17-year-old provides two week notice for fast food job, doesn't turn up for last shift after manager's reaction: 'I don't need to go to a job I hate anymore'

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Jun 5, 2026 7:45 PM EDT

Does every job deserve a notice period?

It is a reality of the modern working world that most employees are going to encounter a role that they can't wait to leave at least once in their lives. It could be argued that there are more bad workplaces than good in many industries, and that begins to take its toll on your peace of mind if you stay in them for too long.

One of the groups that is most prone to suffering unfair treatment in the workplace is young people who do not have a lot of work experience. There are certain sectors that see teenagers as cheap and easily replaceable labor. They also believe that they are easier to manipulate because they don't know any better.

Of course, this is often far from the case. Even the most naive of employees only has so much of a threshold for a miserable working environment, and it is only a matter of time before they look for somewhere new to get a paycheck. The only thing is that trying to leave these kinds of places can be almost as painful as the experience of working for them. Still, it's an important lesson to learn.

via Grace Anne Bobadilla

_{^{A representation of a young female fast food worker serving an ice cream cone}}
A 17-year-old had been working her second ever job in a fast food restaurant since last year, but it was becoming clear that it was time for her to leave. Her manager was mean and difficult to work with, and she was disgusted with the standard of hygiene that she saw in the kitchen.
As a shy, nonconfrontational person, she found that the easiest way to give notice was to leave a letter on her boss's desk. After this, they had an altercation that led to her ending her shift and not coming back. However, she was worried that she had not done the right thing.
Am I wrong for not showing up for my scheduled shift the day after I put my 2 weeks notice in?

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_{^{A representation of a young female fast food worker cleaning a metal display case}}
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_{^{A representation of a young female fast food employee operating a beverage dispenser}}
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