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Hi, I would like some advice and other people's point of view on the subject matter. I'm currently working at a friend's business. It's a food shop, I get paid minimum wage, and I've been working there for about 7 months now.
The shop's size can fit about 40 or so people. Only 2 people work there at any given time (it's usually me and another co-worker who is also their friend), so when lunch rush hits, I'm usually the one cooking the orders, while my co-worker works the cashier. But basically, we pretty much run the shop like managers.
My problem is that I feel certain aspects of the work that I'm being asked to do is a bit ridiculous.
The issue started out about taking out the trash, but my friend basically said "Because I'm the owner and I'm paying you, I expect you to listen to me/not challenge me and do your job/whatever task I ask you to do". What I want to know is, is it my job to take out the trash the next morning that they (my friends, the owners) deliberately left behind the night before (They told me this) when they worked?
Their excuse is that they are the employer and I'm the employee, but throughout my whole entire work experience, they never kept it professional when it conveniences them. There are times when I was scheduled to work 15 minutes before my shift started, that I sometimes pay for the weekly food product delivery(I get reimbursed later down the week), that I had to rush down to the shop to deliver certain food products because they ran out (I live with them, so we keep backup stock in our personal freezer...), and so on. My co-worker has it worse though...when they work, they leave the place/grill dirty overnight and he comes in an 30 minutes earlier than his shift just to clean up the mess from the previous day (he doesn't get paid for this).
Granted, this is my first job, so I'm not really sure what to expect in a work environment, but I would think that no matter who works, at the end of the day, everything should be clean, correct? I don't think being the boss of a small business should exemplify you from cleaning and give you the right to push it off to your employees that wasn't scheduled that particular day.
This has been bugging me and I'm debating whether to just let go of the friendship because of this. I don't expect to be treated special, but I don't expect to be taken advantage of either. I only work for 3 more weeks (as I plan to go back home in another city), but after that, I don't really feel inclined to continue on with the friendship after working for them.
Was I wrong to stand my ground when I confronted them with this issue?
Sounds like a tough situation for you. I'll just address each issue you mentioned at a time. The trash thing sounds like a given in any job, but as someone who routinely has to deal with other people's trash, I know how maddening it can be. Where I work, in retail, the day-shift often leaves their trash laying around in carts and it's annoying. In my case I just figure they thought it'd be a waste to get rid of a trash bag that's not completely full so I find use for it but other people get mad about it and if it's also someone else's job I'd definitely bring it to the attention to the owner again.
That's completely outrageous that your other friend is working off the clock to clean the kitchen. However it's up to this person to bring it up to the owner. Many companies in which friendship or relation is not involved wouldn't think of letting this happen.
Bottom line; it seems that friends and family are just fancy terms for people to take advantage of and not feel guilty about it, for some people. The longer you let your dissatisfaction build up, the higher of a chance it will ruin this friendship and job. My mom and aunt couldn't work together and now they can't even talk to each other, and they're family! So don't let this build up more. If this friend isn't willing to work with you a little, they're not a good friend or employer and you'd be better off finding somewhere else to invest your time. Good luck to you.
This has been bugging me and I'm debating whether to just let go of the friendship because of this. I don't expect to be treated special, but I don't expect to be taken advantage of either. I only work for 3 more weeks (as I plan to go back home in another city), but after that, I don't really feel inclined to continue on with the friendship after working for them.
Was I wrong to stand my ground when I confronted them with this issue?
Ann Landers used to say, "No one can take advantage of you without your permission." You have been too good to these so-called "friends." I would finish out the 3 weeks and then write off the friendship when you move. If you've put up with it for 7 months, you can tolerate a few more weeks.
I hope your co-worker finds other employment soon as well. The business owners deserve to get stuck doing the work themselves!
For future employment, I'd suggest when you are considering taking a position, request a written job description so that it's understood up front which responsibilities are yours and which would not fall on your shoulders. And don't work for friends!
Good luck!
.
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Lemme say, that owner is no "friend" of yours. If I worked for a friend, a real, genuine friend, I'd expect to be treated like the Queen of England, nothing less. If I came in a few minutes late, he'd better not say anything, if I wanna take a day off because I feel like it, I'd better be able to do that too, and I damned well be well-paid, or that person will no longer be a friend of mine any more....lol.
In your case, I suggest you discontinue your friendship with that person, as your "friend" is clearly taking advantage of you, and that's not a good situation at all - especially if you live together.
Yes, it is wrong to leave an eating establishment dirty at the end of the day. If the owners are the only ones there, the owners need to take out the trash.
You are being taken advantage of and it lets your friend feel superior to you.
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