(It is January of 2015, and at the time, my state is getting hit often with really bad snow storms. On this day, I have a late shift, 5:00 to 10:00 pm, and the weather report is warning of another severe storm that is going to start kicking up around the time I am going to be headed into work. I live quite a ways away from the store and have to take several winding, hilly roads to get there, so for my own safety, I decide that morning to call out.)

Me: “Hi, this is [My Name]. The weather is going to be really bad, and I don’t feel safe coming in for my shift tonight.”

Manager: *coldly* “[My Name], weather isn’t an excuse not to come into work. If it was, everyone would be calling out. I’ve got a business to run. You have to come in for your shift tonight.”

Me: *speechless*

(So I head into work a few hours later and as I’m driving, the snow starts falling. I’m beyond angry that I have to come in, especially with the manager confirming to my face that he cares more about money than he does his employees’ safety, but I suck it up and head to my register. As I’m setting up, my manager is leaving for home and he heads over to me.)

Manager: “Hey, [My Name], when you called, I hadn’t checked the weather yet. I didn’t know how bad it is gonna be.”

Me: “Okay.”

(I knew he was lying, as the storm and been common knowledge for almost a week at that point, so I just nodded and didn’t say anything else. It took me over an hour to drive home in the dark that night, with several inches of snow covering the roads and continuing to fall. There were hardly any customers anyway, thanks to the bad weather, and so work could have easily survived without me. He was an awful manager, so I was quite happy when he moved to another store a few months later.)

Related:
A Storm Of Protest, Part 2
A Storm Of Protest

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(When I was a kid I was looking through the fishing supplies at a small department store. I noticed one of the relatively expensive fishing rods had the tip broken off. I went to find an employee, and the one I found happened to be a manager.)

Manager: *slightly annoyed* “Yeah, we’ll take care of that.” *takes the rod back to the stockroom*

(Around ten years later I am just browsing and happen to see the very same rod, still broken, for sale at full price. Needless to say they went under a few months later.)

(Overnight we had a pretty steady downpour of rain but I didn’t think much of it until I went to leave for work in the morning. I step out onto my front porch and am forced to stop for I can no longer see the street… or the stairs leading up to my building. They’re completely under water. Reluctantly I call my boss. Note: I don’t drive so I walk the 2.5 miles to work.)

Me: “So… I don’t think I’m going to be able to come in to work today. My apartment has become lakefront property.”

Boss: “What?”

Me: “The roads are completely flooded. I see nothing but water.”

Boss: “It’s not even raining that hard.”

Me: “I know.”

Boss: “I passed by [River near my apartment] on my way to work. It’s not even close to being flooded.”

Me: “It’s not the river. It’s the sewage drain. It’s clogged and backs up when it rains and it’s been raining nonstop since last night. Guess the water had nowhere to go.”

Boss: “It’s fine; there’s no reason you can’t come in.”

Me: “I don’t own a boat.”

Boss: “What?”

Me: “So the water has literally filled up half of the first floor hallway. The first floor is below ground. Fire-fighters are taking boats from [Main Street] to get to us to make sure we’re okay.”

Boss: “You can find a way to get here.”

Me: “[Boss], I’ve been standing here on the porch watching the cars in the parking lot slowly sinking under the water. Plus, I’m not sure I’m dedicated enough to the job to swim in sewer water to get there.”

(Needless to say, I did not go in to work that day, even though it stopped raining about an hour later and once that happened the water drained rather quickly. My boss was less angry with me after I showed him pictures of the damages done.)

(I work at a small convenience store in my fairly rural town. It’s a really casual work environment, especially on this Sunday afternoon where we haven’t seen anyone for the last 20 minutes. I’m on shift with the owner and a new girl on her second shift.)

New Girl: “It’s so hot! I’d kill for an ice cream right now.”

Me: “Mmm, yeah. Great idea. What type? I’ll go grab some.”

Manager: “I’d love a Cornetto.”

New Girl: “Oh, no, it’s okay. I don’t have any cash with me, anyway.”

Manager: “Cash? Hun, you don’t have to pay.”

New Girl: “But—”

Manager: “None of my employees have paid for food since I opened this shop. You’re not going to start.”

New Girl: “But—”

Manager: “Help yourself. Just don’t steal smokes or anything, yeah?”

New Girl: “Are you sure?”

Manager: “Yes!”

New Girl: “Uh…”

Manager: “Oh, just eat the god-d*** ice-cream!”

(My husband and I are expecting our first baby. My husband’s supervisor wants to send him out of state for a week of training right after the baby is due. His supervisor calls me.)

Supervisor: “Well, I know that you’re due to have your baby soon, but I really want [Husband] to go to this week-long training session.”

Me: “Hey, you know that white couch your wife has in the living room?”

Supervisor: “Yes.”

Me: “If you send [Husband] out for that training session, when I go into labor I’m coming over to your house and having this baby on that couch.”

(My husband’s supervisor decided that he could put off the training for a while.)

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