn’t demanding and I can even work on homework during slow hours, which is the majority of the day. The seniors seem to like me and I start to get to know people and their families. However, I am limited in my work because I have yet to receive computer access and my own email, which is crucial to the position. It takes weeks for IT to set me up, and when I finally get my email login, my name is spelled wrong! I ask both (Boss 1) and (Boss 2) to help me fix this, which takes another two weeks, and all I got back from IT was “there is another employee with the same name so we had to change yours to be different”. I politely asked them to please fix it, as it was pretty unprofessional to use an email with the wrong spelling of my name. They finally fix it, but I still don’t have an actual login for the computer itself, which causes major issues. I am getting requests to update calendars, book appointments, print flyers, etc. which I am unable to do without computer access. The co-worker who trained me let me use his information to make do until I get my own. Before that happens, I get a message from (Boss 2) asking me to take a shift.)

Boss 2: (in an email) Hi (name)! Would you be able to work (desk 2) for (lists a few upcoming shifts)?

Me: Hi (Boss 2). I am available on the weekend, but I haven’t been trained on (desk 2) yet. Would I be able to train with someone on the weekend?

Boss 2: We can’t train you on the weekend. Can you come in Friday? (it’s currently Wednesday)

Me: I have classes Monday to Friday. I can ask my teacher if I can leave early but I’m not sure if she’ll say yes.

Boss 2: That would be great! I’ll tell (receptionist) you’ll be there. See you Friday!

(My teacher wasn’t happy but she knew it was a new job, so she let me take the day off as long as I made up the class hours another day the following week. I promised it wouldn’t be a recurring thing. On the Friday, I arrive early in the other building where (desk 2) is. There isn’t anybody around so I sit down and wait until a woman walked by and notices me. She’s wearing a name tag that has her name and “receptionist” on it, so I assume I am supposed to be with her.)

Woman: Hi there, are you waiting for someone? Can I help you?

Me: Oh, my name is (name) and I’m the receptionist in (other building). I am supposed to be trained on (desk 2) today?

Woman: Oh. Uh, I wasn’t told that. I work (desk 2) along with (other receptionist who I was supposed to be with) and she isn’t here.

Me:…Okay, well I took the day off school to be trained today. (Boss 2) asked me to come in so I can start working at (desk 2).

Woman: Are you sure you’re supposed to be here today and not (desk 1)?

Me: Yes, I am supposed to be trained on (desk 2) today.

Woman: Well (receptionist) isn’t here today. You should go to (desk 1) and do training there with (co-worker I trained with before).

(I’m getting frustrated but I didn’t want to leave since I am getting paid for the full day. I ended up going back to (desk 1) and basically walking around with my co-worker and not getting any work done. I told him what happened but he was scheduled to be on (desk 1) and couldn’t leave, so I just read over policies and whatnot until the day was done. This happens THREE more times: I was told once again that I should be on (desk 1), or the receptionist was either not there or “didn’t have the time to train me”. The following week, I changed my schedule to say I wasn’t available for one Saturday; I had a conference that I had to attend for school. But when I checked my schedule a few days later, my boss had me working all day. I called her:)

Me: Hi (Boss 1), I just wanted to ask you something about my schedule. I had out that I was unavailable for (date) because I had a conference I have to attend for school. I just looked at it and now it says I’m working that day?

Boss 1: Oh, yes. You have to call me and request time off. You can’t just fix it yourself.

(I’m confused because I was told in the interview that I in fact could do this and I am supposed to submit my hours to her before the next pay period, which I did. But I don’t want to rock the boat.)

Me: I see. I’m sorry I misunderstood. Would it still be possible to take that day off? I don’t normally ask for time off and I’ll work a holiday if we need to even the hours out.

(She begrudgingly gives me the day off so I email her to ask what day she’d like me to make up the shift. I don’t get a response. I don’t change my schedule like usual. However, when I check it a few days later, I see that my name is gone from the timetable. This hasn’t happened before so I try to call Boss 1; she doesn’t pick up the phone after I’ve called a few times. I then call Boss 2, who answers.)

Me: Hi (Boss 2), it’s (name). I just wanted to ask you something about my schedule if you have a moment?

Boss 2: Sure, what’s up?

Me: I just checked it and I’m not scheduled for the weekend like usual. Was that a mistake?

Boss 2: Uh, I’m not sure. You should be working. Can I take a look and call you back?

(We hang up and I go back to class. Ten or so minutes later, I get a call, but it’s Boss 1 this time.)

Boss 1: Hi (name). I was talking to (Boss 2) and you aren’t scheduled to work this weekend.

Me: Oh, really? Can I ask why?

Boss 1: You and (co-worker) are going to be scheduled for the same shifts and you’ll be flipped every two weeks. So the next two weeks he works the weekend, then you work the next two weekends after that.

(I’m a little miffed they didn’t tell me about this earlier and I’m not really okay with this. Co-worker also works the weekdays so I have no idea why he’s getting my shifts now, as I can only work weekends anyway.)

Me: Oh, I see. I’m afraid I can’t work weekdays though, because I have classes.

Boss 1: Oh yes, we know that. You’re required to be here every weekend.

(I wanted to say “then why is my co-worker getting my only shifts??” but I don’t push it. In the next two weeks I don’t work, but am requested to work (desk 2) again the next weekend, which I STILL haven’t been trained on. When I say this, they tell me to come in on a weekday again, but I put my foot down and say I’ll come in on the weekend to train. This results in me running around trying to find someone to train me and re-read the procedures, but I only get actually hands-on training for 2 hours in the 8 hour day. It wasn’t very productive, but I told myself that I knew the basics and I would just do my best and consult my coworker if I had to. What follows is a complete ****show: I’m asked to do a variety of things I haven’t had training in, including balancing a cash float and make multiple forms that track purchases and end-of-day reports. These aren’t duties that I do on (desk 1). Not to mention the seniors in this building are a very snotty and rich group who expect you to follow them around and help them whenever they ask. I’m extremely overwhelmed and there is no supervisor or any higher-up I can ask to help me on weekends. My coworker helps me as much as he can, but he’s working at (desk 1) and can’t run down to me at (desk 2) all day. All in all, it’s not a good situation. After 4 shifts that are repeatedly messy and results in me not doing things properly, I am stressed and frustrated and can’t seem to do anything correctly. Then, I stop receiving shifts at all, with no explanation: I am not listed on my schedule for weeks at a time and now I’ve only gotten 1 shift in a month. Money is very tight for me, as I have to buy bus passes to get to college, plus student loans and I pay for my medications and cell phone bill. One shift doesn’t even cover the cost of a bus pass. I try to get a hold of both bosses, but I can’t ever seem to reach them. Finally, I get a hold of Boss 2 after repeatedly calling her.)

Me: Hi (Boss 2). I’m concerned why I haven’t been receiving shifts lately. (Boss 1) told me I was expected to work weekends, every weekend, and I only had one shift this month. What’s going on?

Boss 2: Oh, well, (co-worker) is switching back to some part-time hours, which are on weekends.

(pause)

Me: ….Okay? But I can only work weekends due to school and you told me I would get plenty of shifts. Am I going to have shifts on (desk 1) soon?

Boss 2: Well no, because (co-worker) is scheduled there. I might have some shifts coming up for (desk 2) though; are you interested?

(At this point I am so angry that I just told her to email me if those shifts are available and hung up. I am desperate for some money and considered taking those shifts, but as it turns out there was no need to worry; I was never emailed or called about them and now I don’t care enough to call and ask for them since they obviously don’t seem to need me. It’s almost December around this time, so I decided to leave my schedule completely open once I was on break from school to see if they scheduled me. Once again, no calls or emails; however, I was offered a shift on one Sunday right before Christmas and that was it. I took the shift and it did not go well; because it’s been so long between shifts, I didn’t feel confident in my work and I kept forgetting how to do things due to stress and constantly trying to keep up with the workload.)

(Finally, I had enough. I decided to quit. It wasn’t worth keeping that job when I wasn’t working enough to call it a job. Thankfully I am still living with my parents when I’m in school, and they supported me in this decision, as I’ve been keeping them in the loop. My dad was frustrated with the whole thing and my mom just couldn’t understand why I was having so much issues because “I work with these people every day and they’re so nice and accommodating, etc.” Either way, I couldn’t deal with the amount of stress on top of schoolwork so I called (Boss 1) the week after New Year’s to make it official. Like usual, it took some time to get a hold of her.)

Me: Hi (Boss 1), it’s (name). How are you doing?

Boss 1: Oh hi (name)! I’m well, how are you? Did you have a good Christmas?

Me: Yes, thank you. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute if you weren’t busy?

Boss 1: Sure!

(She pauses and then she says something that blows my mind:)

Boss 1: I’m sorry, who is this?

(It takes all my willpower to keep my voice steady and polite. I tell her I am quitting to focus on my education and I’ll be going into an internship in the next month, which I was. All she said was “you know, you can always come back here when you’re done! Let me know! Oh, and send me an email so I have it writing, please!”
I wrote the email and sent it to her; again, she says “let me know whenever you want to come back!” I’m debating writing a letter to the company about this experience but I doubt it would go anywhere. My mom is STILL defending her and my other boss throughout this whole mess which results in some fights but I am completely done with them and am NOT taking up the offer of coming back. I’ve taken an internship at a place in my field and am much happier there, even if I’m working for free.