[SkyBaby]

I thought High school drama did not belong in the workplace! It's such an unprofessional atmosphere. I hate Kmart. I hate my job. I hate 90% of the people I work with. Generally the drama doesn't really bother me, because I'm aware of it, but never (until now) personally involved. Service desk people (you'd go to them for exchange/return of merchandise) are almost all on a powertrip even though they're only a hair above cashiers (we're on the lowest of the low).

Here's what happened. When it's slow, we go out on the floor and do go-backs (put away stuff customers don't want and leave at the registers). The slow times are usually in the later evenings on week days. On a full shift, we're supposed to have 1 15 minute break, a lunch break, and 1 more 15 min break. It was time for my last break at around 9 (off at 10:30 last night). The person manning the service desk at the time (eric) wouldn't let me go on my break until my cart of go-backs was finished. He was then whining about me to another cashier also stuck doing returns. I was dragging and actually needed my break to get some sugar in my system so I could get some energy and get things done. Not to mention it's illegal for them not to give me my break. I walked back out to the floor with my cart and told a trusted worker who's been there for years. She says "No.. you need your break. You go tell him to quit talking about you to other people and go take your break". Generally I would have just obeyed. I'm the type I let myself get walked all over because when I bother to defend myself, it has a worse outcome than simply following orders. This time, I stuck up for myself and told him just that. He then gets on the PA and pages both the other workers I had talked to. One wont talk to me now and the other is just laughing about this. The one who wont talk to me now was all "You got me and Barb in trouble. Eric is p*ssed at us and you because you didn't get your work done." Eric meanwhile was squealing to the manager the whole time making me look bad.

It's so unprofessional there! >.< I'm only making minimum wage. This is so not worth $8 an hour. I'm so freaking close to quitting. I have to keep working there because we need the money. It's that or fastfood. I've been down that road. Never going back. It was icing on the cake when I heard an old world war II era airliner landing at the nearby airport. I'm a dedicated plane spotter, so when I miss that kind of stuff, it drives me nuts. I want to make a career out of aviation photography.

If you got this far.. God bless you. I'm just sick of my job.

[Love-Bug]

Hun I'm sorry big hugs. I feel you on HS drama in the work place. Every job I have ever had is worse then going back to HS. Even when you try your hardest not to get sucked in for some reason people take that as we should cause drama with her. It is against the law what they were doing. And the Eric guy was way unprofessional. If I were you I would have taken my break and if any one said anything negative to me I would have politely said "I am on my break which by law is owed to me based on the hours I have worked. And if your telling me I'm not allowed to take it I want you to put that in writing. And when I call the labor board to complain this company is in violation you can explain to them why I was denied what was owed." But then again I am a brat when it comes to stuff like that. I let people walk all over me for far too long. And all keeping my mouth shut did was get walked all over more. The down side to speaking up is running the risk of getting fired. So as a procaution I would also reccomend keeping a log of everything so if they do you can file wrongful termination. And nothing bets dates, times, and people involved documentation. Good Luck hun and I'm sorry work is being so sucky right now. Hope things look up for you!!

[baby7]

Are you sure it's that or fast food? I think you should apply to anything and everything. Reception, retail. Some dentist offices train their assistants. Really. Just apply everywhere!

[SkyBaby]

LoveBug: Yes I'm documenting this. If I get fired for this, I'm turning in what I have written.

Baby7: I'm done with the minimum wage industry. It's all gonna be exactly the same. I'm turning in my photography portfolio in local aviation engineering corporations to get hired as their aviation photographer. I'm working on putting together my portfolio right now. I'm not interested in becoming a dental assistant. I wouldn't be able to handle all the blood and nastiness they see on a daily basis.

[BeccaM]

Im sorry you had to deal with all that. You are stronger than me. Even if I needed the money I would have pushed the cart over to Eric and told him to do it himself and walked out then said Walmart here I come! LOL

Good luck with your portfolio! Aviation photography sounds interesting.

[~InHisHands~]

I'd be sick of that too!

[~InHisHands~]

I'd be sick of that too!