This week has been a bit rough. It actually started last Saturday when the manager asked me how I thought our newest employee was doing. Honestly, I thought he had been doing really well for having worked a total of 6 days even coming in on his day off for 90 minutes to learn how to change a ballast in the lights (something I know nothing about). I have worked the most with him – all but two of those 6 days. I found it really strange that he had not been learning the register since we are a small store and everyone is trained on it. Sometime soon, I was told (red flag number one should have gone up).
A week ago Monday, he asked if he could have a day off for family. The manager agreed to give him the requested day off since there was enough help scheduled. I do not know if she informed him that it was not a great idea to be asking for a day off so early in his employment especially when the schedule was already posted. The assistant manager approached me and asked if I knew why he needed the day off because he had asked another co-worker to take his hours so he “could go to the movie.” I knew for a fact that he was not going to the movie and really wanted the day off for a legitimate reason. Plus if it was really putting a strain on his employment, why give him the day off to begin with?
I was also informed that he was not doing his job appropriately. Mainly that he really did not like to straighten shelves. Well… zoning, facing, OH, I think we call it fronting is one of my absolute FAVORITE jobs . I jokingly told him to suck it up and do it anyway to which he playfully (AND I MEAN PLAYFULLY) told me to “Shut up.” I know how Nate can be (right Mare?) and I immediately gave him a look and shook my head…. playfully or not it was not a good idea to tell a fellow employee to be quiet even if we know each other well enough to know that it was light-hearted. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you (or at least I) don’t go through three months of rehearsals of a show and not know something about most of the cast mates. The nights I worked with him, he did everything I asked and a few things I did not that needed done. I even asked if he had been trained on the register anymore than the basics I showed him the day he started when it was just the two of us in the store for a busier than expected 7 hours. WOW… something really major must have happened those two days I was not there.
On Monday, I received a phone call. “What the fudge just happened?” I was beside myself. I had defended him and stated my position to the boss and for what?! Why did she even ask my what I thought. Was I the only one who thought he deserved better than 6 days to acclimate himself? Anyway, he was walking to my brother’s house and I told him to wait there and I would be out to talk to him and try to make sense of it. I told him what I knew and told him in no way did I understand why this happened. After spending time calming him down, we watched a movie. The rest of the week at work, I have noticed a heaviness that has not been there before and have been asked if there have been any “repercussions” following his dismissal. I just say no and let it go at that. I made my point a week ago… apparently not very well. Nate told me that he would see me next week as he went to spend a few days with family. Therapeutic.
Sorry you had a rough week. If you need to talk, call or IM if you ever catch me online. Your post is vague, so I’m not quite sure what exactly happened. Does this have anything to do with the short register you told us about last week?
And we saw Oats last night – it was hilarious! So can you uncover Susan’s comment yet or are you waiting til the run is over? They almost canceled the rest of the run, but thankfully did not so that we were about to see it. Fun show – Chris was the “Marshal of Montpelier” – a role I assume you got to play as well.
Intentionally vague I still do not have a firm grasp on it myself but… eh, what can you do?