I had been working for Barnes and Noble.When I was hired,it was under the impression that it was full time, permanent, not seasonal. Yesterday,when I go to ask the mgr in charge of writing schedules why I’m not on the schedule for this week, I was told it was because hours were cut. Then another mgr (who was standing there)tells me in a very rude tone that I have been ‘cut’(which I assume meant I was fired). I assumed that since I am not on the schedule AT ALL for this week that yesterday was my last day and I just didn’t know it because nobody bothered to even tell me. How shitty is that? Cowardly bastards can’t even come out and say “whoops!We changed our minds.Sorry.” or something like that.That’s so damned low.The GM of the store has no cojones I guess because when I asked him on Fri why I wasn’t on the schedule,he told me to go ask mgr X who is in charge of scheduling.Then when I call up there today because I want to speak with GM about this, I am told that he is on vacation for a week.Just fucking figures,doesn’t it? Arrrgggh!!!
If I don’t find another job soon,I know that we will have to eliminate some non-essentials from our life,namely satellite tv,the internet and my beloved Netflix. CorvetteGuy’s dad has offered to lend us money if we need it but I really don’t want to go down that road.That would be embarrassing to me and I really don’t like the idea of having to depend on somebody besides myself and CorvetteGuy for money.
I was shocked about this…as was CorvetteGuy.I am taking today off to compose myself and chill and then tomorrow I am going down to BN and asking for a copy of everything in my personnel file,as well as the ph.# for HR and a written explanation as to WHY I was terminated wihout reason.I realize Texas is an ‘at will’ state (You can quit for any reason without telling your boss other than saying “I quit”.It also applies the OTHER way.They can fire you at any time as well.)and that really kind of sucks.I could file a complaint with the EEOC but I have to file for unemployment first(as I found out )and that also sucks.I have prided myself on never being on the public dole EVER and this would also be a major blow to my pride. But I gotta do what I gotta do I guess. BUT I am not staying at home doing nothing either.All morning I have been investigating job options in my area and will follow up on those tomorrow.
Aiyee…this sucks.
Damn right that sucks. Consider it a Learning Experience–“managers lie”. Doubt they “changed their mind”–they almost certainly knew perfectly well they were only hiring seasonal help.
Sorry you got sucked into it. I’d say don’t bother with the official complaint unless you had been working there for, like, 20 years. If it’s only been a few months, chalk it up to experience and move on.
And DO get that personnel file copied, oh yes. Future employers are gonna wanna know why you left.
This is not accidental, I_Dig_Bad_Boys. It’s actually a carefully worked out strategy in Ridding Yourself of Surplus Labor.
The idea is to keep the ending ambiguious, and thus, avoid a big dramatic firing, which may enrage the employee, and cause a loud scene which may frighten or distress the flock of customers milling about in the store.
There’s aintentional, carefully confusing lack of formality in hiring/firing in retail/service jobs. In the hiring stage, you apply, and when you are called back, you’re told to come to orienation. No formal “You’ve got the job.” Just orientation and your name badge. According to a book I once read, the idea is to keep the hiree somewhat off-balance and timorous, avoiding questions like “What’s the wage?” and “How many hours?” Employers like to keep things fluid. In firing, do what happened to I_Dig_Bad_Boys-- tell them to talk to person X. Pass the ball, keep them confused as to what’s happening. Cut them from the schedual and let THEM make the first move and ask the questions.
Taking you off the schedule for a week does not necessarily mean you were fired. It could possibly just be a one week thing. (Which sucks, too). You’ve got to get a straight answer out of the scheduling manager before you can assume anything, and certainly before you can file for unemployment.
I’m going to say don’t do anything too drastic until you find out, politely if possible, exactly what’s going on. It is possible you just haven’t been scheduled for the week, since the holiday season is over. The last retail job I had, all seasonal workers were automatically terminated at the end of the year, or sometime during the week after Christmas. However, some of those were then hired back as regulars. It was just that they had to start things like seniority from the new hire date. I thought it was a stinky policy, but if your job works like that, it might be counter-productive to do too much yelling until you find out.
I know it would be difficult to work for those people after they treated you that way, but it might at least take care of the finances until you could find something else.
And yes, they should have been clearer on those points.
Actually, I went down on Tues and talked to a mgr who told me I was fired for sure. I had calmed down by this point and spent 4 hrs walking the mall looking for a job. I must’ve filled out over a dozen applications,some for part time others for full time. Right now I don’t care WHAT it is as long as I have a job. This morning I got a call from one of the places I applied to and have an interview in like an hour and a half. Wish me luck.
Good luck - where is the armpit of north texas btw? If the B&N you worked in is in Plano or Frisco, I might have run into you. I go into the three around here fairly often (although, I like Borders better).
And by the way - are they aware that their prices on DVDs and CDs are 30% higher than everywhere else in the world? Do they think they’re running a shop in the airport or something?
I would encourage you to file for unemployment insurance. It doesnt’ seem clear if they ‘layed you off’ or ‘fired for cause’, if it was a layoff, UE benefits may be possible.
Ahh, this sounds so familiar . . . Could have been written by me, seven years ago. Only in Kansas, and without CorvetteGuy in the picture.
Luckily, when I got “cut” from the schedule without so much as a by-the-by, I was also working part-time at a restaurant (a job I took when I noticed that my full-time status at B&N seemed to be steadily dwindling down to part-time), so I was able to work more hours there to make up for it.
I gotta say, though, that you’re a bigger woman than I, because when I went into B&N and saw that, for the second week in a row, I seemed to have been excluded from the schedule, I didn’t ask any questions. I just walked out and never looked back.
I’m sure nobody cried.
At any rate, good luck on the job interview, and keep us posted!
Yeah, this story is what I fear is going to happen to me soon, too.
I was hired in October for full time employment, however it has become clear that the group I was hired in with were only hired for the holiday season. Managers have never referred to us as seasonal employees, but the more questions we asked, the more it became clear that our life span in the company was limited.The holiday rush ended with a gigantic THUD on Christmas Eve, so when I go back to work again in a couple days I fully expect some major changes, either my hours being cut drastically, my job changed or just being let go totally.
It’s no big deal to them…they have not made enough of an investment in this group of people to worry about unemployment claims, etc.
It sucks also because I really like working there, however they are also suffering financially right now (it’s a major computer manufacturer). They actually forced all of their upper management to take the 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year’s off without pay!! So if long term employees are being treated that way, it’s a foregone conclusion that someone that’s only been there 3 months won’t have much of a future there.
BTW - did you know a girl named Angie (last initial C) that worked there in the music department? She’s a good friend of mine. Come to think of it though, I don’t remember if she works at that B&N or another one, I haven’t talked to her in forever.
I wasn’t really there long enough to learn half the staff’s names,Slacker.Sowwy. The only way I knew anybody’s name was if they had a name badge. I don’t remember seeing anyone named Angie something but then again…I could be wrong.shrug
IDBB
Future employers are gonna wanna know why you left.
