This Is Not A Complicated Concept, Sir

I work at a small store. My manager quit, the assistant manager got fired for stealing money, two other employees quit because of the new workload, and I’m now stuck doing all of it. I’ve gone from working fifteen hours a week to seventy-five. I talk to my district manager.

Me: “I’ll expect a temporary increase to $29 an hour plus overtime to account for the extra work outside my job description.”

The amount isn’t random. It’s the sum of my and my managers’ wages. Expect me to do the work of five people? Pay me.

District Manager: “No. You’re not expected to do any more than your agreed-upon job description. Just keep doing your job. Nobody is expecting you to do the others’ jobs, as well.”

So, I do just that. I don’t do the deposits, the security briefings, the sales reports, the containment inspections, etc. — all tasks that are outside my job description.

My district manager comes to me, angry.

District Manager: “Why is none of this work done?!”

Me: “You told me you were not going to approve my temporary wage increases because you were not expanding my job tasks. Therefore, I did only my job.”

He throws a fit about me “obviously” misunderstanding him, and I stop him.

Me: “I didn’t misunderstand you. I told you I would not do extra work without extra compensation.”

District Manager: “You’re being lazy and greedy because you just want to make a buck!”

Um, yes. That is indeed how this whole “employment” thing works. You need a job done, I agree to do the job for payment, and you pay me to do the job.

So, I quit.

Have fun working the entire store by yourself without overtime because you’re an exempt employee, [District Manager].