The saga continues...
I am so sick of being dicked around by Lerner's. Today was just the last straw. Probably I should start off with some backstory.
I got a job there at the end of August. When I was hired, I told the guy who interviewed me (let's call him Interview Guy, since he will be back later in this story. I am bitching about this situation, but I at least want to be nice enough not to name names. Anyway.) that I was going away for Labor Day Weekend, but could work on Monday evening. I told the manager who did my orientation the same thing, and she told me to write down on my availability sheet that I could close on Monday if necessary. So, imagine my surprise when I checked the schedule for that week and I was scheduled for Sunday and Monday from 4-8. One thing that should be noted at this point is that Lerner's has one "on call" person for every shift. You are scheduled, but may not have to go in. That was my shift for Monday.
So, I tell the manager there (the fourth manager) about the scheduling conflict and she says that they will take care of finding someone for Sunday, because it was their error, but I have to take care of Monday. The orientation manager is at the store at this point, and she corroborates my story about Sunday. It is quite possible that they might not have believed me had she not been there. But anyway, at that point, I decide to let it slide, since I figure we can leave from VA early on Monday and come back for my work. However, I talk to my roommate P and she says that I should try to see if I can switch with someone or something.
So, that Friday (which is the Friday before Labor Day weekend) I go into the store and try to find out some phone numbers to call to get someone to switch with me. I talk to Interview Guy. We look at the schedule. Everyone is working. But the girl who is on call from 6-close on Monday is working that day, and we agree to switch. So, I am now on call for Monday 6-close. And as far as I can tell, Interview Guy seems to know that the fact that I am scheduled for Sunday is an error.
Everything is going alright at this point, but when I go to leave the store, as Interview Guy is checking my purse (side note: any time a Lerner's employee goes into the store, their bag is required to be searched when they leave, even if they are not working. Supposed to prevent shoplifting. Anyway.), I realize that I have most likely been pretty rude to him. At that point, P and I are running about two hours behind, and we have a six hour drive ahead of us, so I am a bit impatient, and that tends to come out in my tone of voice when things are taking too long. I wasn't like totally awful to him or anything, but I felt that I ought to apologize, since I could totally see that he might think I was being a bitch. So, I say "I'm sorry if I was rude to you, but I'm just really stressed out about this." And what does he do? He ignores me. Doesn't look at me or otherwise acknowledge the apology. He just thrusts my purse back at me and walks away. Man, was I irritated. I left the store, hoping that if I had to work with him on Monday, he would have cooled down by then.
We proceed on to VA, and have an awesome time, but while there, I get sick. And you know this is weird, since I never get sick. Ok, rarely. But, so on Saturday, I am thinking, "should I call Lerner's and ask them what to do, or what?". I decide to wait until Sunday, because I don't want to call and needlessly bother them if I am just going to get better. But by the next day I don't really feel any better. I am still totally nauseous and a bit unstable on my feet, not the best conditions for working. So, I call in. And I speak to Interview Guy. I explain that I am sick, and I say "what do you want me to do?". That is an exact quote, by the way. I did not tell him I wasn't coming in, and I didn't tell him that I didn't want to come in. I just asked what to do. And first off, he says "well, you didn't come in today," today being Sunday. I'm like, WTF?! I told you guys I couldn't work and you said you'd fix it. But so he then proceeds to tell me that no one is available for Monday. Uh, duh. We did spend ten minutes talking about this the other day, or did you think I forgot?
Anyway, so after a few confusing minutes of conversation, he tells me "we'll call you on Tuesday" and hangs up. I am really confused at this point. Does that mean I shouldn't come in? Is everything going to work out, or what? So, on Monday morning, when I feel worse, by the way, (after I got off the phone, I spent a good 45 minutes just trying not to throw up), I call and talk to the head manager of the store (call him Head Guy). He tells me (after we have a discussion about how much more money the store is making this week, yadda yadda yadda) that I don't have to come in. I ask if he's sure and he tells me he is and asks if I know the rest of my schedule for the week. Since I have no more days scheduled until the new schedule comes out, this is a pretty easy question to answer. I say yes, and we hang up.
So, that weekend taken care of, let's move on to the next bit. The Thursday after Labor Day, I went in to work before closing to check my schedule for the next week, and to make sure I wasn't working the next weekend. I was scheduled for the next Wednesday and the next Sunday (not three days from then, the Sunday after that). I couldn't find the schedule for that weekend anywhere. I looked everywhere in the back, but it wasn't around. I left, figuring that since I tried to find it, and that I hadn't been scheduled when I looked the week before, it shouldn't be a problem. Boy was I wrong.
I had some sort of problem with my phone that weekend, in which several people called me and I missed the calls, but didn't get the messages until Monday or Tuesday. Stupid T-Mobile! One of those people was the cable company (who are a bunch of dumb fucks who think my apartment number is 4 not 3 and thusly did not come to fix my DVR on time), and another one was Lerner's. Apparently I was scheduled to work on Saturday, on call from 5:30 to close (or something similar). I definitely did not see this on the schedule, since I clearly remember being pissed that I was scheduled to work only on days that I couldn't. They called me on Saturday to tell me I was on, and then once when I wasn't there yet. And, since I missed their calls, and like I said I had no idea I was scheduled, it wasn't like I was worried that I was missing work or anything. I only found out about it after the fact.
So, after I got that message, I called them on Wednesday to ask if I should come in, since I was on call. I figured it would be better to explain the phone thing in person, which is why I didn't call late on Tuesday. I thought I could show them that my call records didn't show they'd called. So, when I call on Wednesday afternoon, I talk to Interview Guy again. He told me that I shouldn't come in, and that in fact, I shouldn't bother coming back, since "it wasn't going to work out." I tried to explain that my phone was broken, but he just wouldn't listen to me. I told him that since I didn't know I was scheduled for Saturday there was no reason for me to call Lerner's (as if I should call every day just to make sure I'm not on or something), and that since I didn't get the message until later, there was no way for me to know that I should have been there. And he just wasn't understanding what I was saying. We ended up having this ridiculous circular conversation where he said one thing and I kept saying "yeah, but I just explained that!" and having to explain it again. The only thing it served to do was make me cry after we hung up. And they were some really pissed off tears.
After that, I decided to talk to Head Guy, so that maybe I could explain my position to someone that didn't have anything against me, as I think Interview Guy does, judging by the way he treated me after my apology and every time after that that I dealt with him. I made arrangements to come in and talk with Head Guy. When I came in, I told him the whole story I just related above. First he said that Interview Guy shouldn't have fired me without checking with him first (which made me feel a bit better, knowing that someone who could get so pissed off when I tried to apologize didn't hold the future of my job in his hands). He then told me that he didn't remember talking with me that weekend (which is total bullshit, since I have several people who can attest to the fact that we did speak, including myself, and I wouldn't lie about that, since it is something that could easily be proven false). He also told me that not showing up and not calling for three days is automatic grounds for termination, that it was in the handbook. I checked the handbook, and didn't find it. But anyway, he told me that he'd pass the problem off to corporate HR and that he'd get back to me on Monday (I think this was Friday) about it. And he and my Orientation Manager (who was there when we talked) seemed fairly understanding, but did insist on telling me time and time again that because I wasn't there on Monday, they were short people. I understand that perfectly well, but I have two problems with it. One, I could have come in! I told them that so many times, but I have this feeling that they didn't really understand me. I really did mean that I could come in, I wasn't just saying that. Two, I don't understand how they could schedule all of their employees for one day. I mean, you'd think that they employ enough people that they could have a couple of people that wouldn't work that they could call just in case. And that they would schedule extra people, just in case somebody didn't show up. I'd do that. But I don't run the store, so whatever.
I also got to see my employee file, where Interview Guy wrote me up for not showing up on Sunday (grr!), along with saying that I called to say I wasn't coming in on Monday, which, as I've already explained, I didn't say. I knew he wasn't listening to me.
I left the store that day, expecting a call on Monday.
However, he didn't get back to me, and when I called the next Thursday, I talked to Interview Guy again (of course). He told me that Head Guy was leaving for a managers' conference in Florida for 15 days. Lucky bastard, going to Florida where it's warm for work. So, I asked if someone could call me back when they found out what the status of my job was. He said sure. I also told them that I had clothes to return, and he said that Head Guy is the only one that can do employee return, and said that Head Guy could do it when he came back.
After that, I never heard back from them. I called them a few days ago to speak to Head Guy, but every time I called, he wasn't there. I finally got ahold of Interview Guy yesterday, who said that he didn't know what my status was, since Head Guy was dealing with it. He said Head Guy would be in today (Tuesday), so I could talk to him then. I gave up on the whole phoning before coming in thing, and went in tonight. I returned my stuff, got credit on my card, and I asked him about the HR thing. He told me that Interview Guy was the one dealing with it, and I told him that Interview Guy had said he was dealing with it.
They are both scheduled tomorrow, so they are apparently going to talk and figure out if either knows what the fuck is going on. So, I should get a phone call tomorrow, according to the promise of Head Guy. I really hope so, since I am so sick of this shit. I just want to know if I am employed by them anymore or not. I doubt that I would still work for them even if they did give me my job back, just because of the hell they've put me through. But on the other hand, I really need the money, so, who knows. I will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. Hopefully, they'll actually get back to me.
And whatever happens, I am going to tell Head Guy about Interview Guy ignoring my apology. I feel like if I were a customer, he would have never treated me that way, and that as a fellow employee, it would be common courtesy for him to at least acknowledge me. Especially since he's a manager. Who knows what will come of my complaint, but I will feel tons better doing it.
*sigh* It was nice to get that down and out of the way. And boy my joints just made the loudest popping sound! P just asked me if I was almost done, saying she was going to bed. I said, yeah, and I stretched. My shoulders made this amazing noise. Thankfully it didn't hurt. But man, it was impressive, even for me, and I seem to pop more than bubble wrap every time I move these days.
But it makes me think that it's time to get ready for bed.
I got a job there at the end of August. When I was hired, I told the guy who interviewed me (let's call him Interview Guy, since he will be back later in this story. I am bitching about this situation, but I at least want to be nice enough not to name names. Anyway.) that I was going away for Labor Day Weekend, but could work on Monday evening. I told the manager who did my orientation the same thing, and she told me to write down on my availability sheet that I could close on Monday if necessary. So, imagine my surprise when I checked the schedule for that week and I was scheduled for Sunday and Monday from 4-8. One thing that should be noted at this point is that Lerner's has one "on call" person for every shift. You are scheduled, but may not have to go in. That was my shift for Monday.
So, I tell the manager there (the fourth manager) about the scheduling conflict and she says that they will take care of finding someone for Sunday, because it was their error, but I have to take care of Monday. The orientation manager is at the store at this point, and she corroborates my story about Sunday. It is quite possible that they might not have believed me had she not been there. But anyway, at that point, I decide to let it slide, since I figure we can leave from VA early on Monday and come back for my work. However, I talk to my roommate P and she says that I should try to see if I can switch with someone or something.
So, that Friday (which is the Friday before Labor Day weekend) I go into the store and try to find out some phone numbers to call to get someone to switch with me. I talk to Interview Guy. We look at the schedule. Everyone is working. But the girl who is on call from 6-close on Monday is working that day, and we agree to switch. So, I am now on call for Monday 6-close. And as far as I can tell, Interview Guy seems to know that the fact that I am scheduled for Sunday is an error.
Everything is going alright at this point, but when I go to leave the store, as Interview Guy is checking my purse (side note: any time a Lerner's employee goes into the store, their bag is required to be searched when they leave, even if they are not working. Supposed to prevent shoplifting. Anyway.), I realize that I have most likely been pretty rude to him. At that point, P and I are running about two hours behind, and we have a six hour drive ahead of us, so I am a bit impatient, and that tends to come out in my tone of voice when things are taking too long. I wasn't like totally awful to him or anything, but I felt that I ought to apologize, since I could totally see that he might think I was being a bitch. So, I say "I'm sorry if I was rude to you, but I'm just really stressed out about this." And what does he do? He ignores me. Doesn't look at me or otherwise acknowledge the apology. He just thrusts my purse back at me and walks away. Man, was I irritated. I left the store, hoping that if I had to work with him on Monday, he would have cooled down by then.
We proceed on to VA, and have an awesome time, but while there, I get sick. And you know this is weird, since I never get sick. Ok, rarely. But, so on Saturday, I am thinking, "should I call Lerner's and ask them what to do, or what?". I decide to wait until Sunday, because I don't want to call and needlessly bother them if I am just going to get better. But by the next day I don't really feel any better. I am still totally nauseous and a bit unstable on my feet, not the best conditions for working. So, I call in. And I speak to Interview Guy. I explain that I am sick, and I say "what do you want me to do?". That is an exact quote, by the way. I did not tell him I wasn't coming in, and I didn't tell him that I didn't want to come in. I just asked what to do. And first off, he says "well, you didn't come in today," today being Sunday. I'm like, WTF?! I told you guys I couldn't work and you said you'd fix it. But so he then proceeds to tell me that no one is available for Monday. Uh, duh. We did spend ten minutes talking about this the other day, or did you think I forgot?
Anyway, so after a few confusing minutes of conversation, he tells me "we'll call you on Tuesday" and hangs up. I am really confused at this point. Does that mean I shouldn't come in? Is everything going to work out, or what? So, on Monday morning, when I feel worse, by the way, (after I got off the phone, I spent a good 45 minutes just trying not to throw up), I call and talk to the head manager of the store (call him Head Guy). He tells me (after we have a discussion about how much more money the store is making this week, yadda yadda yadda) that I don't have to come in. I ask if he's sure and he tells me he is and asks if I know the rest of my schedule for the week. Since I have no more days scheduled until the new schedule comes out, this is a pretty easy question to answer. I say yes, and we hang up.
So, that weekend taken care of, let's move on to the next bit. The Thursday after Labor Day, I went in to work before closing to check my schedule for the next week, and to make sure I wasn't working the next weekend. I was scheduled for the next Wednesday and the next Sunday (not three days from then, the Sunday after that). I couldn't find the schedule for that weekend anywhere. I looked everywhere in the back, but it wasn't around. I left, figuring that since I tried to find it, and that I hadn't been scheduled when I looked the week before, it shouldn't be a problem. Boy was I wrong.
I had some sort of problem with my phone that weekend, in which several people called me and I missed the calls, but didn't get the messages until Monday or Tuesday. Stupid T-Mobile! One of those people was the cable company (who are a bunch of dumb fucks who think my apartment number is 4 not 3 and thusly did not come to fix my DVR on time), and another one was Lerner's. Apparently I was scheduled to work on Saturday, on call from 5:30 to close (or something similar). I definitely did not see this on the schedule, since I clearly remember being pissed that I was scheduled to work only on days that I couldn't. They called me on Saturday to tell me I was on, and then once when I wasn't there yet. And, since I missed their calls, and like I said I had no idea I was scheduled, it wasn't like I was worried that I was missing work or anything. I only found out about it after the fact.
So, after I got that message, I called them on Wednesday to ask if I should come in, since I was on call. I figured it would be better to explain the phone thing in person, which is why I didn't call late on Tuesday. I thought I could show them that my call records didn't show they'd called. So, when I call on Wednesday afternoon, I talk to Interview Guy again. He told me that I shouldn't come in, and that in fact, I shouldn't bother coming back, since "it wasn't going to work out." I tried to explain that my phone was broken, but he just wouldn't listen to me. I told him that since I didn't know I was scheduled for Saturday there was no reason for me to call Lerner's (as if I should call every day just to make sure I'm not on or something), and that since I didn't get the message until later, there was no way for me to know that I should have been there. And he just wasn't understanding what I was saying. We ended up having this ridiculous circular conversation where he said one thing and I kept saying "yeah, but I just explained that!" and having to explain it again. The only thing it served to do was make me cry after we hung up. And they were some really pissed off tears.
After that, I decided to talk to Head Guy, so that maybe I could explain my position to someone that didn't have anything against me, as I think Interview Guy does, judging by the way he treated me after my apology and every time after that that I dealt with him. I made arrangements to come in and talk with Head Guy. When I came in, I told him the whole story I just related above. First he said that Interview Guy shouldn't have fired me without checking with him first (which made me feel a bit better, knowing that someone who could get so pissed off when I tried to apologize didn't hold the future of my job in his hands). He then told me that he didn't remember talking with me that weekend (which is total bullshit, since I have several people who can attest to the fact that we did speak, including myself, and I wouldn't lie about that, since it is something that could easily be proven false). He also told me that not showing up and not calling for three days is automatic grounds for termination, that it was in the handbook. I checked the handbook, and didn't find it. But anyway, he told me that he'd pass the problem off to corporate HR and that he'd get back to me on Monday (I think this was Friday) about it. And he and my Orientation Manager (who was there when we talked) seemed fairly understanding, but did insist on telling me time and time again that because I wasn't there on Monday, they were short people. I understand that perfectly well, but I have two problems with it. One, I could have come in! I told them that so many times, but I have this feeling that they didn't really understand me. I really did mean that I could come in, I wasn't just saying that. Two, I don't understand how they could schedule all of their employees for one day. I mean, you'd think that they employ enough people that they could have a couple of people that wouldn't work that they could call just in case. And that they would schedule extra people, just in case somebody didn't show up. I'd do that. But I don't run the store, so whatever.
I also got to see my employee file, where Interview Guy wrote me up for not showing up on Sunday (grr!), along with saying that I called to say I wasn't coming in on Monday, which, as I've already explained, I didn't say. I knew he wasn't listening to me.
I left the store that day, expecting a call on Monday.
However, he didn't get back to me, and when I called the next Thursday, I talked to Interview Guy again (of course). He told me that Head Guy was leaving for a managers' conference in Florida for 15 days. Lucky bastard, going to Florida where it's warm for work. So, I asked if someone could call me back when they found out what the status of my job was. He said sure. I also told them that I had clothes to return, and he said that Head Guy is the only one that can do employee return, and said that Head Guy could do it when he came back.
After that, I never heard back from them. I called them a few days ago to speak to Head Guy, but every time I called, he wasn't there. I finally got ahold of Interview Guy yesterday, who said that he didn't know what my status was, since Head Guy was dealing with it. He said Head Guy would be in today (Tuesday), so I could talk to him then. I gave up on the whole phoning before coming in thing, and went in tonight. I returned my stuff, got credit on my card, and I asked him about the HR thing. He told me that Interview Guy was the one dealing with it, and I told him that Interview Guy had said he was dealing with it.
They are both scheduled tomorrow, so they are apparently going to talk and figure out if either knows what the fuck is going on. So, I should get a phone call tomorrow, according to the promise of Head Guy. I really hope so, since I am so sick of this shit. I just want to know if I am employed by them anymore or not. I doubt that I would still work for them even if they did give me my job back, just because of the hell they've put me through. But on the other hand, I really need the money, so, who knows. I will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. Hopefully, they'll actually get back to me.
And whatever happens, I am going to tell Head Guy about Interview Guy ignoring my apology. I feel like if I were a customer, he would have never treated me that way, and that as a fellow employee, it would be common courtesy for him to at least acknowledge me. Especially since he's a manager. Who knows what will come of my complaint, but I will feel tons better doing it.
*sigh* It was nice to get that down and out of the way. And boy my joints just made the loudest popping sound! P just asked me if I was almost done, saying she was going to bed. I said, yeah, and I stretched. My shoulders made this amazing noise. Thankfully it didn't hurt. But man, it was impressive, even for me, and I seem to pop more than bubble wrap every time I move these days.
But it makes me think that it's time to get ready for bed.