Bakery worker gets scolded for checking her phone for 30 seconds during 6-hour trial shift despite manager saying it was allowed, quits after boss belittles her: ‘We’re not children here’

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Cata Holmes • Writer
Aug 15, 2026 2:00 PM EDT

A first shift is supposed to show you what a workplace is like, and sometimes that's exactly the problem.

Four and a half hours into washing dishes at her bakery trial shift, this 21-year-old finally had a quiet moment. She checked her phone for roughly 30 seconds, something the manager had explicitly said was fine. Unfortunately, the owner had other ideas. She immediately called it a "bad impression" and told her, "We're not children here." That was enough for her.

Imagine this happened to you on your first day of work… Because we all know how the first day can be sometimes. To begin with, we're all a bit nervous. It's hard not to be when you're not only going to meet your future coworkers but also learn everything about the new position and how to get things done. And all of this gets bigger if you need money or were unemployed for a while.

That being said, we can tell that u/Primary-Flower-1640 was a bit nervous, but excited since this was a known bakery to her and she wanted to be part of it. The thing that caught her off guard was the fact that she was not expecting the boss to be so… let's say contradictory. Before she started her job, she asked what to do with her phone, and the manager told her she could keep it and even listen to music with headphones.

So… I don't know why, a bit later she would roast her for checking it for a few seconds while she waited for the manager to come back and explain some important things. Anyways, sometimes bosses or managers take advantage of people who need to work and don't care how they treat them. I'm glad that she could stand up for herself and never come back after that shift.

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  • Young bakery worker during her first trial shift before an uncomfortable interaction with the owner convinced her not to return.
    via Unsplash+ (via Getty Images)

    Young bakery worker during her first trial shift before an uncomfortable interaction with the owner convinced her not to return.

    Individual pictured is a model used for illustrative purposes.

  • Excited to start a new job!

    So 21F I had apply to this local bakery in my city as a bakery clerk / dishwasher since they were hiring. thought it would be perfect to work there as I heard the workers there are very friendly and it's my mom's favourite bakery, so I could get
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • discounts. Just as yesterday, I started my working trial for 6 hours to see if I like the job and as apart of my training before they fully hire me.
    via Primary-Flower-1640

  • Asking questions about things your unsure of is a good call on the first day

    Once I got there, I asked the manger if I could put my phone in my back pockets or if I should store it away in my purse as I was unsure if phones were allowed. The manager said yes and how I can even listen to music with AirPods if I want. So I kept my phone in
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • my back pocket and wash many dishes and drying them for 4.5 hours straight, until the owner/boss of restaurant stopped by my area with 20 long big stacked of trays telling me how she'll show me how they wash and store
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • these trays, but first she gotta do something first and then she will show me how it's done.
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • In the meantime, I pretty much finished washing the dishes, I just needed to store them away. However, since it was my first shift and I was new, had no idea where to specifically put the items
    via Primary-Flower-1640

  • Listen... a little break after washing dishes for almost five hours is not bad

    away as nobody was around. So while I was waiting for the boss, I quickly whipped out my phone just to check the time and my notifications before she comes back.
    via Primary-Flower-1640

  • WHAT?? She told her she could her phone during shift!

    However, 30 seconds later, right around the corner she caught me on my phone and I quickly put it away in my pocket as I didn't want to leave a bad impression. She then asked me, "Why are you on your phone?" | immediately apologize, telling her
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • kindly how I'm so sorry, In the meantime I was going to put dishes away but how nobody was around for me to ask, and I just wanted to quickly check the time and my notifications on my phone.
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • Bakery worker washing dishes during a trial shift after spending several hours cleaning and organizing items in the kitchen.
    via Unsplash+ (via Paul Meckes)

    Bakery worker washing dishes during a trial shift after spending several hours cleaning and organizing items in the kitchen.

    Image depicted solely for explanatory purposes.

  • Oh my... I think the lady was having a bad day.

    Then her response was "Were not children here, it's already your first trial shift and it's already looking like a bad impression," and "We don't go on our phones here, there's lots to get done." I immediately started shaking and was
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • going to grab my stuff and get of there as fast as I can, but kept my calm and stayed for remaining of my shift, which they kept 10 minutes after my shift still doing some other work.
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • I've never in my life had ever felt so belittled and intimidated starting a new job and being treated like that. The boss, could have just kindly informed me that they had a no phone policy
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • Bakery employees working behind the counter during a busy shift as a new worker learns the responsibilities of the job.
    via Unsplash+ (via Andy Li)

    Bakery employees working behind the counter during a busy shift as a new worker learns the responsibilities of the job.

    Still frame for contextual reference only.

  • instead of being hard on me. After this, I definitely quit and refuse to work for them again.
    via Primary-Flower-1640

  • The comment section was not what I was anticipating. To start, many of them told her that these things are going to happen at work, and that she'd better get used to it or she will find herself quitting very often. Although this was good advice, I think the OP was looking for something different when sharing the story…

  • SignatureNo2563 I'd take this as a blessing because if she talks to a new hire like that over checking the time after the manager said phones were fine, imagine how she treats people once they actually work there.
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • Low-Feature-3973 Someone corrected you. It's going to happen a lot in life. I'd suggest learning how to deal with your anxiety and leave your phone put away.
    via Primary-Flower-1640
  • HandsomeWarthog That made you quit? Jesus. Get a thicker skin, and quick. You will need it for your next job. You could have used this as a growth opportunity to learn about different workplace personalities and how to adjust your actions and expectations accordingly. Instead, you tucked tail and quit.
    via Primary-Flower-1640

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toxic-manager bakery work phone wash dishes
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