Customers Suck, Customers Suck, Customers REALLY Suck!!!!

[Hyndis]

A few years back I was at a Safeway store and there was a commotion going on. Turns out a deli employee had accidentally removed part of a finger through a mishap with a deli slicer.

While not a life threatening incident, paramedics were called and the deli was shut down while the employee was treated and the incident investigated.


Now what if this had happened while the employee was off the clock, yet still doing stuff with a deli slicer for some reason? So many liability issues there, both for the employee and for the store.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Quoth barainga

I would never ever work off the clock no matter what. If they aren't paying me, then Im not doing it.

Same here. My mantra in this occasion is "I don't work for free", and I stick to it. This is why I always refuse to let customers in after closing time; I won't get anything good out of it, and I only get paid fifteen minutes after closing time.

That woman sounds like a bitch, tho. What sort of person suddenly decides they need turkey after 10 at night?

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Quoth Lace Neil Singer

Same here. My mantra in this occasion is "I don't work for free", and I stick to it.

Sam here. I've been in the grocery business over 20 years now and not once have I ever worked off the clock.

If I'm told not to stay past a certain time, then I simply clock out, gather my things and go. I have had a couple of occasions where I've had a store manager ask me to stay off the clock but would apply it to my hours for the following week . . .

Umm, how about HELL NO? I work, I get paid - end of story. See ya later, alligator.

If you don't want to be that blunt about it to your Sup/Manager, just simply tell him/her that you have already made plans for after your shift is over. If there's any grief over it, just reiterate that you have things YOU need to do and stick to that.

They'll eventually STFU and learn to leave you alone, hopefully.

[wolfie]

Quoth vegasmatt

Anyway my deli closes at @ 10. The closer is off at 10. Because of the coporate people coming tomorrow my boss had some extra stuff he wanted me to do. I still have a ton of work but now I have maybe an hour of extra work. Clock hits 10 I'm not done I still have lots of work but I have to clock out(no overtime is allowed). The deli is closed all the lights are out and you'd have to be from another planet to not comprehend that fact. I keep working off the clock.

Regarding working off the clock, I have 5 words for you: Hell no! Don't do it.

Quoth XCashier

THIS! It is illegal for an employer to make you work off the clock. If you have a union, contact them. OSHA would be a good call, too.

Too many employees do not know their rights. It's a good idea to look into them in your state.

Never mind forcing someone to work off the clock, it's illegal for them to ALLOW an employee to work off the clock (on the principle that the "bad apples" would claim that they weren't forcing the employees to do it, they were volunteering to do it).

[Kaibutsu]

I used to work at a Cheap Bastards- I mean, Papa John's- as a delivery guy. It was my side job from when I was a Correctional Officer. The manager would schedule upwards of 7 or 8 drivers to all start between 5 and 6, but would not clock anyone in until the calls picked up. Mind you, his friends were scheduled early and were working steadily - but that's another story.

While we waited in the back, the manager would ask very nicely if we would give him a hand while it's still slow; i.e. run a few veggies through the slicer and fold boxes. Mind you, we're still off the clock and you don't have to live in a toilet to know what a shitty situation is...

So I went along with this for a few days, then I spoke out loud near the manager's open door "Why the hell are we working if we're not getting paid?"

He immediately comes out of his office and says to me [in a heavy accent] "Kaibutsu, Kaibutsu, Kaibutsu... do not be upset! It is just not busy and there are just a few things that needed to be done... I just ask because it is slow."

I replied very calmly and matter-of-factly, "First of all I'm not upset; were I upset, I'd just take you outside and whip your ass in the parking lot. I understand it is slow but I just want to know why I'm not getting paid for the work I'm doing here."

I noticed then the entire store was silent. The manager looked at my completely calm face, raised his hands and said "No, no, no... is OK..." then walked over and clocked me into the system. "Everything alright now?"

I smiled and said, "Everything's been fine - I was just voicing my opinion."

He smiled back at me nervously and went back into his office. When I went back to finish folding boxes, all the other drivers were staring at me agape.

"What...?"

"We can't believe you just did that..."

*shrug* "I can't believe you all are still working for free..."

I left there shortly after basically telling him to bugger himself after sending me to deliver a pizza on a hill in an ice storm.