I lost my job because I said "***k" on the phone...

As some of you might know, I lost my job yesterday (On my 20th Birthday of all days ) and I'm somewhat angry about the circumstances that led to it.

A little background info though. I've been working on this dinning hall of my college for near two years now. Starting this new year, we got a new manager for the old one left for some reason or the other. We are the most profitable dinning hall on campus and return excellent figures every year.

Right as soon as the new guy came in, we started getting screwed left and right. I thought "well, new guy. Adjustment problems. It'll work off in the end. We just need to jump together and stuff".

About a week into the new year, I got written up for not showing up for work, even though I had called (maybe a little late). Fine, I am willing to conceed this as my error. Strike One.

Strike Two:

I had come into work and punched in. I started working but was feeling real hungry. So I asked the Asst. Manager if I could grab a bite to eat. Normally, you aren't supposed to eat after you punch in, but the Asst. Manager said "ok". SO I was making me food, and the new guy comes up and says "You know you aren't suppoed to do that. Why you doing it?" I told him that I genuinely forgot and it wasn't my intention to do so. I apologised on the spot and even offered to punch out or stop making food for myself. He said "I'll let it slide this time. But next time, you better watch it". I was relieved.

By the end of the night, I found out that he had written me up for it!

The next day I met him and explained the situation to him. He said that he'd talk over with the Asst. Manager and take care of it.

Strike Three:::

Come Saturday and I am waiting for 20 minutes in the blistering cold for my bus. The bus hasn't shown up (it comes every 1/2 hr on Weekends) and we all figured that it must have broken down. So we have to wait for the next bus. This means that I will miss Dinner (although I will get in time for shift. We eat before we start working). So I do the prudent thing and call in to office. A student manager picks up the phone,

A student manager is a student employee with a little more responsibility. He acts as a go-between management and student employees. He has no control over union employees.

So I tell the student manager: "Hey Mizan! I'm going to be a little late because I missed the ***king bus" I didn't raise my voice, nor was I yelling or anything. It just came out of my mouth, like a regular word would. He took offense to that and said "Is this the way you speak on the phone?". I was surprised but had sense to apologise.

I walk in to work and they write me up for 'Unprofessional behaviour' stating that "he started cursing over the phone about the bus and the bus was running late".

While I was being written up I was further admonished 'about being rude and disrespectful to management and how this will not be tolerated on premises'.

I am somewhat of a loss as to how my private conversation with a person on a phone constitutes 'unprofessional behaviour and interferes with smooth operation of unit and affects my job performance". Really, I am quite curious. They've also put me on the "Do Not Hire" list, which means I won't find employment on any other eating establishment on campus.

I am now effectively unemployed and I know not how to pay my bills. It's too late in the semester for me to find a job elsewhere and I can't work off-campus as it is illegal.

Comments welcome. I want unbiased opinions please. If I really was at fault and my behaviour was so bad as to warrant me getting kicked out, I want to hear it ....

That sucks. Especially on your birthday.

Not to mention it sounds a little unfair. Pure and simple.



Hope things go better for ya, hun. (hugs)

Gosh, that really stinks. Sorry to hear that Simon.

I don't see why a fellow student should be offended by the F word over the phone (it was not directed towards him) , especially when you were running late; the person must have had some other reason to dislike you? If your story is completely true, I don't see any reason why the people would be so unfair, if you are keeping something away, then perhaps I would see why.

What university do you go to BTW?

Sounds to me like you broke three rules. Maybe they weren't enforced by the previous guy and he let you slide? You should have known with a new guy coming in to start things off by going by the rules. It's your fault. No excuses in my opinion.

I'd even be willing to bet (even though I don't know you personally and can't prove this statement) that you had an attitude or a chip on your shoulder towards this new guy. It's the common, "I'm a vetern around here, you have to earn my respect before I give it to you" attitude. That may have had a lot to do with it.

No hard feelings, just an outsider's opinon.


~Fletch

Sorry that happened to you, Si.

Maybe I'm biased because you are my friend, BUT:

As you've related the story, it appears to me that you've been very unfairly dealt with. Had you said that over the PA system, they might have a point. But in a phone conversation with another student (albeit "student manager"), it's a ridiculous overreaction.

Hope it gets straightened out for you. Good Luck.

Good point. And I did realise this after my first write up. I started coming into work half hour early, followed everything by the book and stuff.

A nice point, really. In my defense, I can only say with honesty that I never ever felt this way. I do as they tell me to, no questions asked.

Any of the other student managers or even the other two Asst. Managers and the Cook will attest to the fact that not only am I an easy guy to get along with, I also do more than that is required of me and am always willing to lend a hand.

EDIT #1: And in anycase, as long as it doesn't affect my work or my results, how should it really matter? Are you saying that just because he is my boss I gotta like the guy? I didn't really like the old manager neither but that didn't affect my work. A job is a job and it has to be done, my feelings about the man are to be handled outside the workplace.

I'm rather in the need for some outside perspective at the moment.

This is something how I felt too Strat. The funny thing is, we all cuss when we work, sometimes in a rather loud manner. Stuff happens, you drop food on the floor etc. and you cuss. It's natural and it isn't meant in any fashion. And I wasn't exactly going on and on and on and on. Neither was I cussing the student manager. Even my own Father didn't find it offensive or rude.

I'm stumped really. Maybe the Human Resources lady can explain it to me :|

I was very sorry to hear about your job, Si, and I hope you can get everything worked out very soon. Is there any way to confront (but not in an aggressive manner!) these people, so they could change their reports on you? Maybe if you stress the situation you're in to them (being unemployed, in the "Don't Hire List", too late to find a job and unable to go off-campus), they'll be condescendent with it all and may decide to "update" their reports.

Also, if that is not possible, for whatever reason, is there anyone higher in the chain that you could "complain" (expose the whole situation) to? Or, as the very very last option, as this might cost you some money, look for a lawyer and explain your situation to him. We can do wonders, sometimes, you know?

In the meantime, I wish you the best of luck, my friend.

Tough break man. You have my support (spiritually speaking; I'm low on cash myself). I've been fired for things that i had no control over, but I guess that's life. This is the real stuff; it's what seperates the men from the boys. You are now a man, my friend, pat yourself on the back.
Plus, there's no rule in the union book that says you can't strap some explosives to your chest.

Sucks, Simon. Good luck with HR.

well I think that's rightly screwed.. First of all the rule that you can't get work off campus (what the hell?!!) secondly that you're on the "no work list" ridicilous.. I say take Piper's advice.. this leaves you in a right ol' shit.. there has to be a way to get around this..

hope it works out mate.. keep us updated..

cheers

The "no off-campus work" rule is a visa requirement... But, y'know, I couldn't fire someone here in California for the reasons Simon's given.

I'd do as he's said, and complain to HR first.

oooh i see.. nevermind.. see over here you can do work off-campus but you can only do a certain amount of work...

cheers

You know what? Im damn happy i live in the worlds best country. (Living standar, and money)

And, that my parents get a lot of money by working, so i dont have to worrie about thins like that. Well, i think its crazy that you have been sacked by those things. I would hate the guy, go steal his floyd cds

I doubt someone like that would have Floyd cds..

cheers

"someone like that,".... it is very unfair to make such judgements when you don't know the people.


In any case, Simon probably has the Floyd CD's that his boss had.