What do you think?

What do you think? (Full Version)

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satyrsnymph28 -> What do you think? (9/22/2007 1:27:35 AM)
Here's the situation. I applied for this job a while back, and I got hired on about a month ago. Its a retail position that pays 7.50/hr. When my boss hired me on, she hired me to work 4:30-closing (8:30) twice a week, and the full closing shift on the weekends, which is 11:30-8:30. Its convenient because the job is on my way home from my 9-4 job, so working an extra 4 hours as a stop on my way home is kindof nice. So anyway, I worked the hours she hired me to work for... one week... and since then I've had 2 shifts a week that were 2 hours long... sometimes on a weekend when I then have to drive 20 miles each way to get to the job and get home. I'm only making... $56 every two weeks on that schedule, which is ALMOST the gas that it takes to get there and back on those 4 days. This next week, I am on call for all the days that I am available to work there. I am the ONLY employee on call, everyone else has scheduled hours. This means, obviously, I'm not gaurenteed to get ANY hours at all next week and could, in fact, not work that job at all. Another scenario that could take place would be that, rather than getting to stop by to work my shift on my way home from my other job, I could possibly get all the way home (45 minutes from my first job) and then receive a call saying I needed to come in. That, of course, is a tremendous waste of gas. So, my thoughts are... do I quit? Do I wait it out to see if I get more hours? What can I say to my manager that will be well received and potentially provide more hours for me? Let me know what you think... I really need some help with this one... Thanks

katzschen -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 1:32:49 AM)
The first thought that comes to my mind is gee, that sounds familiar. It's retail, and unfortunately at this time of year, that's how it goes. If you're willing to wait it out, it will pick up at the end of October until early January, but I've yet to see retail ever be stable. I highly doubt you will get the specific hours you were told you would, I didn't. And for what to do, I'd have to think.

MissMagnolia -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 1:51:09 AM)
This is from an ex managers perspective and I don't know about US work relations laws. Were you hired with a verbal/written contract about your minimum hours, or as a casual? Does the manager know that you work 9-4 at another job? If she does, she may be giving the extra hours to someone who only has that one job. You would also be unable to work during the daytime, which is maybe the very time when they need more staff. It will pick up at Christmas time, but that's not a long time, only a few weeks.

FullfigRIMaam -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 2:04:00 AM)
If you really like the place, wait it out because holiday season shopping is about to start, and you're sure to get as many hours as you want/need. M

subrob1967 -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 5:59:52 AM)
First let me say that avatar is sexy as hell, love the boots. Retail is hell, everyone cuts hours after labor day, and stores base their hourly payroll on sales. IMO $7.50 an hour is not enough compensation to cover your potential expenses. You could have a heart to heart with the manager, but chances are she'll bullshit you by promising more hours. If she can't meet your needs, thank her for the opportunity, and move on.

Alumbrado -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 6:23:02 AM)
It's retail... and 'flexible' hours means 'be available at a moment's notice every time we screw with the schedule, but only get paid for the time on site'.

TheProtector -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 6:34:00 AM)
I own a chain of shops over in the UK, yes retail, and one of the first things I ask, is how near someone lives to that unit, only if there's a huge lack of staff around would I think about getting staff from that far away, and even then work out the hours to start from 4 hours at a time, it just takes thinking about from my side, but then it's easy to get staff to work in shopping malls, and even more so in Chocolate shops....my view, look for new job, but say where you are until you find a better one.

michelleryder -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 6:40:40 AM)
Well Mr Protector if your short on staff for your choccie shop just let me know and i'll be there in a trice!!!!!

satyrsnymph28 -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 10:03:06 AM)
I should mention... we're a school supply store. We carry materials for teachers. Our "Christmas" has already passed... which was the start of the school season... So its not gonna pick up much. We see about 12-15 customers a day right now... and thats how it will be until the tiny rush after winter break, and then the start of the following school year. It was a verbal agreement that I would be given those hours... apparently saying you'll do something is meaningless these days... My manager would rather schedule herself for a 12 hour day than give me 4 hours instead of two. The other day, she worked 8:00am to 8:30 pm and I only worked 4:30-6:30... Ofcourse she knows I have another job. I had to explain my limited availability somehow. I thought that would work to my benefit, instead of huritng me, because they need closers, and thats exactly what I'm available to do. Everyone else has night classes (except for the manager and the assistant manager) so, they don't have that much employee availability. The manager just fired our only employee with open availability. Everyone else has their schedule written on a post-it note taped to the manager's computer monitor. Its positively infuriating... So, I guess I'll just continue to look for another job... and then when I quit, they'll be uber short handed.... I guess thats kindof a bitch move, but I guess I should jump on the "screw you, i'm looking after myself" bandwagon...

TheHeretic -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 10:28:30 AM)
How long are you going to need to work two jobs? Is this someplace you would like to stay that long? If so, a month is hardly long enough for a manager to decide if his/her job is easier with you on the floor (or if there is enough extra money in the till to make up for what a pain in the ass you are). If you can earn such a judgement, by being flexible and not bitching about it, by being the best one out there during the Christmas slam, you might find the job gets a whole lot better.

velvetears -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 10:54:27 AM)
FR Why would you not think to look after yourself first in relation to a minimum wage job? You do not owe this store or manager anything other then your best effort done when you actually are on the job. They are offering you no stability why do you feel you owe them any allegiance at all? Do what you need to do to survive and thrive in life. Not many employers out there think of the employess first - usually they are last, after profit margines, job performance, customer satisfaction etc.

ChicagoSwitchMal -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 10:58:05 AM)
how many employees, just the two of you? Then no good might come from that. She's just looking for someone to take hours that are inconvenient for her. If there is more employees I'd say talk to her. But one month into any retail job puts anyone at the low end of the schedules priority list. You might need more time in, get some people underneath you, before you see more time.

satyrsnymph28 -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 11:06:43 AM)
She's hired two people since I started working there, and they both get more hours than I do.... and I don't have a chance to prove anything when i only get to work 4 hours a week...

camille65 -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 11:22:24 AM)
I would start looking at other jobs and I would talk to my boss. Explain how you feel and possibly find resolution with it.

sophia37 -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 11:33:45 AM)
So far, many of your replies have mentioned the upcoming Xmas season. Seems to me, you can find another job quickly. It also sounds like you have a job you want from 9-4. So concentrate on that one as primary, and see if it cant take you where you want to go. Good luck and many blessings Soph xo

CuriousLord -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 11:41:31 AM)
Haven't read over the other replies yet; my experience with this sort of thing is limited, but here's just some ideas. If it were me, I'd probably explain the situation to the manager (or whoever was scheduling, perhaps someone directly above them afterwards too) that it's simply counter-productive for me to work for just the gas money to go into work, putting wear and tear on my car and wasting my time. I'd tell them that I enjoy working there, and that I'd like to continue, but that I have to be realistic and adopt a schedule that's viable or sacarfice the job. PS- From the first couple of replies, I've noticed the Christmas thing was coming up. It's true you probably will be assigned more hours when the holiday season picks up, so it may be worth mentioning offhandedly before that season is over, then a bit more firmly once the hours wear down and you're back to the current situation.

TheHeretic -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 11:47:48 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: satyrsnymph28 She's hired two people since I started working there, and they both get more hours than I do.... and I don't have a chance to prove anything when i only get to work 4 hours a week... Then your sudden departure for greener pastures won't bring the place tumbling down. No better time to get a retail job than now. Just be choosy about who will still need you after Christmas. Specialty places with a slow pace 11 months out of the year tend to be very clique-y in my experience, how well you suit the mood the manager wants can play a more important role than how you do the job. Keep looking.

windchymes -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 1:18:16 PM)
A 2-hour shift isn't worth the gas it took to get there. Initially, I thought maybe she was told to cut back on labor and she hit you since you were low (wo)man on the totem pole, but there are obviously hours available to work that she's choosing to work herself and give to other people. Either she plays favorites, or possibly is unhappy with your job performance for some reason, and, rather than fire you, which a lot of bosses are afraid to do because they're afraid of retaliation of some kind, she just cut your hours back to almost nothing and is hoping you'll quit on your own. Or, she might just be miffed because she thinks you consider your other job is your priority, oh well, too bad. I'd quit, since it's no real loss on either end, and find a better job.

pahunkboy -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 1:25:56 PM)
At my one job- they had to pay 4 hours if you are even called in for 15 minutes. If you have rent or payments- get something better. this sounds like a 2nd job to me.

Lumus -> RE: What do you think? (9/22/2007 5:09:35 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: satyrsnymph28 Here's the situation. I applied for this job a while back, and I got hired on about a month ago. Its a retail position that pays 7.50/hr. When my boss hired me on, she hired me to work 4:30-closing (8:30) twice a week, and the full closing shift on the weekends, which is 11:30-8:30. Its convenient because the job is on my way home from my 9-4 job, so working an extra 4 hours as a stop on my way home is kindof nice. So anyway, I worked the hours she hired me to work for... one week... and since then I've had 2 shifts a week that were 2 hours long... sometimes on a weekend when I then have to drive 20 miles each way to get to the job and get home. I'm only making... $56 every two weeks on that schedule, which is ALMOST the gas that it takes to get there and back on those 4 days. This next week, I am on call for all the days that I am available to work there. I am the ONLY employee on call, everyone else has scheduled hours. This means, obviously, I'm not gaurenteed to get ANY hours at all next week and could, in fact, not work that job at all. Another scenario that could take place would be that, rather than getting to stop by to work my shift on my way home from my other job, I could possibly get all the way home (45 minutes from my first job) and then receive a call saying I needed to come in. That, of course, is a tremendous waste of gas. So, my thoughts are... do I quit? Do I wait it out to see if I get more hours? What can I say to my manager that will be well received and potentially provide more hours for me? Let me know what you think... I really need some help with this one... Thanks Being Canadian, I thought it might help to look at the appropriate labor laws first before responding. Perved you on the other side simply to find out which laws apply to you [since they vary by state]. Your employer's playing rotten, but within the rules. There's a stipulation for "reporting time pay" [Google should help you brush up on it, it worked for me] wherein if you expect to work x hours and are given less work time, you can claim for at least 2 and no more than 4 hours. You took the job on as 4 hours; half that is the minimum 2 you're getting. As a secondary job, this doesn't sound very viable for you, based on what you've described. They picked you up for the "rush" of work before school started, and now you're being chumped for minimum time, minimum wage. Unfortunately, looking at how the labor laws read in your state, and depending on how much free time you have after working your first job [and sleeping, and eating, and living in general...], you should probably expect to run into this more often than not. If you took the job because you need it, keep it until you find something better. If it's for a little extra mad money, you can do better...you just have to be patient because, as aforementioned, you'll run into this again... That advice dispensed, the best way to approach your boss is to be polite and to the point. "I appreciate this opportunity, however from my end I also have these things to take into consideration..." If you can create a discussion dynamic and the boss is receptive, you may yet be able to work things out to your benefit. Hope some of this helped. I know how hard it can be to make a second job work; I've done it before myself, and in my current job I deal with people who have scheduling issues on a regular basis.

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