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JOB GONE DOWN THE DRAIN!!! PLEASE HELP!!!

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Posted 2/21/2008 9:45 PM (GMT 0)
sad  Hello everyone,i guess you guys might have noticed.I haven't posted in a couple of days! Well Here's the story. I went to work yesterday at 9:00 AM.My hours were suppose to be from 9-5 yesterday.It was very slow that day and i had been very bored.My supervisor sent me to lunch at about 1:30 PM. I had already decided that on my lunch break i would go to the utility company to pay on my bill.Since it was only about 5 minutes from where i work i felt that it would be ok. The traffic was not bad that day and i got to the utility company with no problem and there was not a line at that time of the day so the whole process took about 8 minutes tops.So i decided to use the rest of my time going home to grab some fruit to eat for lunch.For those of you who dont know, i only live 2 minutes from my job.I could basically walk if i wanted too.Also the utility company where i went to pay my bill was about 5 minutes from my house as well.So everywhere i went was really close together, as far as distance.When i arrived at my home i had about 20 minutes to spare before having to be back at work.When i got there i noticed and my husband told me that he was not feeling well.It's only the two of us living in my household with no kids,so therefore we dont buy alot of grocerys and on the days i worked,we agreed that i wouldn't have to cook,so he asked me to take him around the corner to get him something to eat.So i grabbed my fruit and we headed out.By then i only had 15 minutes before i had to be at work ,and something inside of me said maybe i shouldnt go but the other side of me wanted to take care of my husband.After all the place he wanted to eat at was right around the corner and i had 15 minutes.So of course we went through the drive-thru and there was a pretty long line in front of us but this place was pretty quick when ever we usually went there.Well of course this day had to be different because i was in a hurry,isnt that usually how things work guys!!!!! So when we payed and finally got his food it was exactly the time i need to be walking through the door of my job.So i decided that i would just let my husband keep my car and drop me back off at work and come back to get me when i got off.Well, needless to say when i got to work i was already about 10 minutes late coming back.I noticed the supervisor looked at me strange,but i just clocked in and went to my register.I was going to explain to him why i was late but i decided to wait and see if he was going to ask me first. Well around 4:00 PM an hour before i was scheduled to get off he came to my register and said i'm going to count down your register a little early today.Silly me i didnt think that this had anything to do with me coming back late for lunch,since they had pulled my drawer early once before because we were slow.And we had been slow that day too.Anyway when i walked in the office the other manager was there as well and she looked at me and said when he gets done counting your register down i need to talk to you.I knew then that she was going to say something about the lunch thing.She began the conversation by saying,"ok you know you've only been here a little over a week."And i'm like,yes.Then she said i noticed the last time you worked you were about 5 minutes late coming in and today you were almost 10 minutes late coming from lunch.Then she also said i noticed today that when we were slow you weren't doing anything to try to keep busy and a couple of times you were even leaning on the register.So she followed that by saying,I dont things are going to work out here for you and i've decided to let you go! I felt like someone had hit me in the pit of my stomach! I have never been fired from any job,i've quit some but never fired! So as i tried to hold back my tears i explained to her my side of the story concerning the lunch break.I also told her i didnt know that I was 5 min. late the last day that i worked.So of course she showed me on the computer,so then i had no choice but to believe her.Then i explained to her that i had been doing things all day in between customers to keep busy and basically ran out of things to do.But basically she had already made up her mind,so i called my husband to come pick me up and saved my tears until i got in the car.Of course he looked at my face and immediately asked what happened then i explained everything to him,as i cried!Then he started telling me he felt guilty because he was the one who told me to go to the resteraunt in the first place.But it wasnt his fault because i could have said NO.It's not like he would have given me a hard time about it and so what if he did! I guess i just made a bad judgement call.My husband was very supporitve,i guess because he felt somewhat responsible.He basically told me everything would be ok and i would find another job,maybe one even better.And that he would continue to pay my car payments and insurance until i found something else.But ,i mean i had been unemployed for a little over a month before i got this job and thought i was on the road back to recovery! I guess not! I feel like such a failure but i also feel like they should have maybe just talked to me that one time and took action if i continued to mess up.To fire a person that has only been employed there a little over a week ,i dont feel like i was even given a chance. I know that this is going to sound so clecea but i really didnt feel like the woman supervisor liked me anyway.I mean her actions and body language around me just didnt feel right! But,how you dislike a person who had never done any wrong toward you and that you've been only knowing a week i dont get that! Maybe i'm wrong! Guys i feel so bad,i mean i know this was not the best job in the world and it didnt pay much but i felt like i coluld go up from that point and now i feel like garbage! I had such a bad panick attack yesterday i thought i was going to die!! I really need my friends here at HW now more than ever! PLease guys give me your honest opinion on this situation, because i was even thinknig about going to the head man above them and tellig him what i thought about this whole ordeal and see waht he says! OK i'm done whining for now! Talk to you guys later! confused sad
Posted 2/21/2008 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
So sorry about that P.
What luck to have a good husband though. You can get another job.
This one obviously didn't suit you and they didn't warn you so they obviously
are used to alot of rapid job turnover. You are still on the road to getting better,
you just hit another one of those pesdy roadbumps!
Hugs
Posted 2/21/2008 10:09 PM (GMT 0)
I dont think you were given a fair chance. I could understand if you were pulled aside and talked to about being late but not fired!
I think your hubby is right, I think this job was just a stepping stone on your way to a better job. I am sure you will find something else and be much happier. I know its hard to get up and get a another job but you can do it!
Good Luck Hun!!
Posted 2/21/2008 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
My opinion is that they should have offered you a bit more guidance....you've only been there a week, if they seen you had nothing to do they could have shown you a few more things you could do without wandering far from your register. As far as being late, most places do give a verbal warning first, then a written warning, then fire you. Maybe you're right and this manager just had it in for you all along, or maybe this is a small place where they don't follow all those procedures and can just fire you.
Posted 2/21/2008 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thank all of you guys for your input i think all of you are right! Sue you know what, i told my husband the exact same thing you said! I mean on the slow days i use to try to find things to do but i even told them i thought they should have given me a run down on things that i should do when were not busy! People who have been there for a while probably just know what to do but i didnt.I've had other cashier jobs where they give you a job description so to speak. A list of your job duties and what to do when you are not ringing up customers! I just feel like i was given a raw deal and i dont know if i feel like that simply because i was fired or if i was really given a raw deal! I also mentioned that to my husband too about the procedures that most jobs go through before they actually fire a person.I didnt express that to them but i did tell my husband that! I mean sue you said the exact thing i said word for word,now i know i'm not crazy! That lady just didn't like me and that's all it was too it or just wasnt willing to wait to see if things were going to change! Basically when i started they told me to watch this other girl for about 30 minutes and then gave me a cash drawer and said,work.I had to learn form one of the other employees which i basically already knew from working other places what to do around the registers but i feel that was the managers job! Your'e right it was a small place and as far as what i could see a very unpfoffessional place!
Posted 2/21/2008 11:52 PM (GMT 0)

Hey Panike,

I am sorry this has happened to you.  I was a manager working with a union contract so we had rules and regs to follow but I took a job this fall and was surprised to learn the following. When you apply next time, get the employee handbook up front and read it cover to cover, any questions.......ask the boss before you accept the job.

This was not the job for you......you are destined for better things. :)

At-will employment is a doctrine of American law that defines an employment relationship in which either party can terminate the relationship with no liability if there was no express contract for a definite term governing the employment relationship. Under this legal doctrine:

"any hiring is presumed to be "at will"; that is, the employer is free to discharge individuals "for good cause, or bad cause, or no cause at all," and the employee is equally free to quit, strike, or otherwise cease work."

Posted 2/22/2008 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
I know what you are talking about Kitt.My husband metioned that too yesterday that your empolyer can fire you for no reason if they want too and in some cases it is not against the law. But i think that is kind of strange because that means if your supervisor doesnt like you and you haven't done anyting wrong they can just let you go! I wonder why it's like that? In your opinion Kitt,judging from when you were the person in charge.Do you think think that i was treated fairly?I mean you can be honest,i will not be upset.I mean i know i was wrong as well but things do happen. I would just be nice to know what someone that has been on the other side of the fence thinks!
Posted 2/22/2008 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
No offense taken Baby,i understand what you are saying and i did try to look at it from their side too,That's how i am, i always try to look at things from all perspectives even though it's hard sometimes! There was a couple of times when i did ask them what they wanted me to do and they had me blowing up various balloons wtih the heluim machine.Which that was fine,but then the lady supervisor said," that is enough balloons,you need to find something else to do now." And i felt it was only so much to do around the register.One night one of the the asst. supervisors was there and when she came in she said, "who rearranged the candy and cleaned up all the registers?" I told her i did it and she was soo happy and was going on about how awesome i was!! So she told me to straighten up behind one of the reisters that they only used for damages and stuff,and i was happy to do it because i was bored.So it wasnt like i was just being lazy i just had ran out of things to do.
Posted 2/22/2008 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
OH,I was just thinking maybe they thought i was being lazy! Dont think i got mad about anything you said sweety i know you were only giving your honest opinion and thats fine! I respect everyone's opinion even if it goes against what i think.As a matter of fact i respect those more because i usaully think those are the honest ones! I hate peolple who agree with everything you say because they want to please you.Beacuse i'm not like that,I just say what i really think.I always felt a true friend will tell you the truth even if it hurts! Not saying that what you said hurt me.That's just how you felt!
Posted 2/22/2008 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Panike,

I'm sorry to hear that you lost your job. I've never been fired, but I was laid-off twice within six months and the first time that happened I felt like I was being fired. Anyways, I worked for a grocery store through high school and college, then for a bunch of small non-profits and now for the government. It's funny I don't think I would have ever picture myself working for big brother, but here I am! And let me tell you - they put me on probation for six months before I was guaranteed a job! So, during those first six months I was on my very best behavior, coming into work early, staying late, and saying "yes" to whatever project, task, or assignment they threw at me! Now, as someone who is being groomed for a management position, I'd have to say that while the treatment you received was extreme and unfair, I'd admit that I would be leary of someone coming back to work late from lunch during her first week on the job without offering an excuse. 'Cause from what I've seen from other people (and I'm not implying this is your intention at all) is they like to test the waters to see how much they can get away without getting caught! Based on some of the stories one my friends who runs a cafeteria at a local college has told me, I can't believe the stuff that happens!
Posted 2/27/2008 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
Panike:
We're all here for you so you're not in this alone. I know that you'll be back to work in no time; hopefully working for some decent people. Doesn't sound like you were working in a good place anyway, not very understanding people.
Hang in there. All will be well!!!
cheryl
Posted 2/27/2008 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you Cherthom,I have some possibilities lined up,some sound real promising.I'm trying to hang in there although i am a little depressed but at least i have a good support system here and at home.Thank you for being concerned,I hope all is well with you honey?Anything new happened in your life lately? SadSong i respect your honest opinion Hun but i still think firing me was a little harsh,maybe a verbal warning and then fire me if it happened again which it probably wouldnt have.We all have problems some time that causes us to be late or even not go at all.You know people get sick ect. We are not robots,were human.Sometimes things happen that are out of our control it doesn't mean we are bad people or unreliable. I could have been one of the best employees that they ever had but they wouldn't have ever known because they didn't even give me a chance.Not saying that i would have been but just hypathetically speaking.When you become a manager i hope you keep in my mind that no one is perfect and things happen,i'm not saying let people walk all over you but do take things in consideration before firing someone.I'm glad you gave your honest opinion SadSong.Thank everyone for helping me through this!
Posted 2/28/2008 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your honest opinion too Panike! I do think firing you was harsh. And I do agree that none of us are perfect - 'cause that would be boring! :) Your situation, just reminded me of a former employee. She was the extreme, but it always seems to start out small and then progress into something much larger. This is say that I do not think you fit into this situation, but just to say that some people will take advantage of the system if allowed to! I do wish you luck on your job search - exciting times! :)
Posted 3/1/2008 4:15 AM (GMT 0)
SadSong i agree some people do try to take advantage of the system and the person in charge overtime will learn to reconize those people verses the people that may just run into a problem that's out of their control every now and then.People who take advantage of the situations ruin it for those of us who do have good intentions.But i still dont think you shouldn't fire someone after one or two offenses because at that rate you will never keep employees.Give that person the benefit of the doubt and see what they are goin to do.
Posted 3/2/2008 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
I've found, with jobs, you always have to cover your back. You shouldn't have been fired, in my opinion but there a a couple of things you might do differently next time -

If you're late at all, explain to them first, even if you think they haven't noticed. Don't wait to be asked. They'll be grateful for your honesty.

If you find there's nothing to do, ask your boss if there's anything you can do, like tidy up the office/store, make coffee for everyone?

Best of luck with your next job. I find this a hard thing to take myself, but not everyone will like you.
Posted 3/3/2008 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
You're right Puddy! I agree totally i realize now that the situation is overwith that i could have done some things different,but i have an even better job now so i'm not sweating it anymore! I just know to do things different this time around and i've been extra careful on my new job!
Posted 3/3/2008 12:32 AM (GMT 0)

Great advice Puddy and Panike we wish you the best with your new job and I hope you conquer that bridge.

Hugs to you
Kitt

Posted 3/3/2008 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you Kitt so far everything is going well! I love my new job! The job and the people.Still not feeling to good driving there but once i'm there i feel ok.Like i wa saying on my other thread it's not as close to home as the last one was.So that raises a little more anxiety.But i think once i get use to going back and forth i'll be ok.I hope you and your husband are doing ok Kitt,i hope you had a good weekend! Take care friend!
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