Let's share the worst things we've had to endure as employees. I'll go first:

Teenage, food service, pizza. The AC breaks in the middle of a California summer, easily 110°f outside, 115°f inside the store (verified), with 500°f open-ended ovens running nonstop. Then the makeline which holds ingredients breaks. The cheese melts into clumps. We stay open, business as usual. Also, no breaks, ever. Pay: $8.50/hr.

Adult, teaching, high school. No in-class heat for four years. School provides one basic 11" fan heater used to warm small bedrooms. My class ceilings are at least 12ft with tons of windows. I developed a routine of showing up an hour early, turning on the collection of heaters I'd acquired (including several from home), and get the room up to a sweltering 62°f by first period. I also figured out which electrical items can be plugged into which outlets and how to reset the fuse panel on a moments notice. I have photos of my students huddled around an oil-radiator with their hands out, eager for even a semblance of heat.

Your turn:

  • Three_Magpies [he/him]
    ·
    3 years ago

    My first job did something called a split shift where I’d work from 10am-2pm, then clock out, then come back and work from 6-9pm.

    The economy was shit and I was too young / nervous to realize how bullshit this was. “Oh, set aside your entire day to do 6 hours of work.” Fuck them.

    • DasKarlBarx [he/him,comrade/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      That sucks. I worked a job when I was a teen that would have me work closing shifts (till 11 pm) then opening shifts (either 6 or 7 am) the next day.

    • GalaxyBrain [they/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Yeah, I've had people try to pull that. I did it one job cause I lived a block away so I could actually go home and stuff