Fast food worker finds out about their first shift 30 minutes after it starts, manager berates them for not knowing: 'Well, I'm simply not in town today'

Have you ever been late to a job you didn't know you started?

Starting a new job can be stressful, even in the most calm of circumstances. You're learning a lot, meeting a lot of new people, and trying to keep everything under control. You're also probably adjusting your life around a new schedule, which can take time. It might not be a seamless fit right away, and you might make some mistakes in the beginning. It's also why you hope your new employers have some amount of grace for you. You hope that if you mess up in the beginning, they will take it in stride and realize that it can take a while to get the hang of a new job. After all, the first few weeks of a job are when they're trying to make an impression on you, too. It's a two-way street. 

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  • A young woman sits on the edge of her bed, stressed
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Some managers know how to manage, and others don't. This might sound like an oversimplification, but if you read enough stories about the workplace, you're bound to come to that conclusion. So many instances of workplace drama could have been avoided if the manager had a proper communication strategy. Good management is all about good communication. Everything under the sun could go wrong, and people would still be okay if you talked through it correctly. But this also happens to be the hardest part of a job. Everyone has different communication styles and differing expectations around discourse. 

    This story was a classic case of workplace miscommunication, but one that should have easily been avoided. When starting a new job, you hope that your bosses are there to hold your hand through the process. They hope that they will know what you need and when to give new information. That's not what happened here. They were left to wonder when their work was going to start, and they started the new job on the utterly wrong foot. The manager's lapse in communication became something bigger, and the employee was left wondering what they did wrong. Keep reading for the full story and see what you think about it.

  • Apparently I was supposed to start a job today...

    It's a fast food chain. I've worked there before. I know the manager pretty well. She said she'd 'message' me when my schedule was available. Then I go to check this morning, and oh boy, it's available. And I'm already a half hour late.
    via u/Eskelsar
  • Well, I'm simply not in town today. Since she never messaged me, I spent the weekend at ease, thinking I wasn't on the schedule yet. So I called her and told her I couldn't start today. Boy, you'd think I was the stupidest idiot in the world. "It's not my responsibility to inform you about your schedule."
    via u/Eskelsar
  • But you said you would inform me about my schedule. "Will you be working tomorrow, then?" Yes, because now I'm aware of the schedule. Anyway, thanks so much Justine! Have a great day and I'll see you tomorrow!
    via u/Eskelsar
  • "Yep, yep, yep, yep--" hangs up Okay, b Edit: Appreciate the responses y'all. I posted the following as a comment but I think it may as well be part of the post itself:
    via u/Eskelsar
  • This event set off a morning of anxiety that I didn't ask for. As I said elsewhere in this thread, I have been mostly unemployed for a long time. I did Uber for a while and was unemployed before and after that. I haven't had work anxiety for about a year, and this whole thing triggered it hard. I'm having a bit of a panic attack as we speak. And I'm p ed. And I'm
    via u/Eskelsar
  • embarrassed. But I don't feel like I should be embarrassed, or ashamed? I feel so small over this conversation. But I need to recognize that this job is just one of many. I may not stay there long or even go in tomorrow if I could somehow magically find an alternative today.
    via u/Eskelsar
  • A woman looks at her phone upset on the edge of her couch
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Commenters gave their thoughts on this story.

    mew5175_TheSec... I feel like it is definitely the manager's responsibility to inform you of your schedule ahead of your very first shift! After you start, it makes sense to explain the process of how and where to find your schedule and then you have to do it on your own.
    via u/mew5175_TheSec
  • But expecting a new employee to know the process and take that initiative ahead of their first shift is literally insane. I mean maybe because you said you worked there before this wasn't considered your "first shift" but still, even if it has been a while, they should give you a heads up.
    via u/mew5175_TheSec
  • I can't understand the logic of place saying, "yep you're hired" and then there not being a follow up conversation where both parties verbally agree upon the day and time when that person starts.
    via u/mew5175_TheSec
  • Eskelsar OP Yeah I think she forgot she said she'd let me know when the schedule was available. And of course, she must save face by treating me like the moron. And it worked, as I now feel really stupid and anxious over it all.
    via u/Eskelsar
  • FollowingNo4648 Years ago I interviewed at a local grocery store because my friend worked there. Never heard anything back and she said she saw my name on the schedule. Lol. Never showed up.
    via u/FollowingNo4648
  • Maleficent-Bothe... This way they can start you off with warnings on your record for bad behavior. One call off now puts you on your last leg.
    via u/Maleficent-Bother535
  • Eskelsar OP Good thing I've been functionally unemployed so long that I'm ready to go right back into the job search if this place me off.
    via u/Eskelsar
  • LoreBreaker85 If there is an HR, you probably want to call them and report this so it's in the record. You can use the record to dispute and future coachings on attendance.
    via u/LoreBreaker85
  • d-cent "It's not my responsibility to inform you about your schedule." It's amazing how quickly the Linked In propaganda machine has made nearly all managers spouting off this nonsense.
    via u/d-cent
  • Eskelsar OP This event set off a morning. of anxiety that I didn't ask for. As I said elsewhere in this thread, I have been mostly unemployed for a long time. I did Uber for a while and was unemployed before and after that.
    via u/Eskelsar
  • I haven't had work anxiety for about a year, and this whole thing triggered it hard. I'm having a bit of a panic attack as we speak. And I'm ped. And I'm embarrassed. But I don't feel like I should be embarrassed, or ashamed? I feel so small over this conversation.
    via u/Eskelsar
  • But I need to recognize that this job is just one of many. I may not stay there long or even go in tomorrow if I could somehow magically find an alternative today.
    via u/Eskelsar
  • morceauxdetoile I feel for you. Internet hug to you OP A long time ago I "got" a gig translating/writing articles about Japanese artists, except the lady who "hired" me never actually used that word or talked about a schedule or compensation. of any kind, but got mad when I didn't email her back
    via u/morceauxdetoile
  • after what I thought was just an interview/application, and was expecting work from me anyway?? Idk man. I'm also struggling with unemployment and anxiety in general. Life is hard. But we gotta try, don't we...
    via u/morceauxdetoile
  • Shame8891 Not going in tomorrow would be stupid. You know the schedule, and you told the manager yourself that you'd be there. Show up and immediately start looking for another job, and quit when you find it.
    via u/Shame8891
  • vixenlion It s ks, don't let this ruin your day. She is having a bad day, and she was hoping you were come in. She knew you were correct. She isn't happy that she forgot and screwed up the day!
    via u/vixenlion

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