I had been working at a local restaurant busting tables for the past 2-3 yrs…. Well the other night, one of my managers, we’ll call her Angela, was handing out tips (personal tips– you’ve got personal tips which are yours and then the tips on the table are supposed to be rationed out at the end of the night)… Well right as I got done busting this table, she gives me my personal tip from last week. Being on disability I only work 2 nights a week.
Well right as I got back to the dish pit, I hear someone mentioning that supposedly $20 was missing from the table I just busted. So, I made extra sure as I was going through my bus pan unloading everything that I didn’t come across any money which I may have accidentally knocked into my bus pan. Of coarse there was no money, so I thought nothing of it. Not even 5 minutes later, another manager, we’ll call him Jason, comes storming in and drags me aside, automatically in drill sergeant mode, accusing me of taking the tip off the table. So I explained that Angela gave me my personal tip, and the money I was counting out was from that, not from the table. he immediately screams at me “where are you hiding it!?!” As far as I knew I didn’t have it. He said he had 2 witnesses, I’m thinking they must have seen me count out my personal. Anyhow jason sends me home and suspends me, tells me he’s gonna talk with Mike (store mgr) and they’d get back to me in a couple days… I was kinda put off that I’m being accused and yet, I’m not even allowed to be present to present my case or defend myself here.
Well I got to talking to a friend (coworker) and I think what may have happened is that I may have accidentally gotten the tip from the table mixed in with my personal tip by accident… I figured this when I was able to have a relaxed, calm conversation to figure it all out. Had Jason approached me differently, we could have settled this a lot easier and with much less fuss. I called work tonight (but chances are Mike and Jason have already made their decision by now). Angela picks up, so I tell her this conclusion I’ve now reached, she said she’d leave it in the books for Mike…. I also told her too that I’d give back the $5 just on principal that I *might* have mixed it in accidentally with my personal tip.
I’m 35, I got more wholes in my employment history than swiss cheese. last thing I need is this on my resume. All this on top of all the other problems I’ve been dealing with…. Nobody will ever hire me if I have this on my resume. It was hard enough finding work before. And I need the money……
So this is the final straw….. If I’m fired and I can’t redeem myself, and I can’t find work, well there’s only one option left, right? To be honest, my life stopped when I reached 30 anyhow.
3 comments
I Don’t know how you made it this far. I’m impressed you managed to struggle on for this long. Maybe quite before they fire you? Assuming you could get a job elsewhere of course.
Another one of those struggles in life I suppose. I suggest you struggle on until there really is no hope left, right now you have two hopes:
1) The possibility of not getting fired and continuing on as usual
2) Getting fired BUT finding another job and (after some adjustments) continuing on as usual.
At least exhaust these two hopes first, before considering suicide.
Good luck, you have a tough time ahead but know that we all do.
Believe me, after the past week, I completely hear you about work issues. I may even post my own story here just for a laugh!
I can understand your frustration and worry, but losing your job is not something to contemplate suicide over. I realize you are concerned about finding other employment if you are fired, but there are quite a few jobs out there and I’m sure you’d be able to find something (many places do not require references).
Good luck and I hope it all works out.
L4Y
(L4Y@cogeco.ca)
I have a gut feeling it will work out. In the past, I’ve worked in a few restaurants in life. If this is your only blemish, I see a good possibility of Lsari’s #1 (not getting fired). Maybe you’ll get something in your file; maybe not. Worst case, if action is taken, there are probably numerous other restaurants that would hire you. Simply be up front and explain the circumstances. You have nothing to lose by being honest. I hired an employee who self-reported they were terminated from another company.
As a side note, at least in the US, many companies will NOT give a bad reference to other companies for various legal reasons. If that’s the case, they will simply verify your dates of employment, position, and stuff like that. One way or the other, I think this will work out in the end.
As another side note, you stated she gave you your personal tips. She must have known how much she gave you. So, if you counted what you had and it was over that amount, all you would have to do is give back the extra. It seems that within minutes of getting the personal tips that she gave you, the money from the table went missing. Perhaps this situation became much more complicated than it needed to be?