Fired Beyond Reason

(I am working at a small cafe over a shop around Christmas. After Christmas I get fewer and fewer shifts. One day I come in and find that I haven’t been allocated any shifts.)

Me: “Hey, do you know why I haven’t been scheduled on at all this week?”

Assistant Manager: “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the manager but I’d guess it’s because we get less people after Christmas.”

(I come in two weeks in a row to find I have no shifts still. On the third week, I see that my name has been taken off the rota.)

Me: “My name isn’t on here at all.”

Assistant Manager: “Really?”

Me: “Am I fired?”

Assistant Manager: “I don’t know. Come in tomorrow. [Manager] is in on the afternoon.”

(I come in the next day. Manager is there, sorting out the stock room.)

Me: “Hey, [Manager]. My name isn’t on the rota anymore. Is there a reason for that? Have I been let go?”

Manager: “Um… yes.”

Me: “Can I ask why?”

Manager: “We just don’t need you right now.”

Me: “Why didn’t you tell me? I’ve been coming in for the last three weeks to check my shifts.”

Manager: “I’m telling you now, aren’t I?”

(The next day I get a phone call from a frustrated former coworker. She says she’s run off her feet and that it’s ridiculous that I’ve been fired, since they didn’t have enough cafe staff in the first place. She also tells me that there is already a sign outside advertising for cafe staff. So I decide to ask the manager again, via email.)

Me: “Hi, [Manager]. I’m just writing to clarify for my records why it is you fired me.”

Manager: “Your hours didn’t fit with ours.”

Me: “Well, that’s an actual reason. Why didn’t you say that before?”

Manager: “I thought I did.”

Me: “You said you didn’t need me anymore. Have I done something wrong? I’d like to know.”

Manager: “No.”

(I still talk to my former coworker. Apparently the turnover rate of staff is really high, because the manager keeps firing people without reason. Unfortunately I never signed a contract, but I get a little bit of joy whenever I pass the shop to still see them advertising for staff.)