Take care of yourself and your family first.

Forget about everything else.

It sounds like the job sucked, so take a deep breath and look for a better one. You might be able to take some comfort that if things are really that tight there and you were even moderately good at your job, firing you probably hurt them more that it did you. Training new hires takes time. A few weeks with a newbie will be good payback for your ex-manager.

You could always post the name of the place here, so if anyone ever Googles it, they can see what assholes they are.

My name is Barack Obama and I approve this message.

Very sorry to hear this, mtp. In 10 years, you will remember your step-grandpa, and you will hardly remember which crappy job you had at that time. Go apply for the unemployment check and start looking for the "next great thing".

Ya'll are completely right that I'm way better off without them. I am going to go to the district manager to discuss the issue, and I felt there was some harassment and sexism that needs to be addressed. The district manager is a female, she might be sympathetic, I don't want my job back or anything, but I still have friends who work there, they shouldn't have to go through what I did. For now I'm taking this week easy, mourning, doin homework ect. I have a job for next week, I'm filling in for my mom's assistant, I should be able to find a job with holiday season coming up and all, if not I do have some savings, maybe I qualify for unemployment. I'm already moving back into my parents in Dec, so I don't have to think too long term.

Good for you - You are young and that was not a "career job" anyway.
Keep your head up and do what you gotta do!

If you are going to the DM there are things you can do/say to get some satisfaction. How long were you there? Did you have any vacation time coming? Is there a policy for a death in the family, sometimes grandparents count. Did anyone witness any "inappropriate behavior by a superior? Do you know what they consider inappropriate? There are some things to think about and then action may be taken.

Like that scene in Repo Man where the other repo guys go to Otto's former boss's house and beat the crap out of him, I'm calling on all dwellars to stop at that restaurant and leave a top decker.

Worked there 3yrs.
No, no one would witnessed a superior being inappropriate, the employee who harassed me was the dishwasher. I had every right to ask him to come help up front, I'm his superior (associate trainer), and to be clear I did ask, he decided that since I had to come ask twice and the second time I raised my voice for his apparent faulty hearing, that I was being rude. He wouldn't acknowledge me when I asked the first time, so I tried a second time assuming he might not have heard properly. Then he does finally come up front and gripes me out for it. I know there were a few girls around, but its loud in there and I'm not really sure what they heard. The manager who finally came over didn't even hear anything I said properly except for the word, "quit." The dishwasher is the main source of sexism/harassment feelings (there had been an incident a few weeks before.) When I talked to the GM on the phone, he seemed to feel that the dishwasher "Being a grown man" shouldn't have to listen to a young girl ect. Oh, and I was also told to leave "my family troubles at home." Yeah, on the day my g-pa died.

Oh and yes I have some vacation hours, I'm planning on making sure I get my pay for them.

People suck. WTF is it with people anyway? No goddamn souls, most of 'em.

Condolences on gramps' passing. Use the newfound time to be there for everyone.

I still believe that you were fired without cause and are due AT LEAST 2 weeks pay plus any time accrued for vacation. Add to that another 2 weeks for mental duress and tell them you won't have to consult ANOTHER ATTORNEY. See what happens form there - At least that will buy you some time to find another position and not have to worry about money.

I am NOT an attorney nor do I pretend to be one on the cellar - I'm just sayin' what I think there is no legal basis for any of this that I can quote you. I do, however, believe I'm correct and fair in my assessment of due compensation.

That's not how the law works in Texas. She should be paid for unused vacation time, but you can be fired without cause at any time, no questions asked, and no compensation other than time already worked. The only time severence is required is when more than 50 people and/or 33% of the employees are laid off, as required by the WARN Act.

However, I agree she might have a case (or at least enough to threaten a case) for sexual discrimination/harassment, if she had previous issues with this particular coworker and the part about being a "grown man" taking orders from a "young girl" was a direct quote from the manager.

I had a part-timer and my manager was a bitch when my fiance died. She didn't want to give me time off for the funeral or to make any arrangements. She could see that I was dead-set on it, but clearly thought I was making it up to get out of work. I wasn't fired for it, but when I got back 2 days later I got a run down of every occurrence that happened because I wasn't there to cover my shifts. I was then put on "probation" and I would be watched. I should have quit when she sassed me just for the suggestion that I might need time off. I never should have taken such a stupid job in the first place. So I was begrieved and continued to work my ass off until I got something better, but she made my life hell the whole time. I was her special project. Thinking about everything that she put me through during that time makes me want to go find her and punch her in her mouth. She would tell me my money didn't add up to the tickets, and take the cash. Then take the cash that I "owed" to make the register add up. I was not allowed to count my own tickets as it would take time out of work. So she ripped me off on a daily basis. I was younger than I am now though...a lot younger.

My point? It was probably a good thing that you were let go. You sound like a great worker, but sometimes good workers are stubborn and can't give up. They released you from bondage. Enjoy. Find something better to do with better people. Everyone has options, you just have to make something better happen.

I wouldn't file charges. I would just silently watch the good old dishwasher go to jail for something worse. Because, that probably isn't the worst of that guy's problems. Go back and check in a year. :) Be a customer. See how well he isn't doing, then proceed to give them hell and make sure to let them know exactly how successful you have been. :) Of course I am vindictive so don't listen to me.....

Hmm...I have to go make some calls.......heh.:D

Most jobs, especially those in the service sector, are basically at the employer's pleasure. Unless you can prove systematic harassment or some other violation of specific human rights or employment law, you're fucked.

FTR - I lost my waitressing job when I was 15 because I went on an extended school trip to France. Funny, I always think about it in the Autumn (I was there 21 years ago now!). It was a big deal, only the best French students in the year got to go, we attended a French school and lived with a French family etc etc.

I tried to explain to the Manager, Simon, how long I would be gone. He brushed me off by telling me to write it on a napkin and put it in the weekly rota file (the usual deal with requests for time off). He wasn't interested in hearing that I would be gone for more than a week. So I wrote down the to and from dates and put it in.

Despite my best friend AND my sister working in the same restaurant (thanks girls!) I came back to find he'd put me down for shifts each and every weekend I was gone. Weeks and weeks, and as I hadn't turned up I was sacked.

About a month later he'd moved on and I was formally asked back by the new Manager (who'd trained under him and knew me). But by then I had a supermarket job which left my evenings free... and my first boyfriend with which to occupy them - nomnomnom.

I realise this is dangerously close to saying things happen for the best. I don't mean that, it's just an anecdote about jumped up restaurant managers who love to rule their little fiefdom. But then as Sheelagh Pugh states, Sometimes things don't go, after all, from bad to worse. And that at least I can sanction.

i hear this place is hiring: