Go Back   Customers Suck! > The Heart of the Site > Sucky Customers

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Display Modes

At least I don't have to see them.
  #1  
Old 07-08-2012, 08:03 PM
Cyberguy Cyberguy is offline
Cashier
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 25
Unhappy At least I don't have to see them.

So, I have a job working for a Janitorial company. They contract jobs out to the surrounding buisnesses, and then have their janitors clean up the place.

This is my first real job, so was was determined to make a good impression. My boss walked me through the tasks I needed to do every day, and also gave me a list of everything that needed to be done every once in a while.

Everything was normal for the first few weeks. I went in, cleaned the building, and went home. Not a bad first job. Then they happened.

The Notes.

I came into work, and there was a note on the janitor closet door from the building manager It was asking me to sweep up the cigarette butts in the parking lot. That was on my list of ocassional tasks, and I wasn't sure when I was suposed to do it, so I signed the note with my initial to let them know I acnowledged it and went out to do that.

At first, that was it. Nothing too special, but then, the notes started coming more and more. Most of them were telling me to do things that weren't on my list of duties, daily or otherwise. I didn't want to tick off my bosses, so I did them anyway, even though they usually kept me at the office for anywere from thirty minutes to an hour overtime without pay.

This kept on for a while. Then I got a call from my supervisor. It turns out that the building manager was sick of leaving me notes for things I wasn't even supposed to be doing. They had gone over my boss's head to complain to HIS supervisor about my supposed performance flaws.

Now keep in mind:

A: This is my first job.
B: I have to clean the ENTIRE building. That means vaccuming, sweeping, mopping, taking out the trash, cleaning the restrooms, AND washing the windows for at least 15 rooms, on top of whatever else they wanted me to do.
C: I only get 90 paid minutes to clean the building. The only reason for me to stay overtime would be if I didn't get something essential clean, like the trash or vaccuming.

Fortunately, I'd aced all my inspections thus far, so my boss was on my side, and he tells me he'll explain this to them and try to convince them to lighten up.

I got significantly fewer notes after that.

They didn't completely stop... But that's another story.

  #2  
Old 07-08-2012, 10:19 PM
EricKei's Avatar
EricKei EricKei is offline
Go ahead. Make a wish.
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: NOLA expatriate
Posts: 5,358
Default

Check your local laws first...Not paying you for that extra time is not legal in most places (even if the boss doesn't know about it or pretends not to). o_O You may want to sit down with your boss and calmly explain the amount of extra time needed for all of these extras, so he can charge the client more, and, in turn, pay you the money you've earned.
__________________
“Always remember: you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think” - Christopher Robin

  #3  
Old 07-08-2012, 10:25 PM
raudf raudf is offline
Store Manager
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: A perpetual state of confusion
Posts: 614
Default

Hubby did this for a while as a tie-over until he got a better job. Sounds like the company that hired your services is trying to squeeze more work "under the table," rather than paying for it. I'd definitely have another chat with your own boss about the situation and hopefully drop the extras without being paid extra.

  #4  
Old 07-09-2012, 12:04 AM
Zoom's Avatar
Zoom Zoom is offline
Scourge of Riff-Raff
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: X
Posts: 460
Default

Leaving notes is a form of littering which you have to clean up. Presumably right into the recycle bin without wasting ink on them.

  #5  
Old 07-09-2012, 12:34 AM
Bright_Star's Avatar
Bright_Star Bright_Star is offline
Diner Darlin'
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,234
Default

IF they want you to do EXTRA work then they need to pay you OVERTIME! Leaving you notes & getting pissed cause they want you to do more work than what you were initially told about speaks volumes on that company.
& why in the world would they have a hissy fit if they want you do do a task that you were never told about in the first place? What are you, a mind reader?

  #6  
Old 07-09-2012, 01:24 AM
Cyberguy Cyberguy is offline
Cashier
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 25
Default

It's not worth making a fuss over at this point. I'm going away to College next month, so I don't want to leave on a sour note. Besides, what are janitors for if not taking advantage of? ............

Some of the notes were justified, but those were mostly at the beginning when I was still figuring out the routine, and how to best clean with the time I've been given. Now I always get everything done on my list, with only the occasional screw up (Which they are quick to pounce on, let me tell you.)

Anyway, one day, I got a call from my boss's supervisor. (He was out of town, so it was justified this time.) Apparently, I had thrown away a box full of sensitive documents that needed to be shredded. The people at the office had to go and dig it out of the dumpster. I had never been told about these before. I have a fuzzy memory sometimes, but I can clearly remember that the box had been placed ON TOP of a trash can in one of the rooms. Naturally, I assumed that it was trash too big to fit in the can. After being corrected, (Very nicely, I might add. I have the best bosses ever. ) I made sure not to throw away anything like that again. It's kind of hard to though, since they now write in permanant marker, "DO NOT THROW AWAY!" on all their shredder boxes.

Anyway, this wouldn't have been a big deal, if it weren't for the latest incedent...

To be continued... *DUN-DUN-DUUUUUUNNNN!*

  #7  
Old 07-09-2012, 05:36 AM
paxillated paxillated is offline
Cashier
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: The high plains of Colorado
Posts: 67
Default

I was a janitor for 7 years. It's not technically an hourly job; it's more like piecework. The boss bids the job based on how much time it should take, and you get paid for that amount of time. If the bid fairly, it's great, because if you work fast, you still get the same pay, and if you slack off, you still get the same pay. So if you broke it down by your actual hours worked, you got paid what you were worth!

I had good bosses who said "If they tell you to do something that's not on the list, don't do it. Just tell me and I'll remind them of what's in the contract."

But ninety minutes for 15 rooms? W.R.O.N.G. That should be at least 4 hours. And everything should be spelled out, i.e. "Sweep the parking lot once a month." I suspect you just maybe might could have a bad boss. Watchu think?
__________________
Are you talking Soul Train funky, Funky Town funky or Month Old Unwashed Gymsock funky? – Gravekeeper

  #8  
Old 07-09-2012, 04:42 PM
emax4's Avatar
emax4 emax4 is offline
Area Manager
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Allison Park, PA
Posts: 1,452
Default

Where are the notes coming from? I wonder if you could leave THEM a note explaining what is and is not included in your duties, and if they continue scrapping more of these tasks, that those same notes will either be allocated to their doors, or will considered trash by a specific janitor and thrown away properly.
Closed Thread

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump



All times are GMT. The time now is 07:31 AM.


vBulletin skins developed by: eXtremepixels
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.


| Home | Register | FAQ | Calendar | Today's Posts | Search | New Posts |