First Job Nightmare

Haley's first job turned into a complete nightmare, but I think her dad and I anticipated that it may considering how her interview went. We advised her we would not take this job after her interview but I had a very overbearing mom that got her on the phone and convinced her to take it for various reasons. One of the reasons being that "Maybe God is placing Haley there to teach the store manager about kindness" (Ok, enough with the religious guilt trips. We aren't the jerk whisperer's!) She went against what her dad and I said and took it. It has been a nightmare since the interview. As soon as she got into the car from the interview she cried. (We're talking about an emotionally stable teen here to boot). The store manager who had interviewed her make belittling & condescending remarks (clear down to making fun of her shoes, ect. She dressed up for the interview. It was her first interview ever at 16 & wanted to impress them!) So then she began working for them. In the time span of 4-5 months she has been belittled, degraded, and took condescending remarks every shift. He seems to find enjoyment in punishing her and we also see him doing it to other workers there and we have definitely noticed that this man guns for the shy, meeker kids. A lot of the kids will say he does do this, but the quiet ones really take it. (There is also another boy in their friend circle that complains about this matter b/c he deal with it a lot himself). So far among other things she has been called "A stuck up snob" by the store manager b/c she didn't realize a shift manager had a baby and he told her "If she wasn't such a stuck up snob, she's ask questions". Haley is very shy and more introverted, most who know her would agree fully! He likes to place her on probation (which is a whole other story I'll explain) and then refer to her as "The Little Delinquent" (anyone who knows Haley would say that is not her personality at all). The drawers (as in starting drawers keep coming up short or over, but mostly short.) There seems to be an ongoing issue where the morning shift manager can't seem to count correctly between 35.00 & 50.00!) Let's go back to 4th grade seeing as they have a calculator, right?! When she is given a drawer and made sign for the amount, there is no way to prove what is or isn't in that starting drawer. But she is expected to use it and sign for it, but not allowed to count it out herself to make sure its correct even with them all having knowledge that these drawers are short (or way over has happened to others). So then her drawer comes up a few bucks short and they put the kids on probation for it, but they are not making the shift manager accountable for actually counting them correctly! Then after being put on probation store manager makes fun of you for it, I think thats a huge sign of enjoyment there and also one 30 year old bully. Pretty disgusting. At one point Haley called home from her break to say a boy came in higher than a kite and asked HER to hide his pot for him. She told him no, but another co-worker did it for him. Her dad and I talked and decided to call the shift manager at that time. He was very kind, complimented Haley on being an asset there and what a good kid she was (Others have to, the only problem seems to be the store manager). He did a bag check that night, could smell it but couldn't find it, but he got off scott free. Ok, so the store manager seems to enjoy punishing the meek (who probably appear weak to a bully) but those who do illegal things, that's cool?!! John assured me it was a safe working environment and it would be taken care of. He did his part as a shift manager but the store manager didn't. Haley's charter school is much harder than a normal brick & motor building. Its not abnormal to have a 5 page essay due or just for art this week she has an 18 PAGE project to complete (that's just an elective course to boot!) she went to work tired. Store Manager commented on her "looking tired or dazed" Haley was being honest with him and said "My school is tough and I'm tired tonight, but I also have severe ADHD & I've been rising above it with a lot of hard work and no longer on meds for it" (which was her dad's and my decision b/c adderall makes her very withdrawn, depressed, quiet, not to mention its an amphetamine with some research realized other countries have pulled it from the shelves b/c its killed children and given them heart conditions). Store Manager remarked "Well your parents should think about putting you back on adderall." I don't look at my children as having a disability we teach them to manage and try to overcome, BUT if we are going to break it down, doesn't that violate the Americans with disabilities act?!" ADHD is a disability. Dude has some nerve. I think we've pin-pointed him correctly, nothing but a coward, low self-esteemed bully that finds pleasure in his power and trying to destruct others. Whew, thats something to be proud of. Its safe to say I pity his children and wife. If he treats strangers and co-workers this way, imagine how he is behind closed doors of those he is comfortable with. We said enough is enough this week and on a joint decision decided she was not going back there for more abuse. As someone who should keep things professional, he should have taken courses on people-skills, communication skills, ect. This is what I do know Haley maintains 3 honors classes, makes honor roll, & doesn't seem to have a problem with other people or shift managers there. One lady shift manager said twice she was going to try to reason with store manager about the drawer issues and putting Haley on probation, she did not feel it was right seeing as they are not given a correct starting drawer with the right amount on money in it. She felt it was undue and unfair. Other children have told me how awful he is to work with, she is not the only one complaining. She is not finished with this job, I turned her uniforms in, her dad will escort her in to pick up her paycheck. I've called their ethics hotline and opened an investigation on him - Hopefully they will at least make him take some courses on how to talk to / treat employee's because they did lose a good one. As for Haley, she will be applying elsewhere and hoping for a better experience next time. I will never understand what bully's get out of their power / control / belittling trips. They think they are powerful, but truth is they are wearing their cowardly ways right on their sleeve. Haley never once stood up to him. She figured he was a person of authority, it was her job, and she would just deal with it but we were watching more stomach ache's, dreading work (she mainly was scheduled to work with him ironically!) and emotional stress. Well that cost is not worth a whooping 7.40 an hour in a large city like Philly! I do know this, that was only the tip of the iceberg on how she was treated! I am one of those mothers that sit back for awhile to see if they can take care of it on their own but if they don't feel safe enough to do so, they are still minors- you mess with our children, you mess with us. She's learned some lessons herself, maybe how to handle things next time, how to speak up in appropriate manners (we went over that with her - ironically one of Brian's college courses this time is communication skills!) and we'll she now knows to be careful of everyone's advice and that some people are just a wolf in sheep's clothing. I hope she is able to find a job she really enjoys and the people can at least train and treat you with mutual respect!